Nicki Minaj Shows Off 'Big Talent' On 'Starships'

Nicki Minaj channels her inner-pop princess on her new single "Starships," which dropped Tuesday (February 14). The track certainly sounds like it would fit in perfectly on pop radio, nestled in between hits by Britney Spears and Katy Perry.

"Starships" is a fist-pumping anthem about having a good time. Produced by RedOne, it is certainly the perfect song for those who enjoyed shaking their groove thang to "Super Bass." The lighthearted, feel-good vibe of the song is perfect for casual Barbz to blast.

It's hard not to see Spears' influence on the rapper/singer when listening to the song, and given that the two toured together last year, Minaj may be trying to remind her pop fans that she has an ear for what they want.

MTV News recently caught up with RedOne, who had only the kindest words for the Brooklyn-bred MC. "Working with Nicki is amazing, 'cause she's so talented," he said. "There's nothing that inspires me more than raw, really good talent, big talent. I see that in Nicki, and of course, she's proven to be who she is."

The song not only is pure pop perfection, but RedOne's influence is evident, thanks to its grinding Euro dance beats. "For me, [it was] a beautiful experience," he said. "There's a lot of love there. We respect each other a lot, and I think it's really key. We've done a few songs, and I think it's going to be very, very special. I'm excited."

"Starships" serves as a tease to what the super-producer and Minaj are cooking up in the studio, but RedOne promises some surprises. "I think we did something really fresh that's out of this world," he said. "I'm really excited for the world to hear what we've done together."

The love is certainly mutual. Minaj recently dished about the creation of the song. "There was so much love surrounding the making of the song, because RedOne is just so sweet to work with," Minaj said. "He just sent me that one day, and he said, 'Hey, I got something for you!' I was like, 'You got to be kidding me, right?' I went to the studio and started writing ... scratch that ... I didn't even write the first verse! That was just me mumbling and just saying the first thing that came to my head, and we recorded it, because I just felt like: 'Let's go to the beach ... let's go get away.' It was just so good. It feels good!"

"Starships" is the latest track from Minaj's April 1 release, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. On Sunday, she gave fans an over-the-top taste of "Roman Holiday" when she performed it during the Grammys.

Are you excited to hear more new Nicki music? Let us know in the comments!