Spears was born in Mc Comb, Mississippi and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana as a Southern Baptist. Her parents are Lynne Irene ('née' Bridges), a former elementary school teacher, and Jamie Parnell Spears, a former building contractor and chef. Spears is of English heritage through her maternal grandmother being born in London and distant Maltese descent, with her maternal 2nd great-grandfather Edward Portelli being born in Malta then moving to England where he settled. Spears has two siblings, Bryan and Jamie Lynn. Bryan Spears is married to Jamie-Lynn's manager, Graciella Rivera.

Spears was an accomplished gymnast, attending gymnastics classes until age nine and competing in state-level competitions. She performed in local dance revues and sang in her local Baptist church choir. Spears entered New York City's Professional Performing Arts School when she was eight. Spears's parents would often argue, and they eventually divorced in 2002.

At age eight, Spears auditioned for the Disney Channel series 'The New Mickey Mouse Club'. Although she was considered too young to join the series at the time, a producer on the show introduced her to a New York City agent. After the show ended, Spears returned to Kentwood and attended high school for a year.

In 1997, Spears briefly joined the all-female pop group innosense. Later that same year, she recorded a solo demo and was signed by Jive Records.

Spears released her debut single, "...Baby One More Time", in October 1998 which peaked at number-one on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 in January 1999 and topped the chart for two weeks. It opened at number-one in the UK Singles Chart selling over 460,000 copies, a record for a female act at the time, and became the top-selling single of 1999 and the 25th most successful song of all time in British chart history with over 1.45 million units sold. Spears's debut album '...Baby One More Time' peaked at number one on the 'Billboard' 200 in January 1999. 'Rolling Stone' magazine, in a review of the album, wrote: "While several Cherion-crafted kiddie-funk jams serve up beefy hooks, shameless schlock slowies, like 'E-Mail My Heart,' are pure spam". 'NME' commented "Spears's debut album and its title-track are the kind of soullessness that saturates Stateside charts and consists of nothing but over-chewed bubblegum beats and saccharine sensibilities". In contrast, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic wrote: "Like many teen pop albums, ...Baby One More Time has its share of well-crafted filler, but the singles, combined with Britney's burgeoning charisma, make this a pretty great piece of fluff". '...Baby One More Time' was later certified fourteen times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, denoting fourteen million units shipped within the United States.

Spears posed for the cover of 'Rolling Stone' magazine in April 1999, shot by photographer David La Chapelle. Geoff Boucher of 'The Los Angeles Times' reported, "there was no mistaking the titillation factor in the recent Spears cover story and accompanying photos in the April 15 issue of Rolling Stone, which sent eyebrows arching throughout the music industry, where several executives half-jokingly called it" child pornography ". Gillian G. Gaar reported," The American Family Association charged that the pictures, which showed Spears in push-up bras and a minuscule pair of shorts with 'Baby' in rhinestones on the bottom, presented a 'disturbing mix of childhood innocence and adult sexuality' and asked that all 'God-loving Americans' boycott stores carrying her albums ". This pledge has been questioned due to her apparently sexual relationship with fellow pop singer Justin Timberlake.

In late 1999, Spears appeared in the teen sitcom, 'Sabrina, the Teenage Witch' and performed the song "(You Drive Me) Crazy"; this cameo was a cross-promotion for the film 'Drive Me Crazy', which starred 'Sabrina's Melissa Joan Hart and was named after the song. In December 1999, she won four 'Billboard' Music Awards, including Female Artist of the Year. A month later, she received the Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist award at the American Music Awards.

Following the success of her previous album, Spears released the album 'Oops!... I Did It Again' in May 2000. It debuted at number one in the U.S. by selling 1,319,193 units during its first week of sales, breaking the Sound Scan record for the highest album sales in its debut week by any solo artist. The RIAA awarded the album with a diamond certification with over 10 million copies sold in the U.S. Allmusic gave it awarded the album 4 out of 5 stars, saying that the album "has the same combination of sweetly sentimental ballads and endearingly gaudy dance-pop that made"...Baby One More Time."'Rolling Stone' gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5 by noting the album as" fantastic pop cheese "and" Britney's demand for satisfaction is complex, fierce and downright scary."The album's lead single" Oops!... I Did It Again "broke the record for most radio station additions in a single day, and quickly became a top ten hit in the U.S. and other countries. The same year, Spears launched her first world tour, the" Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour ". During the tour, she made a stop in New York for the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. As part of her performance, she ripped off a black suit to reveal a provocative nude-colored and crystal-adorned outfit that generated much controversy. Spears earned two 'Billboard' Music Awards for 'Oops!... I Did It Again'.

