1981–1997: Early life and beginnings



Britney
Jean Spears was born on December 2, 1981, the second child of Lynne Irene (née Bridges) and Jamie Parnell Spears. She is ofEnglish heritag
e through her maternal grandmother, who was born in London, and of distant Maltese descent.[4][5] Her sibil
ings are Bryan James and Jamie Lynn.[6] At age three, she started to attend dance lessons in her hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana and was selected to
perform a solo at the annual recital. During her childhood, she also attended gymnastics and voice lessons, and won many state-level competitions and children's talent shows.[7
][8][9] Spears made her local stage debut at age five, singing "What Child Is This?" at her kindergarten graduation. Spears said about her ambition as a child, "I w
as in my own world, [...] I found out what I'm supposed to do at an early age".[8] At age eight, Spears and her mother Lynne travelled to Atlanta for an audition in
the 1990's revival of The Mickey Mouse Club. Casting director Matt Cassella rejected her for being too young to join the series at the time, but introduced
her to Nancy Carson, a New York City talent agent. Carson was impressed with Spears's vocals and suggested enrolling her at the Professio
nal Performing Arts School; shortly after, Lynne and her daughters moved to a sublet apartment in New York. Spears was hired
for her first professional role, as the understudy for the lead role of Tina Denmark in the Off-Broadway musical Ruthless!. She also appeared as a contestant on the popular television show Star Search, as well as being cast in a number of commercials.[10][11] In December 1992, she was finally cast in The Mickey Mouse Club, but returned to Kentwood after the show was cancelled. She enrolled at Parklane Academy in nearby McComb, Mississippi. Although she made friends with most of her classmates, she compared the school to "the opening scene in Clueless with all the cliques. [...] I was so bored. I was the point guard on the basketball team. I had my boyfriend, and I went to homecoming and Christmas formal. But I wanted more."[8][12]
In June 1997, Spears was in talks with manager Lou Pearlman to join female pop group innosense. Lynne asked family friend and entertainment lawyer Larry Rudolph for his opinion and submitted a tape of Spears singing over a Whitney Houston karaoke song along with some pictures. Rudolph decided he wanted to pitch her to record labels, therefore she needed a professional demo. He sent Spears an unused song from Toni Braxton; she rehearsed for a week and recorded her vocals in a studio with a lone sound engineer. Spears travelled to New York with the demo and met with executives from four labels, returning to Kentwood the same day. Three of the labels rejected her, arguing audiences wanted pop bands such as The Backstreet Boys and The Spice Girls, and "there wasn't going to be another Madonna, another Debbie Gibson, or another Tiffany." Two weeks later, executives from Jive Recordsreturned calls to Rudolph.[13] Senior vice president of A&R Jeff Fenster stated about Spears's audition that "It's very rare to hear someone that age who can deliver emotional content and commercial appeal. [...] For any artist, the motivation—the 'eye of the tiger'— is extremely important. And Britney had that."[8] They appointed her to work with producer Eric Foster White for a month, who reportedly shaped her voice from "lower and less poppy" delivery to "distinctively, unmistakably Britney."[14] After hearing the recorded material, president Clive Calder ordered a full album. Spears had originally envisioned "Sheryl Crow music, but younger more adult contemporary" but felt alright with her label's appointment of producers, since "It made more sense to go pop, because I can dance to it—it's more me." She flew to Cheiron Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, where half of the album was recorded from March to November 1998, with producers Max Martin, Denniz PoP and Rami, among others.[8]

1998–2000: ...Baby One More Time and Oops!... I Did It Again


After Spears returned to the

United States, Spears embarked on a shopping mall promotional tour to promote her forthcoming album. Her show was a four song set and she

was accompanied by two back up dancers. Her first concert tour followed, as an opening act for 'N Sync.[15] Her debut album,...Baby One M

ore Time, was released on January 1999. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified two-times platinum by

theRecording Industry Association of America after a month. Worldwide, the album topped the charts in fifteen countries and sold over ten million copies in a year.[16

