Britney Spears died on Sunday night at the Circus Circus hotel in Las Vegas when the hair dryer she was using fell into a sink full of water. She was 27.
Spears’ death comes after years of controversial behavior. Spears continually sought the media’s attention with bizarre behavior such has shaving her head, sporting a pink wig, and beating a car with an umbrella. “She was clearly acting out. She was going through a dark time in her life and desperately needed help,” said sister Jamie Lynn.
She raised eyebrows when she married former backup dancer Kevin Federline after only three months of dating in 2004. The couple briefly starred in their own reality series, “Britney and Kevin: Chaotic” on UPN. The two filed for divorce four years later after much hostility. Custody battles raged between the two for their children. Photos posted of Spears feeding her children soda and driving Sean Preston without a car seat fueled the battle. Her parenting was heavily criticized and deemed questionable.
Spears first rose to fame in the late 1980’s with Disney Channel’s “The New Mickey Mouse Club.” She starred alongside the likes of Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. Timberlake became the star’s longtime boyfriend and Spears even promised to remain a virgin until the two could be married.
“She was America’s sweetheart. She was an idol to girls everywhere from ages 5-13. Fans fell in love with Britney and her music,” Lindsey Lohan said.
After “The New Mickey Mouse Club” was cancelled, Spears returned to her hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana. She was soon itching to return to show business. In 1998, she dropped her first album “…Baby One More Time” which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Her hit single “Hit Me Baby One More Time” on the album brought the first of many controversies. The video featured Spears dressed in a revealing Catholic schoolgirl uniform baring her midriff, which was soon to become her trademark.
In 2003, at the MTV Music Awards, Spears found herself in trouble once again after kissing Madonna during their performance of “Like a Virgin.” The kiss sparked controversy over her once innocent image.
Spears’ controversial antics cannot overshadow the fact she is one of the most successful pop icons of the 21st century. “…Baby One More Time” was followed by “Oops!... I Did It Again” in 2000 and “Britney” in 2001. She was the only female artist to have her first three albums debut at number one. Adding to her music and dance careers, Spears took on acting as well. She headlined her first feature film, “Crossroads,” in 2002.
That same year, Forbes Magazine named Spears the world’s most powerful celebrity, establishing Spears as a force to be dealt with worldwide.
Spears was born December 2, 1981. She is survived by her parents, Jamie and Lynne Spears, her brother Bryan, her sister Jamie Lynn, and her two children, Sean Preston (3) and Jayden (2).
Plans for a public memorial have not been determined .
By Jennifer Sun
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