To say that Britney Spears has been through a lot, would be an understatement. The superstar got candid in the story about her upbringing right into her adulthood and this is what we learned about her so far.
1. Britney Spears childhood
The pop singer opened up about having a pretty unstable relationship with both of her parents. Although her mother supported her dreams of becoming a pop star, Britney Spears shared that her mother ‘wasn’t any better’ than her father.
During her childhood, the singer shared that she grew wary of being around her father as he would talk to himself during rides in the car.
In her relationship with her father, Britney describes her father as being ‘cold and mean’ to her. In other parts of her memoir she also reveals that her parents often fought and screamed in their household to a point where she would lose out on sleep. On her father, Spears called it a ‘kindness’ when her he left for days at a time due to his drinking habits.
Later in life, the pop star would learn that her father, who she barely had a relationship with, would be the one in charge of her conservatorship. Britney Spears recalls a moment where her father says to her horror, “I call the shots around here. I’m the new Britney Spears”.
2. How the relationship between Spears and Justin Timberlake
While opening up about her relationship with Timberlake, Britney describes being very in-love with the singer. However, their relationship was far from perfect as the Baby, One More Time hitmaker revealed that Justin had cheated on her several times.
As a result of focusing on their respective careers, the pair ultimately began to grow apart regardless of making as much for each other as possible. This was more so on Justin Timerlake’s part, as he simultaneously revealed his breakup to Britney and the world on television. Spears also reveals that the star also sent her text to officially end things.
3. Conservatorship blues
Reflecting on her conservatorship, Britney Spears revealed that her family often blind-sided her to decisions made for her. One such instance, the singer recalls a day her mother called to see her at their beach house. Spears notes that she was still dating a photographer at the time and upon arriving, she remembers saying to him, “Something seems off right?” and he seemed to echo the same sentiment.
Shortly thereafter, Britney Spears revealed that a SWAT team arrived to take her away.
Apart from every move being dictated, the singer’s dating life was also controlled by her father. She notes that her father also controlled her dating life to the extent in which he interviewed the men and revealed her sexual history with them.
What’s more, is that the singer was also deprived of having food that she wanted for at least two years. Britney Spears shared that it felt in her words, ‘degrading’ to be denied french fries.
4. Marriage to Kevin Federline
In her marriage to Kevin Federline a pattern seemed to repeat itself. Despite contests from her family and friends to not marry him, Britney went ahead and did it anyway. However, her relationship with Federline also quickly dissolved as he focused on his career while Britney cared for their two children.
The singer revealed that she was shut out by his friends as well as security that had previously worked for her. She recalls showing up to the studio and being forbidden to enter by Federline’s security. Britney Spears reveals that it was made known to her that her husband did not want to see her – something he would later deny.
Since their marriage was irretrievably lost, Britney shares that she knew divorce was on the horizon and was continuously advised that she file for divorce first in order to maintain her reputation. However, Spears would later learn that she would be responsible for paying Kevin Federline a great chunk of money since she was the one to end their marriage. To her dismay, Britney Spears realized that she unfortunately “played [right into Kevin’s] hand”.
5. Britney Spears pulls back the curtain on her infamous VMA performance
In her memoir, Britney describes this as one of the darkest times of her life. She recalls seeing Justin Timberlake after a long time – noting that the star was in the prime of his life while she was in a bad place. During this time, Britney shares that her team encouraged her to continue working as it was in her best interest. However, the singer was not in the headspace to perform. She reflects on how afraid she was to perform with the snake and how it began to hiss at her – which increasingly made her uneasy.
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While the singer felt a great relief to give the snake back, she notes that this particular VMA’s performance was not her best work.
6. Shaving her head
At this point, Spears reached a breaking point. After being denied time with her sons by her ex and being harassed by paparazzi, the singer decided that she would deprive the public of the pretty girl image that they’ve held under a microscope and shaved her head.
During this time, Britney Spears shared that she tried to see Kevin Federline and try to see her kids. When she was denied this, the singer grabbed the closest thing in her reach – at this time an umbrella and attempted to smash his car with it. Spears shares that she was just “a desperate person in a desperate situation.”
Unfortunately, this came to be a viral moment for the press. The singer reflects on the moment and recalls the documentary about her in which a journalist shares that it was not a good night for her but that it was a good night for them since they got the ‘money shot’.
7. Feeling unpretty
Under the reigns of her father, Britney experienced fierce scrutiny from her father about her body. The singer shares that her father wasted no time in telling her that she looked fat and that she should go to the gym. She notes that her father never spared a moment to make her feel bad about herself.
Although the singer reached a better point in her life while using over-the-counter energy supplements, her father very quickly took this away from her and suggested that she go to rehab as a result of it – even though it was only over-the-counter energy supplements as the singer noted.
8. Being denied her own lawyer
Under the conservatorship, the singer shared that she was made to believe that she could not get her own lawyer and that the one provided to her was the only one she could have. However, after 13 years, the singer would find that she was lied to by her father and that she could indeed choose a lawyer she wanted.
9. Monetizing on her fame
In the midst of the darkest time of her life, Britney Spears notes that instead of being by her side, her family had decided to monetize on shows and memoirs of their own at her expense. Her mother spoke of raising Britney, while her sister, Jamie-Lynn Spears opened up about distasteful events that took place between her and her sister. Even though this was a most horrific thing to do, Spears shared that Jamie was a product of divorce while she wasn’t. She therefore understood that her reality was completely different to hers.
10. Reaching out for help
After a long time of suffering, Britney shared that she ultimately reached out to a judge for help, but her case was thrown out or rather disregarded. It is at this time the singer grapples with having hope and feeling hopeless.
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However, the singer got her big break in 2021 when she mustered up the courage to once again speak to a judge and report her father for abuse during her conservatorship.
Since gaining her freedom, the singer noted that she is now picking up the pieces and learning how to navigate life again, slowly but surely.
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