FEATURE:
The Woman in Me, The Icon in Them…
IMAGE CREDIT: Simon & Schuster
Looking Ahead to a Must-Read Memoir from a Modern Pop Icon: Her Influence and Essential Albums
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ON 24th October…
a truly fascinating and must-read memoir will be released. Britney Spears’s The Woman in Me is going to be an open and emotional read from a Pop icon! Talking about her career and conservatorship, I am interested to see how it is reviewed and what the fans think. As it stands, there are no immediate plans for her to release music and tour. It does seem like she will make that return. At the moment, with the memoir about to come out, it is a period of rest and reflect for Spears. To celebrate the book coming out, I am going to explore her legacy and status. How she is this icon whose power and appeal goes beyond her music. I will also select the three Britney Spears albums you will want to get. I will end with a definitive Britney Spears playlist. First, here are some details about a memoir that will set the record straight:
“Global megastar Britney Spears reveals all in her candid and heartfelt memoir, covering her incredible, tumultuous career, her controversial conservatorship experience and more.
The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.
In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice-her truth-was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey-and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.
Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears's groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love-and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last”.
Actually, I think I will make two playlists before wrapping up. An ultimate Britney Spears playlist. One that collates artists influenced by her. I am going to highlight her three best albums.. The ones you need to add to your collection. I think it is important, when looking to The Woman in Me, to get some background to Britney Spears. Why she should be celebrated and honoured. Someone who has had to overcome so much through the years, she has given so much to the world. Medium, in 2013, charted the highs and lows of one of Pop music’s most important figures:
“Introduction: A Glimpse into the Phenomenon
In a whirlwind of stardom and setbacks, Britney Spears has remained an indelible figure in the music industry. From her rise to fame as a teenage pop sensation to her legal battles and personal struggles, her journey has been one of triumphs and tribulations.
Early Stardom: The Baby One More Time Era
The Innocent Girl Next Door Takes the Stage
At the tender age of 16, Britney burst onto the scene with her debut single “Baby One More Time.” The catchy tune and iconic schoolgirl outfit instantly captivated hearts, making her a global sensation overnight.
Conquering the Music Charts
Britney’s album “Baby One More Time” soared to the top of the charts, solidifying her as a pop phenomenon. Her infectious energy, combined with relatable lyrics, resonated with a generation, establishing her as a cultural icon.
The Evolution: From Teen Pop to Artistic Maturity
Rebellion and Transformation (H2)
As Britney matured, so did her music. With albums like “Oops!… I Did It Again” and “Britney,” she showcased a more mature and experimental sound, breaking away from her earlier image.
The Iconic Slave 4 U Performance
Britney’s electrifying performance at the MTV Video Music Awards with her hit “I’m a Slave 4 U” marked a pivotal moment in her career. The provocative choreography and edgy persona signaled her departure from the girl-next-door image.
Public Scrutiny and Personal Battles
Love Life and Relationships Under the Spotlight
Britney’s romantic relationships often made headlines, intensifying media scrutiny. Her high-profile romances and breakups were heavily documented, impacting both her personal life and public image.
The Infamous Head-Shaving Incident
In 2007, Britney made headlines for shaving her head — an act perceived as a symbol of rebellion and distress. This incident was a poignant portrayal of the intense pressure and personal struggles she was facing.
The #FreeBritney Movement: Fans Unite for Her Freedom
Guardianship Battle and Legal Constraints
The #FreeBritney movement gained momentum as fans expressed concerns about Britney’s conservatorship. Questions surrounding her autonomy and well-being led to widespread support for her legal rights.
Britney’s Emotional Plea
In a court address, Britney emotionally detailed the challenges she faced under the conservatorship. Her heartfelt plea sparked a renewed fervor within the #FreeBritney movement and prompted a reevaluation of her situation.
Resilience and the Road Ahead
A New Chapter Unfolds (H2)
Despite the obstacles, Britney’s resilience continues to shine. She embarked on new endeavors, including a successful Las Vegas residency, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to her craft.
The Power of the Human Spirit (H2)
Britney’s journey serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit. Her ability to triumph over adversity resonates with fans worldwide, inspiring them to overcome their own challenges.
Conclusion: A Living Legend’s Legacy
In the ever-evolving narrative of Britney Spears, we witness not only the evolution of an artist but also the embodiment of perseverance. Her story is a poignant reminder that behind the glitz and glamour lies a person fighting to reclaim her life”.