] It became the biggest selling album ever by a teenage artist.[9] The title track was released as the lead single from the album. Originally, Jive Records want

ed its music video to be animated; however, Spears rejected it, and suggested the final idea of a Catholic schoolgirl.[17] The single sold

500,000 copies on its first day, and debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, topping the chart for two consecutive weeks.[18][19] "...Baby One

More Time" later received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.[20] The title track also topped the singles chart for two weeks in the United Kingdom, and became the fastest-selling single ever by a female artist, shipping over 460,000 copies.[21] It would later become the 25th most successful song of all time in British chart history.[22] Spears is also the youngest female artist to have a million seller in the country.[23] "(You Drive Me) Crazy" was released as the second single from the album. It became a top-ten hit worldwide and propelled ...Baby One More Time to sell 25 million copies.[9] The April 1999 cover of Rolling Stone featured Spears laying on her bed, clad with a bra, shorts and an open top. The American Family Association (AFA) referred to the shoot as "a disturbing mix of childhood innocence and adult sexuality" and called to "God-loving Americans to boycott stores selling Britney's albums." Spears responded to the outcry commenting, "What's the big deal? I have strong morals. [...] I'd do it again. I thought the pictures were fine. And I was tired of being compared to Debbie Gibson and all of this bubblegum pop all the time."[24] Shortly before, Spears had announced publicly she would remain a virgin until marriage.[9]

On June 28, 1999, Spears began her first headlining ...Baby One More Time Tour in North America, which was positively received by critics,[25] but generated some controversy due to her racy outfits.[26] An extension of the tour, titled Crazy 2k, followed in March 2000. Spears premiered songs from her upcoming second album during the show.[12] Oops!... I Did It Again, her second studio album, was released in May 2000. It debuted at number one in the US, selling 1,3 million copies, breaking the SoundScan record for the highest debut sales by any solo artist.[12] The album sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[27] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone said that "the great thing about Oops! – under the cheese surface, Britney's demand for satisfaction is complex, fierce and downright scary, making her a true child of rock & roll tradition."[28] The album's lead single, "Oops!... I Did It Again", peaked at the top of the charts in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and many other European nations.[29][23] The album as well as the title track received Grammy nominations for Best Pop Vocal Albumand Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, respectively.[30] The same year, Spears embarked on the Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour, which grossed $40.5 million; she also released her first book, Britney Spears' Heart-to-Heart, co-written with her mother.[31][9] On September 7, 2000, Spears performed at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. Halfway through the performance, she ripped of her black suit to reveal a sequined flesh-colored bodysuit, followed by heavy dance routine. It is noted by critics as the moment that Spears showed signs of becoming a more provocative performer.[32] Amidst media speculation, Spears confirmed she was dating 'N Sync member Justin Timberlake.[9]

2001–2003: Britney, Crossroads, and In the Zone



On February 2001, Spears got a promotional deal for $7-8 million dollars

with Pepsi, and released another book co-written with her mother, entitled A Mother’s Gift.[9] Her th

ird studio album, Britney, was released in November 2001. While on tour, she felt inspired by hip hop artists su

ch as Jay-Z andThe Neptunes and wanted to create a record with a funkier sound.[33] The album debuted at nu

mber one in the Billboard 200 and reached top five positions in Australia, the United Kingdom and mainland Europe and sold over 12 million

copies worldwide.[34][23][35] Stephen Thomas Erlewin

e ofAllmusic called Britney "the record where she strives to deepen her persona, making it more adult while

still recognizably Britney. [...] It does sound like the work of a star who has now found and refined her voic

e, resulting in her best record yet."[36] The album was honored with two Grammy nominations—Best Pop Voc

al Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Overprotected"

