Posted by Andrew Unterberger on 04/12/2011 at 1:08 PM News

The Popdust Files: britney spears, Femme Fatale Tour, Jessie and the Toy Boys, Nervo, nicki minaj

With rap superstar Nicki Minaj announced yesterday as the second-billed act on Britney Spears‘ upcoming 26-date Femme Fatale tour, the lineup’s undercard just needed a little fleshing out before Brit and company would be good to go. That was taken care of today with the announcement of two more opening acts on the all-female mega-tour—Jessie and the Toy Boys, and Nervo. “I’m thrilled to have Nicki Minaj, Jessie and the Toy Boys, and Nervo join me and get everyone on the dance floor,” said Spears of her tour, tickets for which go on sale April 30. “Can’t wait to take the Femme Fatales on the road.”

So just who are these new names joining Britney and Nicki on their Y-chromosome-less journey? Jessie and the Toy Boys are an electro-pop outfit led by So-Cal-based lead singer Jessie Malakouti (“I don’t mind that people approach me with one attitude and leave with another,” Jessie says on the band’s website. “I like having the power to play with stereotypes…and then shatter them. It’s fun and gratifying.”) Their Yelawolf-featuring single “Push It” is a dirty and supremely catchy dancefloor declaration that could’ve been a Peaches-style electroclash anthem released a decade earlier.

Nervo will be a little bit more familiar to pop audiences, although not directly. An Australian songwriting duo consisting of twins Miriam “Mim” and Olivia “Liv” Nervo (previously known as “The Nervo Twins”), the two have co-penned hits for artists like David Gueta (the Kelly Rowland-featuring dance smash “When Love Takes Over“) and Ke$ha (the recent Hot 100-scraper “Fuck Him He’s a DJ“). Now signed to Astralwerks, Nervo are beginning a career as their own act. “After so many years writing for and producing tracks for other artists, we are thrilled to be working on our own material that truly represents who we are,” says Liv. Check out their percolating dance debut release, “This Kind of Love,” featuring vocalist Ollie James.

Hopefully, Nicki and the young guns will inspire Britney to reclaim the energy and dancemanship of her early days. And perhaps Britney will also use this tour as an opportunity to reveal her Olympian-level gymnastic skills on the pommel horse and parallel bars. Anything’s possible, you know.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

June 16: Sacramento, CA, Power Balance Pavilion (on sale April 30)
June 18: San Jose, CA, HP Pavilion (on sale April 30)
June 20: Los Angeles, CA, Staples Center (on sale April 30)
June 24: Anaheim, CA, Honda Center (on sale April 30)
June 25: Las Vegas, NVMGM Grand Garden Arena (on sale April 30)
June 28: Portland, OR, Rose Garden Arena (on sale May 7)
June 29: Tacoma, WA, Tacoma Dome (on sale May 7)
July 1: Vancouver, BC, Rogers Arena (on sale May 7)
July 4: Winnipeg, MB, MTS Centre (on sale May 7)
July 6: St. Paul, MN, Xcel Center (on sale May 7)
July 8: Chicago, IL, United Center (on sale April 30)
July 12: Dallas, TX, American Airlines Center (on sale May 7)
July 13: Houston, TX, Toyota Center (on sale May 7)
July 15: New Orleans, LA, New Orleans Arena (on sale May 14)
July 17: Atlanta, GA, Philips Arena (on sale May 7)
July 20: Orlando, FL, Amway Center (on sale May 7)
July 22: Miami, FL, American Airlines Arena (on sale April 30)
July 26: Cleveland, OH, Quicken Loans Arena (on sale May 7)
July 28: Detroit, MI, The Palace of Auburn Hills (on sale April 30)
July 30: Philadelphia, PA, Wells Fargo Center (on sale May 7)
July 31: Washington, DC, Verizon Center (on sale May 7)
August 2: Uniondale, NY, Nassau Coliseum (on sale April 30)
August 5: East Rutherford, NJ, Izod Center (on sale April 30)
August 8: Boston, MA, TD Garden (on sale May 7)
August 11: Montreal, QC, Bell Centre (on Sale May 7)
August 13: Toronto, ON, Air Canada Centre (on Sale April 30)

For lots more pics, videos and up-to-the-second dish on Britney, check out her Popdust Artist Page.