| Britney Spears |
|
| Background information |
| Birth name |
Britney Jean Spears |
| Born |
December 2 1981 (1981--) (age 25)
McComb, Mississippi, USA |
| Origin |
Kentwood, Louisiana, USA |
| Genre(s) |
Pop, dance, urban pop |
| Occupation(s) |
singer, dancer, recording
artist, performer, songwriter,
actress |
| Years active |
1998 – present |
| Label(s) |
Jive |
| Website |
www.britney.com |
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an
American pop music singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and author. Spears has sold over 83 million records worldwide according
to Zomba Label Group,[1] and has sold over 75 million albums worldwide.[2] The Recording Industry Association of
America (RIAA) ranks her as the eighth best-selling female artist in American music history, having sold 31 million albums
in the U.S.[3]
Spears is best known for her studio albums, music
videos, and songs, such as "...Baby One More Time",
"Oops!... I Did It Again", "I'm a Slave
4 U", "Toxic", for which she won a Grammy
Award,[4] and
"Gimme More". In January 1999, Spears released her
first studio album ...Baby One More Time, followed closely by the 2000
studio album Oops!... I Did It Again. Her third album Britney was released in November 2001, followed by a fourth
album In The Zone in November 2003. The
collection Greatest Hits: My Prerogative was released in
November 2004. Her fifth album entitled Blackout is scheduled to be released worldwide in October 2007.[5]
Spears's fame in the music industry has led her to experiment with other forms of media, including film and reality television. As an actress, she is most noted for her
starring role in the 2002 movie Crossroads.[6] Spears has also made guest appearances in various other movies and
television programs. Her success as a singer led her to several high-profile advertising
deals and endorsements including her own perfume line.
Spears's personal life has gained much attention from the media. In particular, her marriage to back-up dancer
Kevin Federline and the birth of their two children, Sean Preston and Jayden
James.[7][8] The couple's divorce in November 2006[9][10] was
highly publicized and has been followed by a legal battle for custody of their sons, of whom she lost full custody in a decision
by the courts in October 2007.[11]
Childhood and discovery
Britney Spears was born in McComb, Mississippi,[12][13] and
raised in Kentwood, Louisiana as a Southern Baptist. Her parents are James Parnell Spears, a building contractor, and Lynne
Irene Bridges, a former grade school teacher. Spears's brother Bryan works as a manager for the Spears family interests[14] and her sister Jamie
Lynn is an actress and singer. Her maternal grandmother Lillian Woolmore was an English war-bride[15] who met Spears's
grandfather Barnett O'Field Bridges in England during World War II. Her paternal grandparents were June Austin Spears and Emma
Jean Forbes.[16][15]
Spears was an accomplished gymnast, attending gymnastics classes until age nine and
competing in state-level competitions.[17] She performed in local dance revues and her local Baptist church choir. At age eight
she auditioned for the Disney Channel series The New Mickey Mouse Club. Although she was considered too young to join the series at the
time, a producer on the show introduced her to a New York City agent.[17] Spears subsequently spent three summers at NYC's
Professional Performing Arts School and also appeared in a number of
off-Broadway productions, including 1991's Ruthless!. In 1992, she landed a spot on the popular television show
Star Search. Though she won her first round in the competition, she ultimately lost.
At age 11, Spears returned to the Disney Channel for a spot on the New Mickey Mouse Club in Lakeland, Florida.[17] She was featured on the show from 1993 to 1994, until she was 13. Other future
celebrities on the show included fellow pop singer Christina Aguilera,
'N Sync members Justin Timberlake and
Joshua Chasez, Felicity actress Keri Russell, and The Notebook star Ryan Gosling.[18] After
the show ended, Spears returned to Kentwood and entered high school for a year.[19]
In 1997, Spears briefly joined the all-female pop group innosense.[20] Later that same year, she decided to go solo. After recording
a demo, she was signed by Jive Records.[17] She began touring American venues for a series of concerts
sponsored by American teen magazines, and eventually became an opening act for 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys.[21]
Music career
1998–2000: Early commercial success
- See also: ...Baby One More Time and
Oops!... I Did It Again
Spears's debut single "...Baby One More Time", released in the end of
1998 became an instant international success. It earned nine million sales worldwide,[22] and was ranked 25th on Rolling