— and was listed in 2008 as one of Entertainment Weekly's "100 Best Albums from the Past 25 Years".[37][38] Th

e album's first single, "I'm a Slave 4 U", became a top-ten hit worldwide.[39] Spears's performance of th

e single at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards featured a caged tiger and a large albino python drapped over her shoulders. It was harshly received by animal rights organization PETA, who claimed the animals were mistreated and scrapped plans for an anti-fur billboard that was to feature Spears.[32] To support the album, Spears embarked on the Dream Within a Dream Tour. The show was critically praised for its technical innovations, the pièce de résistance being a water screen that pumped two tons of water into the stage.[40][41] The tour grossed $43.7 million, becoming the second highest grossing tour of 2002 by a female artist, behind Cher's Farewell Tour.[42] Her career success was highlighted by Forbes in 2002, as Spears was ranked the world's most powerful celebrity.[43] Spears also landed her first starring role in Crossroads, released in February 2002. Although the film was largely panned, most critics actually praised Spears's acting.[44][45][46] Crossroads, which had a $11 million budget, went on to gross over $57 million worldwide.[46]

In June 2002, Spears opened her first restaurant, Nyla, in New York City, but terminated her relationship in November, citing mismanagement and "management's failure to keep her fully apprised".[47] In July 2002, Spears announced she would take a six month break from her career; however, she went back into the studio in October to record her new album.[48] Spears's relationship with Justin Timberlake ended after three years. In December 2002, Timberlake released the song "Cry Me a River" as the second single from his solo debut album. The music video featured a Spears look-alike and fueled the rumors that she had been unfaithful to him.[49][50] As a response, Spears wrote the ballad "Everytime" with her backing vocalist and friend Annet Artani.[51] The same year, Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst confirmed that he was in a relationship with Spears, only to deny it later. In a 2009 interview, he explained that "I just guess at the time it was taboo for a guy like me to be associated with a gal like her."[52] Spears opened the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards with Christina Aguilera, performing "Like a Virgin". Halfway through they were joined by Madonna, with whom they both kissed. The incident was highly publicized.[46] Spears released her fourth studio album, In the Zone, in November 2003. She assumed more creative control by writing and co-producing most of the material.[9] Vibe called it "A supremely confident dance record that also illustrates Spears's development as a songwriter."[53] NPR listed the album as one of "The 50 Most Important Recording of the Decade", adding that "the decade's history of impeccably crafted pop is written on her body of work."[54] In the Zone sold over 609,000 copies in the United States and debuted at the top of the charts, making Spears the first female artist in the SoundScan era to have her first four studio albums to debut at number one.[9] It also debuted at the top of the charts in France and the top ten in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands.[55] In the Zone sold over 10 million copies worldwide.[56] The album yielded three hit singles: "Me Against the Music", a collaboration with Madonna; "Toxic"—which won a Grammy for Best Dance Recording— and "Everytime".[9]

2004–2007: Compilation albums, personal struggles and Blackout


On January 3, 2004, Spears married childhood friend Jason

Allen Alexander at The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las

Vegas, Nevada. The marriage was annulled 55 hours later, stating that Spears

"lacked understanding of her actions".[57] She began The Onyx Hotel Tour in support of In the Zone in March 2004.[58] On

June 8, 2004, Spears fell and injured her left knee during the music video shoot for "Outrageous". She was taken

immediately to a local hospital, where doctors performed an MRI scan and

found floating cartilage. The following day, Spears underwent arthroscopic

surgery. She was forced to remain six weeks with a thigh

brace, followed by eight to twelve weeks of rehabilitation, which caused The Onyx Hotel Tour to be canceled.[59] During

2004, Spears became involved in the Kabbalah Centre through her friendship with Madonna.[60] In July 2004,

she announced her engagement to American dancerKevin Federline, who she had met three months

before. The romance received intense attention from the media, since Federline had recently broken up with actress

Shar Jackson, who was still pregnant with their second child at the time.[9] The initial sta

ges of their relationship were chronicled in Spears's first reality show Britney & Kevin: Chaotic, and they married on Septe

mber 18, 2004.[61] Shortly after, she released her first fragrance with Elizabeth Arden, Curious, which broke the

company's first-week gross for a perfume.[9] In October 2004, Spears announced she would be taking another career break

to start a family.[62] Greatest Hits: My Prerogative, her first greatest hits compilation album, was released in November

