Britney Spears

Britney Spears (born December 2, 1981) is a multi-platinum grammy-winning American singer, dancer, songwritter and occasional actress, author and director.She has released 7 albums selling over 120 million records (counting albums and singles), being the Highest Selling Musician of her generation, The eighth highest selling musician in America and on Top 20 of highest selling musicians in the world, Spears also holds some other records such as being the youngest female musician to be honored with a star on Hollywood’s Walk Of Fame, and for being the first musician to debut 4 albums on the top of U.S. Charts.Britney was considered by Forbes the Most Powerful Celebrity In The World in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005, TIME has nominated her The Most Influential Person in The World from 2001 to present, She was The Most Searched Keyword on the Internet for a person in the years 2000 – 2008, Being in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2007 not only the most searched person but the most searched term (including anything, not only names) on the internet, In 2004 she was appointed by Glamour magazine The Woman of The Year.Her personal life began to receive a massive worldwide media attention in early 2004 when she has made the fastest marriage of history, with Jason Alexander, the marriage lasted for 48 hours.She’s mother of two sons, both with her ex-husband Kevin Federline, However, Spears started being a tabloid victim in 2000, when she has dashed her virginal teen image to turn into powerful sexy woman.

As a child, Spears performed at Disney’s show, The Mickey Mouse Club, from 1993 to 1994, where she met now a days musicians Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera, In 1997 Spears joined a female group, But left weeks after, She recorded a demo and was signed by worldwide famous recording label JIVE Records, She began making her first public performances in small concerts sponsored by American teen magazines.

Her rose to fame was definitely in late 1998, when she released the smash-super-hit “…Baby One More Time“, the single became an instant world mega-success, peaking #1 on Billboard Hot 100.The single (just the single) sold 9 million copies, Being appointed by United World Chart the 38th best song of all times and ranked #25 on Rolling Stone Magazine and MTV’s “Greatest Songs of All Times“.The music video for the song features Britney dressed in a midriff-baring schoolgirl uniform.

The album with same title,…Baby One More Time, was released in January 1999, It has achieved diamond certification in U.S.A. and Canada, hitting more than 5x Platinum (+ than 5 million copies sold) in Germany, South Korea, Indonesia, Poland and Phillipines, With the album hitting #1 in the United World Chart in it’s debut, Spears became the first artist ever to have an album and a single both in #1 in United World Chart, The album has had a few more singles than the one with same-title, Sometimes, (You Drive Me) Crazy, Born To Make You Happy and From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart.The album also gave Britney the record of being the Highest Selling album for a teenager.In 1999 she won four Billboard Music Awards, including Female Artist Of The Year and Best New Artist in the American Music Awards.In support to the album Spears has made 55 shows around the U.S.A. under the Baby One More Time Tour (1999) and 24 shows unde the Crazy 2k Tour (Early 2000), where she started performing two songs from her upcoming album.Spears posed for her first major magazine publication, Rolling Stone in April 1999. Shot by photographer David LaChapelle,the photoshoot garnered much criticism for the controversial mixing of child-like innocence and adolescent sexuality. The cover featured her in a skimpy outfit lying on a bed.

Following the smash success of her previous album, Spears released her second album in early 2000, making a number 1 debut in the U.S. charts selling 1,3 million units in the first week of release, breaking a record for highest selling album in a debut week, The album was certified diamond (more than 10 million units sold) in U.S.A., Turkey and South Korea, sold more than 5 million copies in Switzerland, Canada, Poland and Philiphines, being certified 4x Platinum for Europe sales (that is an average from all the Europe countries), The single with album’s same title, “Oops!…I Did It Again” broke the record for most radio station additions in a single day (in the U.S.), hitting #1 in United World Chart for both album and single.Britney Spears started her first world tour in support to this album, the tour was titled Oops!…I Did It Again World Tour it has had 91 shows between June 20, 2000 and November 16, 2000 in U.S., Canada and also 15 other countries.The album received a nominee for Best Album in the Grammy’s.

In Early 2001, Britney signed a multi-million dollar promotional deal with Pepsi that included television commercials, point-of-purchase promotions, and Internet ties between Spears and the compan, rumors got it that Spears has earned around $300 million dollar during the years of promotional campaigns with Pepsi.Right after she released the first single to her third album, with a really sexy video, people started speculating if Britney was or not virgin, her boyfriend, the leader of pop band N’Sync, Justin Timberlake from 1998 to date has denied rumors they’ve had sex,He told Britney lost her virginity with him after they had split up in an interview in 2002.