Spears released her third studio album 'Britney' in November 2001. In the album, she assumed some creative control by co-writing five tracks. 'Britney' was also known as the album that Spears combined her originated pop sensibilities with more hip hop and R&B beats. Although not as successful as her previous albums, The album's success made her the only female artist in music history to have her first three albums debut at number one. The album fared well with critics such as Allmusic who gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars, describing the album's title tracks as being "pivotal moments on Britney Spears's third album, the record where she strives to deepen her persona, making it more adult while still recognizably Britney." In contrast, 'Rolling Stone' said of the album 'Britney'" belabors the obvious: Spears is one month away from entering her twenties and clearly needs to grow up if she's going to bring her fans along."'Britney's lead single" I'm a Slave 4 U " peaked at 27 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 making it the album's biggest hit. To help promote the album, Spears embarked on the Dream Within a Dream Tour in November 2001. The tour was forced to cut short in Mexico City due to bad weather. With the end to her tour, Spears announced she would take a six month break from her career.

In early 2002, Spears's four-year relationship with Justin Timberlake ended. His 2002 song "Cry Me a River" and its music video, which featured an actress resembling Spears, caused speculation that Spears had been unfaithful; Timberlake, however, denied that his song was meant to portray her. June 2002 saw the opening of Spears's restaurant, Nyla, in New York City, which served Louisianan and Italian cuisine. However, she was pulled out of the business venture in November as a result of debts and management issues. Nyla officially closed in 2003.

Spears had her first starring role in the 2002 film 'Crossroads', in which she portrayed a high school graduate who travels to find her long-lost mother. The movie was poorly received, as was her performance; Spears received Razzie Awards for Worst Actress and for Worst Original Song. Nonetheless, the film grossed over $60 million worldwide, which was five times its budget. Spears also made cameo appearances in 'Austin Powers in Goldmember' and 'Longshot'. Footage of Spears appeared in the 2004 documentary 'Fahrenheit 9/11', which samples a 2003 CNN interview about the Iraq War in which Spears stated that she thought "we should just trust our president in every decision he makes and should just support that".

Spears made her third consecutive MTV Video Music Awards performance. While performing "I'm a Slave 4 U", she used caged animals as props and danced with a large albino python draped over her shoulders. Animal-rights organization PETA claimed that the animals featured in the performance were mistreated and cancelled plans for an anti-fur billboard that was to feature Spears. Her career success was highlighted by 'Forbes' magazine in 2002 as Spears was ranked the world's most powerful celebrity, earnings of over $39.2 million . On October 7, 2002, " People Magazine declared that, Spears sold 52 million albums worldwide in the last four years and making between $40 million and $50 million a year as a result.

Spears released her fourth studio album 'In the Zone' in November 2003, jettisoning the Max Martin-produced synthpop of her earlier releases. The album took in lesser-known producers such as Red Zone and big names including Moby and R. Kelly. Spears co-wrote eight of the album's thirteen songs and co-produced several pieces of her material for the first time. 'In the Zone' reached number one in the U.S. charts during its debut week, selling over 609,000 copies. This made Spears the first female in the Nielsen Sound Scan era to have her first four studio albums to debut at number one. The album had a mixed reception from critics. Stylus Magazine gave the album a D and blamed Spears's career choices by stating, "Ultimately, 'In the Zone' suffers greatly from Britney's uneasy transition from teen tart to sexually powerful woman. Had Britney been in charge of her career direction instead of mercilessly prostituted by her management, she might have been able to produce something with some semblance of musical vision."'The Guardian' praised the album's melodies and her effort, giving it 4 out of 5 stars:" Unlike previous Britney albums, 'In the Zone' has no filler and no shoddy cover versions, just 57 varieties of blue-chip hit-factory pop. There is southern hip-hop, deep house, Neptunes-style R&B, the ubiquitous Diwali beat and, most importantly, oodles of Madonna."The album spawned the hit single" Toxic ", winning Spears her first ever Grammy in the category of Best Dance Recording.

Spears married childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander on January 3, 2004, at The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. The marriage lasted 55 hours, ending with an annulment stating that Spears "lacked understanding of her actions to the extent that she was incapable of agreeing to marriage because before entering into the marriage the Plaintiff and Defendant did not know each others' likes and dislikes, each others' desires to have or not have children, and each other's desires as to State of residency".

Months after her Las Vegas marriage, Spears embarked on The Onyx Hotel Tour, which was canceled in June after Spears injured her knee during the filming of the video for the single "Outrageous". The tour's choreography generated much controversy and criticism, which was cited inappropriate with the presence of young children in the audience. In September 2004, Spears, although being raised a Baptist, became involved in the Kabbalah Centre through her friendship with Madonna. However, she publicly left the religion in 2006, stating on her website, " I no longer study Kabbalah, my baby is my religion."

In July 2004, Spears announced her engagement to Kevin Federline, three months after they met. Federline had recently been in a relationship with actress Shar Jackson, who was eight months pregnant with their second child. These initial stages were chronicled in Spears's first reality show 'Britney & Kevin: Chaotic', which aired on UPN in May and June 2005. On the night of September 18, Spears married Federline in a surprise, non-denominational ceremony at a residence in Studio City, California, filing legal papers on October 6. After the marriage, Spears announced via her website that she would be taking another career break to start a family. She gave birth to her first child, Sean Preston Federline, nearly one year later, on September 14, 2005 in Santa Monica, California by a scheduled caesarean section.

