This document provides a biography of Britney Spears. It details her childhood talent show performances in Louisiana, role on The Mickey Mouse Club, signing with Jive Records and releasing her debut album "...Baby One More Time" in 1999 which was a major commercial success. It discusses her subsequent albums and hit singles, film and TV appearances, personal relationships and struggles with fame. Her career has spanned over 25 years in the pop music industry.
2. Basic Information
• Birth name: Britney Jean Spears
• Born: December 2, 1981 (age 30)
• Genres: pop, dance
• Occupations: singer, songwriter, dancer, actress,
record producer, author, fashion designer, video
director, entertainer
• Instruments: Vocals, piano
• Years active: 1992–present
• Labels: Jive, RCA
• Associated acts: The New Mickey Mouse Club,
Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Christina Aguilera
3. Childhood
• At age three, she started to attend dance
lessons in her hometown of Kentwood in
Louisiana. She was selected to perform as
a solo artist at the annual recital.
• She also attended gymnastics and voice
lessons, and won many state-level
competitions and children's talent shows.
• Spears made her local stage debut at age
five, singing "What Child Is This?" at
her kindergarten graduation.
• She said about her ambition as a child, "I
was in my own world, [...] I found out
what I'm supposed to do at an early age―.
• 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.
4. The Mickey Mouse Club
• At age eight, Spears and her
mother Lynne travelled
to Atlanta for an audition in the
1990s revival of The Mickey
Mouse Club. Casting director
Matt Casella 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 Professional Performing Arts.
• In December 1992, she was
finally cast in The Mickey Mouse
Club, but returned to Kentwood
after the show was cancelled.
5. Getting Signed
• In June 1997, Spears was in talks with manager Lou Pearlman to join the
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. He
wanted to pitch her to record labels, therefore she needed a professional
demo. He sent Spears an unused song of Toni Braxton; she rehearsed for a
week and recorded her vocals in a studio with a sound engineer.
• 3 of the 4 labels rejected her, arguing that 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.―
• 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.―
• After hearing the recorded material, president Clive Calder ordered a full
album. She flew to Cheiron Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, where half of the
album was recorded from March to April 1998, with producers Max
Martin, Denniz Pop and Rami Yacoub, among others.
7. • Her debut album, ...Baby One More Time, was released on January
1999. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was
certified two-times platinum by the Recording 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. It became the biggest selling album ever
by a teenage artist.
• The title track was released as the lead single from the album. Originally,
Jive Records wanted its music video to be animated; however, Spears
rejected it, and suggested the final idea of a Catholic schoolgirl.
• The single sold 500,000 copies on its first day, and peaked at number
one on the Billboard Hot 100, topping the chart for two consecutive
weeks."...Baby One More Time" later received a Grammy nomination
for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
• 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. It would later become the 25th most
successful song of all time in British chart history.
• Spears is also the youngest female artist to have a million seller in the
country. "(You Drive Me) Crazy" was released as the third single from
the album. It became a top-ten hit worldwide and propelled ...Baby One
More Time to sell 26 million copies.
8. Controversy
• The April 1999 cover of Rolling
Stone featured Spears lying 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.“.
10. • 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.
• The album sold over 20 million copies
worldwide. 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.‖.
• 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.
• The album as well as the title track received
Grammy nominations for Best Pop Vocal
Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance,
respectively.
12. • Her third studio album, Britney, was released in November
2001. While on tour, she felt inspired by hip hop artists such
as Jay-Z and The Neptunes and wanted to create a record with
a funkier sound.
• The album debuted at number 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.
• Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic 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
voice, resulting in her best record yet.‖.
• The album was honoured with two Grammy nominations—
Best Pop Vocal 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". The album's first single, "I'm a Slave 4 U",
became a top-ten hit worldwide.
13. Controversy
• Spears's performance of the single at the 2001 MTV Video
Music Awards featured a caged tiger and a large albino
python draped 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.
14. Film Debut
• 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.
• Crossroads, which had
a $11 million budget,
went on to gross over
$57 million worldwide.
15. Relationships
• 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―.
• In July 2002, Spears announced she would
take a six month break from her career;
however, she went back into the studio in
November to record her new album.
• Spears' 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 fuelled the rumours
that she had been unfaithful to him.
• As a response, Spears wrote the ballad
"Everytime" with her backing vocalist and
friend Annet Artani.
• 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.
17. • 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.
• Vibe called it "A supremely confident dance record that also
illustrates Spears's development as a songwriter." 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.―
• 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.
• It also debuted at the top of the charts in France and the top
ten in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. In the
Zone sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
• The album produced the hit singles: "Me Against the Music", a
collaboration with Madonna; "Toxic"—which won Spears her
only Grammy for Best Dance Recording; "Everytime" and
"Outrageous".
18. Remix
• In November 2005, she released her first remix
compilation, B in the Mix: The Remixes, which
consists of eleven remixes. It has sold over 1
million copies worldwide, making it one of the best
selling remix albums of all time.
19. Meltdown
• Spears's aunt Sandra Bridges Covington, with whom she had been very close, died of ovarian cancer in
January 2007.