The third album titled Britney, made a strong debut in U.S. charts selling 700,000 units in the first week, The album surpassed Michael Jackson’s album Invicible.This album has made her the first female in history to debut 3 albums at #1 in world charts.The biggest single to the album, I’m Slave 4u, wasn’t really well in the U.S.A peaking #20 in the charts, However, peaked #1 in the United World Chart.To promote the album Spears embarked in the Dream Within A Dream Tour, the tour had a total of 66 shows in U.S.A., Canada, Japan and Mexico, the tour, that was scheduled to be worldwide was cancelled after the shows in Mexico.Britney has grossed $50 million dollars from the tour, The show in Las Vegas was broadcasted live in HBO, winning an Emmy Award in 2002.The album had 4 singles (I’m Slave 4u, Overprotected, I’m Not A Girl Not Yet A Woman and I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll).

Britney starred in the leading role of the movie Crossroads released in early 2002, It has grossed $62 million dollar and more $6 million dollar grossed from DVD sales.Spears’ released three musical DVD’s in the time she was promoting Britney album, they’re Britney Live From Las Vegas, Britney : The Videos (that included music videos and some performances from Britney album singles) and Stages, being this last one in support to a book with same title that contained pictures, footages, and written letters from Britney Spears while she was on the Dream Within A Dream Tour.Britney also released a gameboy/pc-game and playstation game titled Britney’s Dance Beat in 2002.

June 2002 saw the opening of Spears’ restaurant Nyla in New York City, the restaurant was closed in late 2003.Britney announced after the Dream Within A Dream Tour ended she would take a six month break.

In 2003, people were already speculating if Britney was gone…Forbes has appointed her again the Most Powerful Celebrity In The World, But after this 6 month away from the stages, recording studios, tv shows, etc , Britney could only be seen in the gossip news and tabloids, But she back performing making the most memorable ever performance at the MTV Music Video Awards, the 2003 show was marked by the Like A Virgin/Hollywood Britney performed with Madonna, the performance included a month kiss, Britney had gone from teen image – to sexual woman image – to gay defense, despite the rumors Britney and Madonna were dating, both kept saying they were just good friends.Madonna was invited by Britney to record a song with her, Me Against The Music, is featured on Britney’s 4th cd, In The Zone, until date Britney was the first artist Madonna has ever made a song with.

In The Zone debuted at #1 in U.S. charts breaking Spears’ own record of being first female to debut 3 albums in the top of both U.S. and World charts, The album received mild critics.The album’s biggest single, Toxic, is one Britney’s most successful singles ever, The music video featured 4 versions of Britney (a blonde airhostess, a red-haired secret agent, a powerful brunette lover and a blonde diamond covered Britney), The video’s budget surspassed $1 million dollars, making Toxic one of the most expensives music videos production to date.To promote the album Britney embarked on a new world tour, The Onyx Hotel Tour began in March 2004, before the tour began Britney made lots of appearances in events, awards and nightclubs around the U.S. promoting the album.The tour had 110 shows and 55 shows cancelled, engrossing $350 million dollars from ticket sales and $185 million in merchandise, Britney grossed $34 million dollars from this tour, where she started dating her backup dancer Kevin Federline, who she would be married with later that year.After shows in the U.S. and Europe, before the shows in Asia, Australia and Latin America, Britney got a knee injured on the set of a new music video, Outrageous, the injuree made her cancel the tour and also the Outrageous single.In July 2004 Britney announced engagement to Kevin Federline(only 3 months after they’ve met), People started speculating if these marriage would or not be good, since Britney had married in 1st. January of the same, divorcing from Jason Alexander, 48 hours later.Whatever what people said, even what her family said to her, Britney and Kevin got maried on the night of September 18th in her residence in Beverly Hills(Los Angeles, California).

After her marriage, Britney announced through her official website she would be taking another career break and then she released her first collection, Greatest Hits : My Prerogative, hit the charts in November 2004 including all her major hits plus 3 new songs, The album had two singles, My Prerogative and Do Somethin’, By the end of that year, her label, JIVE Records, announced all her official recording sales data, revealing that she had becoming one of the best-selling artists in the world.

From May to June 2005, American channel UPN released Britney’s reality show, titled Britney & Kevin : Chaotic, it included scenes made from Britney’s private life during The Onyx Hotel Tour, the reality show was a big hit, making UPN highest ratings to date.

Britney annound in her official website in February 2005 that she was pregnant, She gave birth to Sean Preston Federline on September 14th 2005 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California.Britney together with her label decided to release a remix collection, B In The Mix : The Remixes, debuted in charts in November 2005, It included only 2 new tracks, one of them, the single Someday (I’ll Understand) written by Britney to her first baby while she was still pregnant.

