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The newly freed Britney needs to step up her game, according to the Daily Mail.

Britney Spears must have had a shock on her first major appearance as a singleton since her split from Kevin Federline.

Her arrival at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles was the 24-year-old singer’s first step in shedding her mumsy image and relaunching herself as the sexy star she used to be.

But she would have been horrified when she saw the competition last night as she turned up to present a gong.

She may be older than Britney, but the evergreen Gwen Stefani, 37, who gave birth to her first child in May, put in a sizzling performance of her new single Wind It Up, while Beyonce, 25, was her typical show-stopping self in a sparkly sequined dress as she grinded her way through Irreplaceable.

While Britney looked sleek with blonde hair extensions and a figure-hugging cream dress, she still has a long way to go to regain her crown as the princess of pop.

Gong?

Seriously, why is everyone trying to stress a bitch out? This time last year she was barefoot in a gas station bathroom hoovering up Doritos, while her scrub was outside trying to buy a dimebag with the last of her “Oops! I Did It Again!” money. Give her a little time to re-hot herself. Jesus, the nerve of people.

Many more photos from the American Music Awards show after the jump.

Written by J. Harvey

Britney’s catching up [Daily Mail]

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