2004.[63] Spears's cover version of Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative" was released as the lead single from the album

, reaching the top of the charts in Finland, Ireland, Italy and Norway.[64]The second single, "Do Somethin'", was a top ten hit in Australia, the United

Kingdom and other countries of mainland Europe.[65][66] Worldwide, Greatest Hits: My Prerogative

sold over 5 million copies.[67]

Spears gave birth to her first child, Sean Preston Federline,

on September 14, 2005.[68] In November 2005, she released her first remix compilation, B in the Mix: The Remixes. The album consists of eleven remixes and a new track titled "And Then We Kiss".[69] In February 2006, pictures surfaced of Spears driving with her son Sean, on her lap instead of in a car seat. Child advocates were horrified by the photos of her holding the wheel with one hand and Sean with the other. Spears claimed that the situation happened because of a frightening encounter with paparazzi, and that it was a mistake on her part.[9] The following month, she guest-starred on the Will & Grace episode "Buy, Buy Baby" as closeted lesbian Amber Louise.[70] She publicly announced she longer studied Kabbalah in June 2006, explaining, "my baby is my religion".[60] Two months later, Spears posed nude for the cover of Harper's Bazaar. The picture was heavily compared to Demi Moore's August 1991 Vanity Fair cover.[9] She gave birth to her second child, Jayden James Federline, on September 12, 2006.[71] On November 7, 2006, Spears filed for divorce from Federline, citing irreconcilable differences.[72] Their divorce was finalized in July 2007, when the couple reached a global settlement and agreed to share joint custody of their children.[73] Spears's aunt Sandra Bridges Covington, with whom she had been very close, died of ovarian cancer in January.[74] On February 16, 2007, Spears stayed in a drug rehabilitation facility in Antigua for less than a day. The following night, she shaved her head with electric clippers at a hair salon in Tarzana, California. She admitted herself to other treatment facilities during the following weeks.[75] After completing a month-long program at Promises, she wrote on her website, "I truly hit rock bottom. Till this day I don't think that it was alcohol or depression. [...] was like a bad kid running around with ADD."[9] In May 2007, she produced a series of promotional concerts at House of Bluesvenues, titled The M+M's Tour.[76] Spears lost physical custody of her children to Federline on October 1, 2007. The reasons of the court ruling were not revealed to the public.[77]

Her fifth studio album, Blackout, was released in October 2007. It debuted at the top of charts in Canada and Ireland, number two in the U.S. Billboard 200,—held off from the top spot byEagles's Long Road out of Eden— France, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom and the top ten in Australia, Korea, New Zealand and many European nations. In the United States, Spears became the only female artist to have her first five studio albums debut at the two top slots of the chart.[78] Blackout sold over 3.1 million copies worldwide.[79] Peter Robinson ofThe Observer said that "Britney has delivered the best album of her career, raising the bar for modern pop music with an incendiary mix of Timbaland's Shock Value and her own back catalogue."[80] Dennis Lim of Blender commented, "Spears’s fifth studio album is her most consistent, a seamlessly entertaining collection of bright, brash electropop."[81] Blackout won Album of the Year at MTV Europe Music Awards 2008 and was listed as the fifth Best Pop Album of the Decade by The Times.[82][83] Spears performed the lead single "Gimme More" at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. The performance was panned by many critics. David Willis of BBC stated her performance would "go down in the history books as being one of the worst to grace the MTV Awards".[84] Despite the backlash, the single rocketed to worldwide success, peaking at number one in Canada and the top ten in almost every country it charted.[85][86] The second single "Piece of Me" reached the top of the charts in Ireland and reached the top five in Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.[87][88][89] In December 2007, Spears began a relationship with paparazzi Adnan Ghalib.[90]

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