Britney Spears Biography

For her relatively short nine years in the public spotlight, Britney Spears has managed to generate more controversy than your average celebrity manages in a lifetime.

From the outset, her sexually provocative image, aided by the slickest hit-making machine, has guaranteed non-stop headlines and constant media scrutiny.

It is all a long way from young Britney’s first televised performance on StarSearch in 1990. This led to the eight year-old Spears auditioning for Disney’s The Mickey Mouse Club. Initially she was deemed by producers as being “too young” but, undeterred, she finally made the cut, aged eleven and appeared singing, dancing, even rapping her way through 110 appearances, alongside fellow Mouseketeers Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera.

The show’s cancellation in 1994 left Britney’s future uncertain. Demo tapes led to an audition for Jive Records in which she performed 'Jesus Loves Me' and 'I Have Nothing' by Whitney Houston, to amazed record executives, who signed her instantly.

Appearing as the opening support for *NSYNC’s 1998 tour paled into insignificance with the release, in December 1998, of her first solo single, '…Baby One More Time', which achieved 9 million sales worldwide. Dressed in a provocative Catholic-schoolgirl outfit in the memorable video, the debate over sexual exploitation raged, spurring record sales.

A hugely successful first album was succeeded by the hit-laden 'Oops I did It Again', a skilful retread of the formula. However, Britney’s private life was beginning to capture as many headlines as her music career. Dating teen heartthrob Justin Timberlake, they made the perfect pop couple, until the relationship died three years later.

Her attempt to capture an older audience failed, and 'Slave 4 U' and sister singles all missed the Top 10. A slated film appearance in 'Crossroads', and a “joke” marriage to a childhood sweetheart, which was annulled hours later, did little to reassure this was not a career in crisis.

'In The Zone' marked an indisputable return to commercial form with a new adult sound. A duet with her idol Madonna, coupled with the show-stopping kiss between the two, at the 2003 MTV Music awards, confirmed that Britney was again the Pop Princess of her generation.

After these incredible highs, Britney's career began to wobble in 2004 as her controversial private life started to steal the limelight. Her January Las Vegas wedding to childhood friend Jason Alexander was annulled after less than three days. Within a few months she was dating rapper and dancer Kevin Federline, to whom she was engaged by July. The couple were married in October of that year, divorcing in November 2006.

While married to Kevin, Britney gave birth to two children, Sean Preston Federline and Jayden James Federline. She maintained a low profile as a performer, releasing only her first Greatest Hits collection in November 2004. She has however declared that her career is not over, just on hold while she raises her young family.

2007 also started as a difficult year for Britney, with her erratic behaviour including the surprise shaving of her hair in February and a number of admissions to drug rehab facilities as she fought a custody battle for her children. In September, an LA judge ordered Ms Spears to undergo random drug and alcohol tests twice a week as part of the conditions of her child custody case.

Spears's performance at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards later that month received much media attention and was lauded as her comeback. She performed "Gimme More", the lead single from her upcoming album. Reviews of the performance were largely critical, with many noting that the singer seemed confused on stage and appeared to have forgotten the lyrics and dance moves to her routine.

Shortly afterwards, Spears' management company announced that they had terminated their contract with her.

Things went from bad to worse for the troubled star when she was charged with hit-and-run and driving without a valid licence. She's accused of hitting a parked car and driving away from a Los Angeles car park in August. The 25-year-old could face six months in jail and a $1,000 (£495) fine if convicted.

In October 2007, a Los Angeles judge said Kevin Federline should be given custody of Sean Preston, two, and one-year-old Jayden James, until "further notice".

The decision came two weeks after the same judge said the pop star engaged in "habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol".

On 3 January 2008, police were called to Spears's home after she refused to relinquish custody of her children to Federline. She was subsequently hospitalised after she "appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance," though blood tests show negative for any illicit substances. She was held for psychiatric evaluation for two days. On 31 January, a court placed Spears under temporary co-conservatorship of her father James Spears and his lawyer, giving them complete control of her assets.

A few days later a restraining order was issued against Spears' ex-manager Sam Lutfi, who was accused of being a negative influence on the singer's life by her parents.

In March that year, Spears made a successful guest appearance on the CBS sitcom "How I Met Your Mother". The pop star played a love-struck receptionist in a tattoo-removal clinic who falls for the main character Ted. Her performance was widely viewed as a positive first step along a possible road to recovery. Spears reprised her role in May 2008, leaving the storyline open for a future return.

On 7 September 2008 Spears opened the MTV Video Music Awards for the third time. Although she didn’t perform, a pre-taped sketch with Jonah Hill and an introduction speech for the show’s opening was shown. To top it off, Spears won Best Female Video, Best Pop Video and Video Of The Year for 'Piece of Me'.

On 15 September, Jive released a statement announcing the title of her sixth studio album, ‘Circus’ as well as the first single, ‘Womanizer’. The single was released to radio stations on 26 September, with a release date of 2 December, coinciding with the star's own birthday. On 15 October, the song made a record-breaking jump to number 1 in the US and garnered the biggest ever recorded first-week download sales by a female artist. It marked Spears's first number one single on the Hot 100 since her debut ‘Baby One More Time.’

Later that month, the charges against Spears for driving without a license were dismissed upholding Spears’ claims she had a valid Louisiana license and so a California permit was not required.

In the latter months of 2008 it looks as though Spears’ career is back on track with a host of new projects in the pipeline including a new fragrance launching in 2009. MTV have also signed a deal with her and Jive records to release a documentary title ‘For the Record’ that will air in November to coincide with the release of ‘Circus.’

After a protracted period of turmoil and struggle for the star, the future is beginning to look bright.