Britney Spears died on Sunday night when the hair dryer she was using fell into a sink full of water at the Circus Circus hotel in Las Vegas. She was 27.
Spears’ death followed years of controversial behavior, from her brief 2003 marriage, to her shaved head scandal. Perhaps the most publicized was her 2004 marriage to former backup dancer, Kevin Federline. The union produced 2 children, Sean Preston and Jayden James. Spears and Federline appeared together on the UPN Reality Series, “Britney and Kevin: Chaotic”. They divorced in 2006.
Spears lost custody of her sons after displaying many examples of questionable parenting skills. This included nearly dropping Sean Preston in public and getting pulled over for driving with him sitting in her lap. After a long battle, Spears and Federline gained joint custody of their children. “Britney had a rough start, but she was a great mother to her sons,” said Spears’ sister Jamie Lynn. “I can only hope that I can do just as well with my child.”
Spears first rose to fame in the late 1980’s on TV’s “The New Mickey Mouse Club.” She starred alongside celebrities such as Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. Timberlake became the star’s longtime boyfriend of 3 years. Spears even promised to save her virginity for him until the two could be married.
After “The New Mickey Mouse Club” was canceled, Spears returned to Louisiana. She was soon itching to return to show business. In 1998 she dropped her first album, “…Baby One More Time.” The title track’s video took viewers by surprise when Spears was dressed in a Catholic schoolgirl uniform baring her midriff, which was soon to become her trademark.
Soon enough, her image as a talented young girl was clouded by her newfound sex appeal. Her revealing outfits and mature lyrics expanded her fan coverage to reach an older audience.
“…Baby One More Time” was followed 2 years later by “Oops!… I Did it Again.” When her third album, “Britney” was released in 2001, she became the first female singer to have three number one albums.
She headlined her first feature film, “Crossroads,” in 2002. That same year, Forbes Magazine named Spears the world’s most powerful celebrity. “She was on the road to success,” Spears’ father Jamie said. “She was the biggest sweetheart and the media took advantage of her.”
In 2003, at the MTV Music Awards, Spears found herself in trouble once again when she kissed Madonna during their rendition of “Like a Virgin.” “What my daughter did was bold and exciting,” said Spears’ mother, Lynne. “She sure knew how to capture a crowd’s attention.”
Spears was born on December 2, 1981. She is survived by her parents, Jamie and Lynne Spears, her brother Bryan, her sister Jamie Lynn, and her children, Sean Preston (3) and Jayden James (2). Plans for a public memorial have not been determined.
-Tabitha Lawrence
No comments:
Post a Comment