Stone and MTV's "100 Greatest Pop Songs of all time".[23] The music video accompanying the song featured Spears dressed in a schoolgirl
uniform.[24] The album of the same title was released in
January 1999, reaching number one on the Billboard 200.[25] ...Baby One More Time was
certified Diamond with 28 million copies sold worldwide,[26][27]
although it received mixed reviews. All Music Guide gave it 4 out of 5 stars,
stating that the album "has the same blend of infectious, rap-inflected dance-pop and smooth balladry that propelled the New Kids
and Debbie Gibson."[28] While
Rolling Stone gave it 2 out of 5, noting that, "While several Cherion-crafted
kiddie-funk jams serve up beefy hooks, shameless schlock slowies, like 'E-Mail My Heart', are pure spam."[29] Rolling Stone later featured Spears on their April 1999 cover in a
photo shoot that triggered speculation the 17-year-old had breast implants.[30] The success of Spears's music coupled with her controversial
image made her one of the year's biggest stars.[31] In
December 1999, she won four Billboard Music Awards, including Female Artist of the
Year. A month later, she took home the Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist award at the American Music Awards.[32] At the 2000 Grammy Awards, Spears received two
nominations in the categories of Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for ...Baby One More Time,
but lost to Christina Aguilera and Sarah
McLachlan respectively.[33]
Following the success of her debut album, Spears released the album Oops!... I
Did It Again, which debuted at number one in the U.S., selling 1,319,193 units during its first week of sales,
breaking the SoundScan record for the highest sales in its debut week by any solo
artist.[34] The RIAA awarded the album with a
Diamond certification with 10 million copies sold in the U.S. and 24 million copies
sold worldwide.[35][36] Concerning both musical content and sales, the album was very similar to
Spears's debut, although it fared better with critics. All Music Guide once again gave it 4 out of 5 stars, saying that
the album "has the same combination of sweetly sentimental ballads and endearingly gaudy dance-pop that made One More
Time."[37] Rolling Stone gave the album 3.5 stars
out of 5 by noting the album as "fantastic pop cheese" and "Britney's demand for satisfaction is complex, fierce and downright
scary."[38] The album’s lead single, "Oops!... I Did It Again", broke the record for most radio station additions in a single
day and quickly became a top ten hit in the U.S. and other countries.[39] The same year, Spears launched her first world tour, the "Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour". During the tour, she made a stop in New York for
the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. As part of her performance, she ripped off a
black suit to reveal a provocative nude-colored and crystal-adorned outfit that generated much controversy.[40] She finished the year with two more Billboard Music Awards,[41] and two Grammy nominations for Oops!... I Did It Again in the categories of Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.[42]
2001–2003: Career development
- See also: Britney (album) and
In the Zone
Spears performing in September 2003.
Spears released her third studio album Britney in November 2001. She assumed
some creative control by co-writing five of the album's tracks.[43] It had a successful debut at number one in the U.S., selling 745,744 units during its first week,
surpassing Michael Jackson's album Invincible.[44] The
album's success made her one of the few female artists to have their first three albums debut at number one.[45][46] The album fared well with critics such as All Music Guide who gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars, describing the album's title tracks as being
"pivotal moments on Britney Spears's third album, the record where she strives to deepen her persona, making it more adult while
still recognizably Britney."[47] In contrast,
Rolling Stone said of the album "Britney belabors the obvious: Spears is one
month away from entering her twenties and clearly needs to grow up if she's going to bring her fans along."[43] The singles did not perform as well; Britney's
lead single "I'm a Slave 4 U" peaked at 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 making it the album's biggest hit.[48] To help promote the album, Spears embarked on the
"Dream Within a Dream Tour" in November 2001. The tour was forced to cut short
in Mexico City due to bad weather.[49] With the end to her tour, Spears announced she would take a six month break from her
career.[50] Her career success was highlighted by
Forbes Magazine in 2002 as Spears was ranked the world's most powerful
celebrity.[51] At a performance at the MTV Video Music
Awards, she appeared with Christina Aguilera performing the song "Like a Virgin", and was later joined by Madonna.
