From Baby One More Time to #FreeBritney, this is the remarkable story of Britney Spears's life so far
If you've found yourself desperately Googling anything and everything about Britney Spears lately, you're not alone. Since a recent New York Times documentary entitled Framing Britney Spears aired in the US, online searches concerning the 39-year-old 'princess of pop' have gone through the roof.
The eye-opening documentary follows the performer's treatment in the media as well as a contentious legal arrangement, which sees her father Jamie Spears controlling her finances and public affairs. Britney is currently in a legal battle to try oust her father from his role as conservator.
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Since the highly-publicised legal battle and new documentary have renewed interest in the star's life, we've found ourselves thinking back over the life of Britney Spears, for all its highs and lows. Who can forget when she burst onto our screens in the late '90s, hair in ponytails and wearing a not-so-for-work (let alone school) uniform?
Baby One More Time entered the charts at number one and sold almost half a million copies, going on to become the best-selling single of the year in 1999. A pretty big deal for a girl of just 17.
The year that followed was a pivotal one for Britney – not only did she start dating Justin Timberlake (who was in N'Sync at the time), she released the instantly recognisable Oops! I Did It Again, which debuted at number one in the US and sold a record-smashing 1.3 million copies in its first week. Britney then kicked off her first ever world tour.
Britney's fans were cheering outside the court.
Through the years, Britney has been known for her performing skills, her addictive pop anthems, a series of mental health crises (for which the media and the public showed an abhorrent lack of compassion), and now the unfortunate legal battle with her father which leaves her unable to make any decisions about her money, career or life.
The fact still remains though that Britney has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists of all time. We bow down to Britney.
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Rex Features1981
Britney was born and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana by parents Lynne and Jamie Spears, both Southern Baptists.
WENN1992
Britney landed a spot on US television show Star Search, and although she ultimately lost the competition – it pushed her into the limelight and the fame that was to come...
Rex Features1993 to 1994
Aged 11, Britney got herself a spot on the Disney Channel’s The New Mickey Mouse Club in Florida, where she featured on the show for two years...
Rex Features...Along with a host of other now familiar faces including her future boyfriend Justin Timberlake and pop rival Christina Aguilera.
Rex Features1997
In 1997 Britney signed with Jive Records. She went on to become an opening act for ‘N Sync and the Backstreet Boys.
WENN1999
Her first single ...Baby One More Time hit the UK charts in 1999, entering at number one and selling almost half a million copies. The track went on to become the best-selling single of the year. School uniforms were suddenly cool again.
PA Photos/www.pressassociation.com1999
The release of Britney’s debut album (sharing a title with her first single) peaked at number one in the US, but was met with mixed reviews from the critics. The album quickly became multi-platinum certified in the US.
PA Photos/www.pressassociation.com1999
Britney caused controversy when she announced that she intended to “remain a virgin until married”...
Rex Features1999
...Whilst embarking on a relationship with former Disney Channel co-star Justin Timberlake.
PA PhotosThe pair’s relationship was made public at the MTV Video Music Awards 2000, and throughout their three year relationship the pair were inseparable. Much to the annoyance of teenage girls everywhere...
PA Photos/www.pressassociation.com2000
“Oops!... I did it again” debuted at number one in the US, selling a record breaking 1.3million copies in its first week. Britney then launched into her first ever world tour.
Rex Features2000
During a break from the tour, Britney stopped over in New York for the MTV Video Music Awards, where she (again) sparked controversy when she ripped off a black suit to reveal this nude and crystal outfit during a performance.
Rex Features2000
During her world tour, fans were starting to see a move away from girl next door image to the sexier, confident Britney. Fans no longer went to see a sweet young girl singing catchy tunes – they expected energetic dance routines and one hell of a show.
Rex Features2002
Britney broke into film in 2002 – starring in Crossroads. The singer plays a high school graduate who goes on a road trip to find her long-lost mother. Despite a mixed reaction from the critics, the film grossed $60m worldwide. (Admit it – you’ve seen it at least once!)
PA Photos/www.pressassociation.com2002
In her third consecutive MTV Video Music Awards appearance, Britney once again riled critics when she appeared on stage with live animals, including a huge snake, during a performance of I’m A Slave 4 U. This time it was the animal rights protestors that were unimpressed, and a planned appearance in an anti-fur campaign was swiftly cancelled.
PA Photos/www.pressassociation.com2002
It came as a huge shock to everyone when Britney and Justin split in early 2002. JT famously wrote Cry Me A River about the couple’s break-up, which left everyone wondering what caused the split.
PA Photos/www.pressassociation.com2003
Spears embarked upon a relationship with Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst.
