Britney Spears

Britney Spears is a female American singer, who rose to fame as a 16-year-old with her single "Baby One More Time".

Prior to becoming famous, she was on TV as a child in the Mickey Mouse Club, alongside Christina Aguelira and Justin Timberlake, who also became famous singers.

Britney Spears in her early singing career had a reputation as being "bubble gum", of being puritanical and clean in all respects, and in many ways of being boring.

Following a 2002 smear which was related to the smear on the head of the CIA called the Captain AmErika smear, Britney Spears found herself constantly in the tabloids amongst various accusations of wrongdoing on her part, of over drinking, driving without a licence, doing drugs, and so forth. Britney Spears became married to teenage love Kevin Federline, had 2 children quickly, and then had a new reputation as a "hick", or as "trailer trash". She was also known as an irresponsible parent. Following her divorce, Britney Spears eventually lost custody, including visitation rights, which led to a 2007 mental breakdown, in which Britney Spears shaved off all of her hair and didn't sleep for 3 days.

Britney Spears today is trying to rebuild her reputation, although the stigma of the various smears against her name, both real and invented, remain with her to this day, making her a highly controversial figure.

Britney Spears has had a string of successful singles and albums and is today as highly publicised for her successes as for the various smears against her name.