Spears locked lips with Madonna in a highly-publicized kiss.[52][53][54][55]
In November 2003, Spears released her fourth studio album, In the Zone,
jettisoning the Max Martin-produced synthpop of her earlier
releases. The album took in lesser-known producers such as RedZone
and big names including Moby and R. Kelly. Spears co-wrote eight
of the album's thirteen songs and co-produced several pieces of her material for the first time. In the Zone topped the
U.S. charts in its debut week, selling over 609,000 copies. This made Spears the only female in music history to have her first
four studio albums debut at number one.[56] The album had a mild reception from critics. Stylus Magazine gave the album a D and even blamed Spears's career choices by stating, "Ultimately,
In the Zone suffers greatly from Britney's uneasy transition from teen tart to sexually powerful woman. Had Britney been
in charge of her career direction instead of mercilessly prostituted by her management, she might have been able to produce
something with some semblance of musical vision."[57]
The Guardian praised the album's melodies and her effort, giving it 4 out of 5 stars
and writing, "Unlike previous Britney albums, In the Zone has no filler and no shoddy cover versions, just 57 varieties of
blue-chip hit-factory pop. There is southern hip-hop, deep house, Neptunes-style R&B, the ubiquitous Diwali beat and, most
importantly, oodles of Madonna."[58] The album spawned
the international number one and U.S. top ten hit single "Toxic", winning Spears her first
ever Grammy in the category of Best Dance Recording.[4] "The Onyx Hotel Tour" began in March 2004 to promote the album. The tour's choreography generated
much controversy and heavy criticisms, with the presence of young children amongst the audience.[59]
2004–2005: Greatest Hits: My Prerogative
- See also: Greatest Hits: My
Prerogative and B In The Mix: The Remixes
After her marriage to Kevin Federline, Spears announced via her website she would be
taking another career break in order to start a family.[60] 2004 saw the release of her first greatest hits collection, Greatest Hits: My Prerogative. The album debuted at number four on the U.S. charts,
featuring three new songs, including her version of Bobby Brown's 1988 hit "My Prerogative". The compilation included all of her singles except for "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart", which is not included in any edition.[61]
In November 2005, Spears released a remix album, B In The Mix: The
Remixes. The album contained remixes of Spears's biggest hits, ranging from "...Baby One More Time" to "Toxic". It also included a
remix of her newest single "Someday (I Will Understand)", originally a piano
ballad that was an ode to the then-unborn Sean. A new song, "And Then We Kiss", was
only released in Asia, where it charted in several countries. The song appeared on Billboard's
Hot Dance Airplay chart and peaked at number 15,[62] despite the fact it was only for digital download and not
officially released in the U.S.
2007: Return to music
- See also: Blackout (Britney Spears
album)
Spears singing and pole dancing in the "
Gimme More" music video.
Spears has been recording an album with producers such as Sean Garrett, J. R. Rotem and Nate "Danja" Hills.[63][64] In
May 2007, she produced a mini-tour for the House of Blues under the name "[[The M+M's
Tour|The M+M's]]", including live performances across San Diego, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Miami. Those in attendance reported that Spears did not perform the songs live in the 15-minute show, but
danced and lip synced to recorded accompaniment of five previous hit songs.[65][66]The album, entitled Blackout, was
scheduled to be released on November 13 2007.[67] However, due to viral online leaks, the album was pushed up for release on October 30,
2007.[5] The track "Gimme More", her first single produced by Danja, debuted worldwide on August
30, 2007.[67] The track has peaked at
number three on Billboard's Hot 100 on October 3rd, becoming Spears's most
successful single in the United States since her debut, "...Baby One More
Time".[68][69]
Spears's performance at 2007 MTV Video Music Awards received much media
attention and was lauded as her "comeback".[70][71][72] She performed "Gimme More", the lead single from her upcoming
album. Reviews of the performance were unfavorable; BBC's David Willis stated that "her performance would go down in the history
books as being one of the worst to grace the MTV Awards,"[73] and Times Online noted that "Spears was out of synch as she lip-synched and at times just stopped
singing altogether."[74] On September 18, it was
announced that Spears and her management company, "The Firm", had parted ways, after only a month of representation.[75][76]
Film and television
Spears attended New York City's Professional Performing Arts
School for three summers, beginning when she was eight years old. She has also performed as an understudy in 1991's Ruthless! and made appearance in several off-Broadway productions. When Spears
was 11, she joined the The New Mickey Mouse Club where she was featured
from 1991–93. In the show, she appeared in various sketches and musical videos, mostly displaying her comedic and singing
abilities.[17][18]
Spears had her first starring role in the 2002 film, Crossroads.[6] She played Lucy, a Georgia high school
graduate who decides to find her long-lost mother in Arizona, and travels along with her two
friends who wish to visit California. The movie, along with Spears's
performance, was poorly received by critics.[77]
Crossroads debuted at number two on the box office charts in its first weekend. The
film grossed over US$60 million worldwide, about five times its budget of US$12 million.[78] Spears received a Razzie Award
for Worst Actress and for Worst Original Song "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a
Woman".[79] In other films, Spears has made cameo
appearances in Austin Powers in Goldmember in 2002 as herself, and
Longshot in 2000 as a flight attendant.[80]
In late 1999, Spears appeared on an episode of ABC's sitcom Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, playing herself and performed the song
"(You Drive Me) Crazy".[81] She then appeared on Saturday Night Live both
as host and musical guest twice; first in May 2000, and secondly in February 2002. She was also a musical guest on the show in
October 2003 with Halle Berry as host.[82] In a September 2003 interview with Tucker Carlson of CNN,
on the subject of the 2003 Iraq War, Spears said, "Honestly, I think we should
just trust our president in every decision he makes and should just support that, you know, and be faithful in what
happens."[83] The footage of this quote later appeared in
Michael Moore's documentary film