PA Photos2003
Time for the MTV Video Music Awards again. After appearing onstage alongside Christina and Madonna, Spears indulged in a little lip-locking with the Queen of Pop, ensuring that her clean-cut image was further becoming a distant memory.
PA Photos/www.pressassociation.com2003
Britney released her fourth album In The Zone at the end of 2004, again reaching number one in the US in her first week. The album featured hit single ‘Toxic’ which led to Britney’s first ever Grammy win.
Rex Features2004
Britney wed childhood friend Jason Alexander in January 2004 at The Little White Chapel in Las Vegas. The marriage may have lasted just 55 hours, but the press surrounding the event lasted a lot longer.
PA Photos2004
Britney soon got over this little blip, however, when she lay eyes on Mr Kevin Federline...
Rex Features2004
...Just three months after the couple met, Spears announced their engagement...
PA Photos/www.pressassociation.com2004
....And by September the pair were married and all set to live happily ever after.
Rex Features2005
After a year of marriage, Britney gave birth to her first baby, son Sean Preston Federline, and everything seemed to be going well for the singer.
Rex Features2006
Britney turned her hand to TV in 2006 with a cameo appearance on one of her favourite TV shows, Will and Grace. She played conservative talkshow host Amber-Louise.
Rex Features2006
Just days before Sean’s first birthday, Britney then gave birth to second son Jayden James Federline. “As a mother, the thing that always goes through your head is, you’re never enough – or do enough – for your kids. It’s a never-ending issue for me,” she told GLAMOUR.
Rex Features2006
In November, just two months after the birth of their second son, Britney filed for divorce from K-Fed citing irreconcilable differences.
PA Photos/www.pressassociation.com2007
Amidst difficult times in her personal life, Britney shaved her head using a pair of clippers in a hair salon in California. The act caused a media frenzy and sent fans into a panic of worry over Britney’s mental health.
Rex Features2007
Britney admitted herself to rehab where she could take some time out of the public eye to recover.
PA Photos/www.pressassociation.com2007
As usual, Britney was on the bill for the MTV Video Music Awards, where fans hoped she would mark the start of a triumphant comeback. Sadly for Britney it was all too soon and the shaky performance was slammed by some critics, and reported as a cry for help by others.
Rex Features2007
At the end of the year, Britney embarked on a relationship with paparazzi photographer Adnan Ghalib. This led to further fears for Britney’s health, as fans worried she would be exploited by the photographer.
PA Photos2008
Britney opened the MTV Video Music Awards for the third time in 2008, where she went on to win three awards. She later scooped two gongs at the MTV Europe Music Awards. Bu this was also the year that courts placed her under the conservatorship led by her father, giving him control of her assets.
Big Pictures2009
Britney started dating her agent Jason Trawick.
PA Photos/www.pressassociation.com2009
Britney launched her new album and world tour ‘Circus’. The album was one of the fastest-selling of the year, debuted at number one in the US, and made Britney the youngest female artist to have five albums debut at number one in the country.
Shutterstock2011
Britney’s seventh studio album Femme Fatale was released and achieved massive success – its number one peak in the States tied Britney with Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson for the third-most number ones among women.The Femme Fatale Tour was also a big success. Later that year, Britney and Jason Trawick became engaged. Trawick also gained legal control of Britney as his fiancée and became a co-conservator with her father.
Getty Images2012
In May, Britney replaced Nicole Scherzinger as a judge on the US X Factor, joining Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid, and Demi Lovato. With a reported salary of $15 million, she became the highest-paid judge on a singing competition series in television history (a record later broken by Katy Perry).
Getty Images2013–2015
Britney released her eighth album, Britney Jean, in December 2013 to little success (it was her lowest-charting and lowest-selling album in the UK).In 2013, her engagement was called off and Trawick was removed as co-conservator, restoring her father as the sole conservator. She dated television producer Charlie Ebersol for a few months between 2014 and 2015.
Getty Images2016
In 2016 Britney started dating personal trainer Sam Asghari. The couple are still together. She also performed at her Las Vegas residency show 'Piece of Me'.
Getty Images2018
Britney’s Piece Of Me Tour took place in July 2018 in North America and Europe, with tickets selling out within minutes for key cities and additional dates added to meet demand.
Getty Images2019
Britney and Sam Asghari in 2019.
Getty Images2019-present:
In 2019, Britney announced an ‘indefinite work hiatus’ and allegations against her father came to light, including that he was holding her against her will in a psychiatric facility and that her conservatorship was supposed to end in 2009. That’s when #FreeBritney began trending, calling for an end to the conservatorship. The New York Times documentary ‘Framing Britney Spears’ detailing the conservatorship was released in February 2021, at which point Britney’s father is still co-conservator along with private family office Bessemer Trust.