We look at modern-day icons like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Harry Styles and other titans. I think each of them, in some way, has been inspired by Britney Spears. She has helped shape the face of modern Pop! I think her influence will spread and endure for generations. Far Out Magazine write a feature in 2021 that explained and explored how Britney Spears became the defining icon of our age:
“When she was signed to Jive Records in 1997, they set about making her “another Madonna, another Debbie Gibson, or another Tiffany.” Shortly afterwards Spears met with the Swedish pop music mastermind Max Martin at the behest of Jive and soon after she travelled to Stockholm to begin making music with him. “I had been in the studio for about six months listening and recording material, but I hadn’t really heard a hit yet,” Britney recalled in an interview with Billboard.
Adding: “When I started working with Max Martin in Sweden, he played the demo for ‘Baby One More Time’ for me, and I knew from the start it [was one] of those songs you want to hear again and again. It just felt really right. I went into the studio and did my own thing with it, trying to give it a little more attitude than the demo. In 10 days, I never even saw Sweden. We were so busy.”
Indeed, the track was a catchy pop masterpiece and coupled with the provocative video that attracted the eyes as well as ears of millions while the media fuelled the fire, a reverse bonfire of the vanities was born. With the imitable knotted shirt, you had kids all over the world getting home from school and doing their best Britney impression in front of MTV. This was a craze the likes of which the world had never seen before.
It was a craze, however, that Britney’s label could ill-afford to put on ice and let their phenom settle into stardom. There was cash to be milked. At the heart of all of this was commercialism. Some of the early songs were hits with great musicological backing and Britney’s performative skill was clear, but even the most ardent fan would agree that artistry was second place.
This was something that David Bowie mused upon a few years after the dawn of Britney when he opined: “However arrogant and ambitious I think we were in my generation, I think the idea was that if you do something really good, you’ll become famous. The emphasis on fame itself is something new. Now it’s to be famous you should do what it takes, which is not the same thing at all. And it will leave many new artists with this empty feeling.”
There was a prescience to his thinking that Britney tragically embodied. It would seem that Britney was indeed interested in artistry, however, many of those around her were more interested in fame. As a result, the image of a troubled star pushed around by labels became a central part of her image, particularly in songs like ‘Lucky’. This was something that the kids who had grown up with ‘… Baby One More Time’ clung to, as they entered their angsty teenage years and Britney’s stardom endured into the next chapter.
However, the irony was that she was still heavily controlled by labels and management as a product and even this new angle of a troubled star was manufactured by them like some MTV Kafkaesque version of the Truman Show. She had tricky public breakups with other former Mickey Mouse Club stars in the form of Justin Timberlake and her plights were heavily publicised for profits. In an era where angst was fetishized with pop-punk and moody teen shows, this all seemed part of the appeal.
For years, the hits continued and as she got older the sexualised element of her act was less controversial and more readily at the forefront. During this period Britney embodied the prime entertainment that ran alongside the rather more questionable elements of the MTV pinnacle. She was, in short, a star. She had everything in her arsenal in an era where you didn’t just need to be able to tick every box but invent new ones or push the limits of existing ones as you went along. Tracks like ‘Toxic’ were not only rousing bops, but they had unforgettable videos to go along with them and the live TV Madonna snogs to keep them relevant.
As Britney got older and her continued success reached overwhelming heights, she grew more concerned with gaining control of her own life. This proved to be a fractious process and the first rumblings of controversy began. During this period, she became engaged with the dancer Kevin Federline in a whirlwind three-month romance. Even this process was broadcast for profits with the reality show Britney and Kevin: Chaotic. The star would later reflect on this in 2013 and call it “the worst thing I’ve done in my career.” The show and the sorry aftermath embodied the reality side of reality TV. This wasn’t merely chaotic entertainment; it was frenzied happenings of someone’s life.
Soon after Britney became pregnant and thereafter the stresses of motherhood only made matters worse for her. In the intervening months, she hit headlines for driving while holding her son in one arm and thereafter the infamous head-shaving moment occurred. The subsequent media attention gave very little thought to potential, if not highly probable, postnatal depression, indicative of the highly salacious nature of the press in the pre-phone tapping era. In fact, even 20 years prior, this almost would’ve been seen as standard reckless superstar behaviour and put down as a titbit on page nine.