Spears announced her second pregnancy in May 2006 during an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman.She also appeared on Dateline the next month to discuss tabloid rumors about an impending divorce, and motherhood. She addressed an incident which occurred in February when photos revealed her driving with her son unrestrained in her lap, explaining, “I see a bunch of photographers and I’m scared and I want to get out of the situation… They’re coming up on the sides of the car which is a scary situation for me… so I get my baby out of the car and I go home.”The month following the televised interview, Spears posed nude for the August 2006 cover of Harper’s Bazaar.Two days before Sean’s first birthday, Britney gave birth to her second child, also a boy, Jayden James Federline, born September 12th 2006.

Spears filed for divorce from Federline on November 7, 2006 asking for both physical and legal custody of their two children, with visitation rights for Federline.The following day, Federline filed a response to Spears’s divorce petition, seeking physical and legal custody of their children.Their divorce was finalized in July 2007.

Britney stayed in a off-shore drug rehabiliation facility in Antigua leaving 24 hours later on February 16.The following night at a hair salon in Tarzana, California she shaved her own hair with electric clippers, Few days later she addmited herself at Promises Rehab center in Malibu.Throughout 2007, Spears’s considered bad behavior received heightened media attention, including attacking a paparazzi vehicle with an umbrella and wild nights partying.Spears’ left the rehabilitation center early April, according to her manager she had successfully completed the program.As the legal battle over the custody of their children continued, many members of her entourage have been summoned to testify about her parenting skills.In May 2007, just a few weeks after leaving the rehab center, Britney produced a mini-tour through the U.S., The M+M’s Tour or House Of Blues Tour was cancelled by hers after 6 shows.During the beggining of 2007 Britney recorded her seventh album, Blackout, The album hit the charts on October 30th.

Blackout’s lead single, Gimme More, was leaked on the internet in late August, peaking #3 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Singles and #1 on the United World Charts for singles, The single had a huge impact on the online music store, iTunes, being downloaded 50 thousand of times in 30 minutes, a record for iTunes, this mark was broken by Leona Lewis in early 2008 where her biggest single to date, Bleeding Love, had 60 thousand of downloads in 30 minutes.

Spears’ performed Gimme More at The 2007 MTV Music Video Awards, the performance received much world media attention, and broke Britney’s own record for Highest Rating for a performance on U.S. MTV (the previous record, hold by Spears was in 2003 during the performance with Madonna, in which, they kissed), That year’s around was so surrounded by Britney’s Comeback, that the show wasn’t being announced as The 2007 MTV Music Video Awards only, but as Britney Spears’ Comeback (she hadn’t been performing since her last big tour, The Onyx Hotel Tour, in 2004).After that Britney made no performance to promote Blackout.Besides Gimme More, the album had two other singles, Piece Of Me and Break The Ice.

In September 2007, the official findings in Spears’s custody battle were announced by the court. She was ordered to undergo random drug and alcohol testings and to attend parenting counseling. Spears and Federline continued to share joint custody of their two children on a conditional basis. A few days later, she was officially charged with misdemeanor hit-and-run and driving without a license. If convicted, she could face a year in jail.Spears lost physical custody of her children to Federline on October 1, with the court ruling that Federline will keep full custody of the children.The charges for her alleged hit-and-run that occurred in August 2007 were officially laid, she was booked for the charges by the Los Angeles Police Department on October 15 but was not arrested.

On the evening of January 3, 2008, police was called to Britney’s mansion in Beverly Hills after she refused to take her children to Kevin Federline’s bodyguard, Police, fire corps, helicopters and hundreds of photographers and reporters from all over the world watched and recorded the scenes, Spears’  was hospitalized in the same day at The Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 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, When it was published to world media that she was with some treatable mental problems.Britney’s visitation rights to her children was suspended on January 14 by commissioner Scott Gordon. On January 31, a court placed Spears under temporary co-conservatorship of her father James Spears and attorney Andrew Wallete, giving them complete control of her assets.As a result of an order placed by her psychiatrist, Britney was taken to UCLA Medical Center to be put on a 5150(a person deemed to have a mental disorder that makes them a danger to his or her self, and/or others)involuntary psychiatric hold for the second time that month.Britney was released from hospital on February 6, with the speculation that her problem was a bipolar disorder.She has regained some visitation rights after coming to an agreement with Federline and his counsel.

On March 24th 2008, American channel CBS aired the 13th episode of the 3rd. season of sitcom How I Met Your Mother which had a guest appearance of Britney as a secretary, Her appearance broke the show’s rating records, bringing 11 million viewers, She reprised her role as Abby on the episode that aired on May 12th 2008, making the show second highest rating ever, bringing 9,5 million viewers.The show script writters said they would like to have her again in some episode in the 4th season.

After the release of Blackout’s third single, Break The Ice and a few fake rumors Britney would be preparing to a big World Tour, her label, JIVE Records, announced they wouldn’t promote Blackout anymore.JIVE officially announced in June that Britney is working on a new album, to be released late 2008 or early 2009.