• 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, Los Angeles. She
admitted herself to other treatment facilities during the following weeks. 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.―
• In May 2007, she produced a series of promotional concerts at House of Blues venues, titled The M+M's
Tour. 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.
21. • 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 by Eagles'sLong 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 US, Spears became the only female artist to have her first five studio
albums debut at the two top slots of the chart.
• Blackout sold over 3.1 million copies worldwide. Peter Robinson of The
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.―
• Dennis Lim of Blender commented, "Spears’s fifth studio album is her most
consistent, a seamlessly entertaining collection of bright, brash electro pop.―
• 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.
• Despite the backlash of ―Gimme More‖ after her performance at the MTV
awards, the single rocketed to worldwide success, peaking at number one in
Canada and the top ten in almost every country it charted.
• 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. The third single "Break the Ice" was released the following
year and had moderate success due to Spears not being able to promote it
properly.
22. How I Met Your Mother
• In March 2008, Britney guest-starred on
the How I Met Your Mother episode "Ten
Sessions" as receptionist Abby. She received
positive reviews for her performance, as well
as bringing the series its highest ratings ever.
23. Return to the Recording
Industry
• On September 7, 2008, Spears opened the MTV Video Music
Awards with a pre-taped comedy sketch with Jonah Hill and
an introduction speech. She won Best Female Video, Best Pop
Video and Video of the Year for "Piece of Me".
• A 60-minute introspective documentary, Britney: For the
Record, was produced to chronicle Spears' return to the
recording industry. Directed by Phil Griffin, For the
Record was entirely shot in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and
New York City during the third quarter of 2008.
• Main shooting began on September 5, 2008, two days before
Spears' appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards. For the
Record was broadcast on MTV on November 30, 2008 to 5.6
million viewers for the two airings on the premiere night.
MTV reported that Spears' documentary garnered on average,
the highest rating in its Sunday night timeslot, in the
network's history.
25. • Her sixth studio album Circus, was released in December 2008. It
received positive reviews from critics; according to the music
review aggregation of Metacritic, it garnered an average score of
64/100. Circus debuted at number one in Canada, Czech Republic
and the United States, and inside the top in many European
nations.
• In the United States, Spears became the youngest female artist to
have five albums debut at number one, earning a place in
the Guinness Book of World Records. She also became the only act
in the Soundscan era to have four albums debut with 500,000 or
more copies sold.
• Circus became one of the fastest-selling albums of the year, and
has sold 4 million copies worldwide. Its lead single, "Womanizer",
became her first number one in the Billboard Hot 100 since
"...Baby One More Time" and topped the charts in countries such
as Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway and
Sweden. It was also nominated for a Grammy in the category of
Best Dance Recording.
• Spears embarked on The Circus Starring Britney Spears in March
2009. With a gross of U.S. $131.8 million, it became the fifth
highest grossing tour of the year.
26. Glee
• On September 28, 2010, she made a cameo appearance on a Spears-
themed tribute episode of American TV show Glee, titled
"Britney/Brittany". Spears approved of the episode, although her
appearances received mixed reviews from critics. The episode
drew Glee's second largest audience, as well as the show's highest
ratings ever.
28. • In March 2011, Spears released her seventh studio album Femme
Fatale. Max Martin and Dr. Luke executive produced the album and the
album's first single "Hold It Against Me". The single debuted at
number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. This gave Spears her fourth
number-one single on the chart, and made her only the second artist in
history to have two consecutive singles debut at number-one,
after Mariah Carey.
• The album peaked at number one in the United States (selling 276,000
copies in its first week), Canada, and Australia, and peaked inside the
top ten on nearly every other chart. The album's peak in the United
States ties Britney with Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson for the third-
most number ones among women.
• As of March 9, 2012, Femme Fatale has sold 883,000 copies in the
United States and 2.2 million worldwide and has been certified
platinum by the RIAA. The album received positive critical reviews
after its release, receiving a score of 67 on Metacritic, her highest
critical score since Oops!... I Did It Again, with many critics naming the
album one of Spears's best.
• In early May, Spears' second single from Femme Fatale, "Till The
World Ends", reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and had
ninety-eight million audience impressions on the Billboard chart,
granting Spears the highest weekly audience of her 13-year chart career.
30. • On December 16 2011, Spears confirmed her engagement to
her long-time boyfriend Jason Trawick, her former
agent. Spears revealed her three-carat diamond ring at a
party in Las Vegas on December 17.
• According to Joe Riccitelli, the executive vice president of
promotion for RCA Records, Spears would be taking time off
during 2012.
• However, on January 30, 2012, will.i.am confirmed that he
recorded a track with Spears, set to be included on his
upcoming fourth studio album, #willpower (2012).
• It was also reported that Simon Cowell was in talks with
Spears for her to join the new season of the The X-Factor.
• According to Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter,
Trawick negotiated Spears' contract with the show, which
was later approved by conservatorship judge Reva
Goetz. Cowell and the producers of the show agreed to pay
the singer $15 million for season two, and also added
Trawick as one of the producers for the season. The rumour
was later confirmed to be true.