Up until this point, Britney’s fame had proved unassailable, however, now the same forces that had built her up were happy to leave her behind and move on. Her stardom was saved by the ardent core fanbase that she had built up over the years. This legion of supporters not only loved her music and performances, but they identified with her struggles.
For years, Britney has since sustained this core fanbase without ever really rising to the top of the pop circles as new blood came through. Recently, however, she defined our cultural narrative once more as her conservatorship case unfurled publicly. More so than the case itself, what was most notable about the trial from a sociological point of view was how much of the impetus came from the internet and fan groups. The hashtag FreeBritney movement was a central force showing how the axis of power has switched towards social media in the modern age.
Hopefully, her recent success in court can bring some much need calm to a life that has been beleaguered by the grubby hands of commercialism that have pushed and pulled at the star since she was 14 years old, if not before. As a performer, she offered up a boon to millions who celebrated not only her music but her resilience amid an unforgiving society and as such, she became a true icon of our age like Marilyn Monroe before her. In an era where the notion of celebrity has almost outstripped conventional forms of social mobility and artistry, the buzzword for her life is undoubtedly: fame”.
If Britney Spears’s success and accomplishments have inspired a generation of artists who have followed, her struggles and battles have shown that it is a complex career. Being an artist is fraught with perils and personal invasions. Time wrote a feature about how her legacy goes beyond the music. In recent years, Spears has tried to put music out and engage with fans more. It seems that her label have been holding her back. Spears has been criticised for videos she posts on Instagram of her dancing (often with very little clothing). She slams those who criticise her but celebrate male artists whose music videos are provocative. How there are double standards, haters and those who will always been against her. Having to battle against so many people is taking its toll. Even so, I think that The Woman in Me is a rare opportunity for unfiltered and unchecked balance and honesty from Britney Spears:
“Pop songwriting is more laden with mythology than most entertainment products; credits can include people charged with writing toplines (vocal melodies), snatches of melody, or even bits that sound like already-existing hits (a la Right Said Fred’s credit for a borrowed cadence on Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do”). Run down the credits of Spears’ albums and you’ll see her name pop up under the lists of songwriters. What that actually might mean is fairly opaque; she could have written an entire song or just a line.
Still, Britney Spears wouldn’t be Britney Spears without the outsized, appealing personality at the megastar’s nucleus. Martin was onto something when he said he would “use [Spears’] qualities appropriately,” even if the phrasing does give one pause in the context of her present life under conservatorship. Over the years, her catalog has been studded with songs that reflect the facets of the singular traits at which she’s offered glimpses. Her 2011 comeback single “Hold It Against Me” pivots on a pickup line that sounded dated in the swingers’ era four decades prior–”If I said I want your body now, would you hold it against me?”–but her attitude, half-winking, half-serious, makes it work. Tracks like the defiant “Stronger” and the hip-shaking “Overprotected,” meanwhile, showed off her inner strength, presaging her recent courage in speaking out against her current situation. And other pieces of her catalog, particularly in the depths of special-edition bonus tracks, show off her personality’s quirks and depth, from the loopy 2016 track “If I’m Dancing” to the chilling video for her 2004 single “Everytime.”
This was why her performance at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, during which she sleepwalked through the brooding Blackout opener “Gimme More,” was such a blow for fans. That show, which followed a string of highly publicized personal challenges exacerbated by the cruel tabloid landscape of the era—felt like a sign that Spears’ spirit, which had propelled her into the American mainstream, had been if not snuffed out, at least misplaced.
Blackout, which contained production and songwriting contributions from the likes of Pharrell Williams (with his duo The Neptunes) and “Toxic” hitmakers Bloodshy & Avant, was hailed upon its release, presaging the synth-heavier, moodier sounds embraced by the likes of Kanye West on 808s & Heartbreak and Lady Gaga on The Fame. While Spears was reportedly more in control on that record than any other, Blackout succeeds in part because she’s a mysterious presence at its core, her signature wail refracted by effects and shrouded in synths. The shadowy vibe reflects the atmosphere surrounding her at the time, with songs like the glitchy paparazzi rebuke “Piece of Me” and the spare synth pop banger “Radar” feeling of the always-on digital age.
Since Blackout, Spears has released four albums, all of which have sold well; their reception, though, seems to parallel just how weird she can get on them. The lead single from 2013’s Britney Jean, the brittle “Work Bitch,” was shrug-worthy upon release, and lyrics like “You want a hot body, you want a Bugatti/ you want a Maserati? You better work, bitch” land uncomfortably after her conservatorship hearings. In contrast, her most recent full-length, 2016’s Glory, was hailed for its explorations of post-millennial pop’s fringes. It concludes with “Coupure Électrique,” an icily minimalist track in which Spears whisper-sings, in broken French, of love in the dark, a throwback to the Blackout era that also lets her display her playful side.
More than two decades after her debut, Spears’ legacy as a pop artist is complex, made up of dazzling musical heights and music-business-borne lows. This year, Olivia Rodrigo’s path from Disney stardom to pop-chart domination bears broad similarities to Spears’. The “drivers license” singer was born a few years into Spears’ era of TRL superiority, though, and in a recent interview with Nylon, her response to a question about Framing Britney Spears indicated that she sees the treatment of the elder pop supernova as a sign of how easily pop stardom can be undermined by supposed allies. “I just hope that this next generation of women don’t get asked [invasive] questions…. I hope reporters don’t think that that’s OK. It’s just disgusting,” she said in the interview.
The twists and turns in Spears’ story over recent years have fundamentally altered the dream of becoming a pop star, even as the appeal of finding one artist who can make a song that changes the world for five minutes remains. While Spears’ catalog is part of the canon that defines the first 20 years of this millennium, one hopes that her public struggles, and the strength she’s shown while enduring them, will lead to her cementing her true legacy: Reshaping the machine that turns those songs into cultural touchstones”.
I am going to come to a couple of essential playlists: one of Britney Spears’s great music; the other consists of artists who have definitely been influenced by her in some way. First, I am going to recommend three of her studio albums that you need in your life. Whether a big Spears fan or not, I feel these albums are still must-hear.
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Oops!... I Did It Again
Release Date: 3rd May, 2000
Label: Jive
Producers: Barry J. Eastmond/David Kreuger/Eric Foster White/Jake/Kristian Lundin/Max Martin/Larry ‘Rock’ Campbell/Paul Umbach/Per Magnusson/Rami/Robert ‘Esmail’ Jazayeri/Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange/Darkchild/Steve Lunt/Timmy Allen
Buy: https://www.roughtrade.com/en-gb/product/britney-spears/oops-i-did-it-again
U.S. Album Chart Position: 1
Key Cuts: Stronger/Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know/Lucky
Review:
“Given the phenomenal success of Britney Spears' debut, ...Baby One More Time, it should come as no surprise that its sequel offers more of the same. After all, she gives away the plot with the ingenious title of her second album, Oops!...I Did It Again, essentially admitting that the record is more of the same. It has the same combination of sweetly sentimental ballads and endearingly gaudy dance-pop that made One More Time. Fortunately, she and her production team not only have a stronger overall set of songs this time, but they also occasionally get carried away with the same bewildering magpie aesthetic that made the first album's "Sodapop" -- a combination of bubblegum, urban soul, and raga -- a gonzo teen pop classic. It doesn't happen all that often -- the clenched-funk revision of the Stones' deathless "Satisfaction" is the most obvious example -- but it helps give the album character apart from the well-crafted dance-pop and ballads that serve as its heart. In the end, it's what makes this an entertaining, satisfying listen” – AllMusic
Standout Track: Oops!... I Did It Again
In the Zone
Release Date: 1st November, 2003
Label: Jive
Producers: Bloodshy & Avant/Brian and Josh/Roy ‘Royalty’ Hamilton/Jimmy Harry/Penelope Magnet/Moby/The Matrix/Rishi Rich/Guy Sigsworth/Shep Soloman/Mark Taylor/Trixster
Buy: https://www.roughtrade.com/en-gb/product/britney-spears/in-the-zone-htignk
U.S. Album Chart Position: 1
Key Cuts: Me Against the Music/Brave New Girl/Everytime
Review:
“With this, Britney Spears' fourth album, the former little girl diva of pop is desperate to prove that she is now a proper grown up. If her last offering saw the singer straddling the two worlds of girlhood and womanhood, then this one sees her announcing her distinctly adult intentions. She is twenty-two after all! Sadly, her attempts to prove her new-found maturity are what overwhelm and cloud all that is good about Into The Zone.
The album opens very confidently with "Me Against The Music" which,althugh it has more than a passing similarity to a Justin Timberlake production, still manages to sound fresh and as funky as hell. Cries of 'let me see you dance' and 'time to party all night long' emphasise our heroine's love of the good time. Britney clearly relishes her new role as nightclub siren, but she somehow doesn't quite convince.
"Showdown" and "Toxic" are produced by the Bloodshy & Avant team and, though hardly original, have the catchy hooks you'd expect from the duo. "Breathe On Me" is very reminiscent of Madonna during her Ray Of Light period, offering welcome relief after the overcrowded chanting of "(I Got That) Boom Boom".
The Moby produced "Early Morning" is the standout track on this collection. Its contagious, down-tempo groove and soaring string chorus all add up to make a brilliantly simple piece of pop. The other high point is "Touch Of My Hand", its sugary sweet harmonies can't help but impress. (It features Madonna, just in case you've been living on Mars).
"Shadow" is Spear's only return to the power ballad and it's a fairly lukewarm affair; it sounds more like a Pop Idol release than a Britney one. She should stick to the more adventurously upbeat formula. She should also place less emphasis on how self-fulfilled she has become, in repeatedly declaring this she simply draws attention to all the growing up she still has to do. Don't rush it girl! Enjoy being young!” – BBC
Standout Track: Toxic
Glory
Release Date: 26th August, 2016
Label: RCA
Producers: BloodPop/Burns/Cashmere Cat/DJ Mustard/Jason Evigan/Oak Felder/Andrew Goldstein/Oscar Görres/Ian Kirkpatrick/Mattman & Robin/Nick Monson/Alex Nice/Robopop/Lance Eric Shipp/Twice as Nice/Tramaine Winfrey
Buy: https://www.roughtrade.com/en-gb/product/britney-spears/glory
U.S. Album Chart Position: 3
Key Cuts: Do You Wanna Come Over?/Private Show/Clumsy
Review:
“The soft commercial performance of 2013's Britney Jean made it clear that it was time for Britney Spears to shake up her recording career -- a move made somewhat less urgent due to the success of Britney: Piece of Me, the residency show she launched at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood a few months after the release of Britney Jean. Sin City's influence can be heard within the splashiness of the arrangements of certain portions of Glory, the 2016 album designed to be Britney's return to the Top 40. To that end, Glory downplays the show biz glitz of Vegas in favor of modern dance-pop, one with EDM undercurrents and hip-hop overtones. Sometimes echoes of other stars can be heard -- Justin Bieber's Purpose appears to a primary text -- but despite this contemporary gloss, the album usually relies on sounds of Spears' past, trading heavily on the cloistered dance of Blackout and the shimmering neon of Femme Fatale. Glory is much lighter than either album, a reflection of Britney's maturation -- the softer nocturnal numbers make a play for Ellie Goulding territory, but they could slide onto adult contemporary -- and her willingness to be goofy. Some of the highlights are the silliest songs: the swinging "Clumsy," the overheated flamenco chorus of "Do You Wanna Come Over?," and "Private Show" and "Slumber Party," a pair of heavy-breathing come-ons that never manage to seem sexy despite the flood of innuendo. Such moments accentuate Britney's playfulness, an aspect of her persona that's been in hibernation for nearly a decade, and it's a welcome return, as is Glory as a whole: it feels as fun and frivolous as her earliest music while retaining the freshness of her best mature work” – AllMusic
Standout Track: Slumber Party
On 24th October, we will get to read The Woman in Me. Go and pre-order it. The first time Britney Spears has had opportunity and freedom to tell her own story, this is one that every music fan needs to read. It will be a fascinating thing! We will get an insight, not only into her careers and highs. There will also be revelations and stories about her fight for independence and an end to the conservatorship that was dragged into the public eye. I can only imagine how strange and upsetting things have been for Britney Spears for a long time now. Let’s hope that she finds happiness and can continue her career on her own terms! I think most people would love to hear new music as soon as she is ready. That would be really a relief to hear, when it comes about. I am going to end this feature with a playlist of songs from artists influenced by one of the all-time greats. As we look ahead to a new chapter (no pun intended!) for Britney Spears, we all wish her nothing but…
HEALTH and happiness.