November 2004 saw the release of her first greatest hits collection, 'Greatest Hits: My Prerogative', which features all of Spears's singles with the exception of "From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart". It also featured three previously unreleased songs: a cover version of American R&B singer Bobby Brown's 1988 hit "My Prerogative", "Do Somethin'", produced by Bloodshy and Avant, with whom she had worked on 'In The Zone', and" I've Just Begun (Having My Fun)", which was a song originally recorded for Spears's fourth album, 'In The Zone', but did not make the final cut. By the end of that year, Spears had become one of the best-selling artists in the world.

In November 2005, Spears released her first remix album, 'B In The Mix: The Remixes'. The album ranged from "...Baby One More Time" to "Toxic". Her single "Someday (I Will Understand)" was also remixed. Another single," And Then We Kiss ", was released on Vinyl worldwide and it charted in many countries. The song peaked at number 15 on 'Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay chart, despite it not being officially released in the U.S. 'B in the Mix: The Remixes' had sold a total of 100,000 copies in the U.S after 4 years, it was the first album for which Spears didn't receive any RIAA certification.

In 2006, Spears guest-starred on the 'Will & Grace' episode "Buy, Buy Baby" as a closeted lesbian. Spears announced her second pregnancy in May 2006 during an appearance on 'The Late Show with David Letterman'. She also appeared on 'Dateline' the next month to discuss tabloid rumors about an impending divorce, and motherhood. She addressed an incident which occurred in February when photos revealed her driving with her son unrestrained in her lap, explaining, "I see a bunch of photographers and I'm scared and I want to get out of the situation... They're coming up on the sides of the car which is a scary situation for me... so I get my baby out of the car and I go home." The month following the televised interview, Spears posed nude for the August 2006 cover of 'Harper's Bazaar'. Just two days before Sean's first birthday, Spears gave birth to her second son, Jayden James Federline on September 12 in Los Angeles. Spears filed for divorce from Federline on November 7, 2006, citing irreconcilable differences and asking for both physical and legal custody of their two children, with visitation rights for Federline. The following day, Federline filed a response to Spears's divorce petition, seeking physical and legal custody of their children. American attorney Laura Wasser was hired to represent Spears in the case. According to a representative for Federline's lawyer, the divorce filing" caught Kevin totally by surprise ". The couple reached a global settlement agreement in March 2007 and their divorce was finalized in July.

Spears's aunt Sandra Bridges Covington, with whom she had been very close, died of ovarian cancer on January 21, 2007.

Spears then stayed in an off-shore drug rehabilitation facility in Antigua for less than 24 hours on February 16.

The following night at a hair salon in Tarzana, California she shaved her head with electric clippers. A few days later, she admitted herself to another treatment facility in Malibu.

While leaving the facility briefly, she quickly returned on February 22. The previous day, Kevin Federline had requested an emergency hearing regarding the custody of their children but then his attorney announced that Federline asked to cancel the court appearance. No further explanation was given.

Throughout 2007, Spears's behavior received heightened media attention, including attacking a paparazzi vehicle with an umbrella. Spears left the rehabilitation center on March 20 according to her manager, who said she was released after " successfully completing their program."

As the legal battle over the custody of their children continued, many members of her entourage have been summoned to testify about her parenting skills. In March 2007, Leonard Pitts, Jr. wrote that in the aftermath of Spears's personal struggles that have become widely publicized, Spears had been reduced to an abstract idea as opposed to being regarded as a real person. "The abstraction is not surprising: Whatever media touch, they objectify... What must it be like to have your marriage and divorce, your relationship with your parents and kids... dissected by millions of strangers who think they know you?" She recorded her next album with producers such as Sean Garrett, J. R. Rotem and Nate" Danja " Hills throughout 2006 and 2007.

In September 2007, the official findings in Spears's custody battle were announced by the court. She was ordered to undergo random drug and alcohol testing and to attend parenting counseling. Spears and Federline continued to share joint custody of their two children on a conditional basis.

A few days later, she was officially charged with misdemeanor hit-and-run and driving without a license. If convicted, she could have faced a year in jail.

Spears lost physical custody of her children to Federline on October 1, with the court ruling that Federline will keep full custody of the children.

The charges for her alleged hit-and-run that occurred in August 2007 were officially laid, she was booked for the charges by the Los Angeles Police Department on October 15 but was not arrested.

The release of Spears's fifth album, 'Blackout', was rescheduled to October 30, 2007 rather than November 13, 2007 due to online leaks. 'Blackout' debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and the U.S. 'Billboard' 200., making Spears the only female music artist to have her first five albums go to number one and two. It was fairly well received by critics. As of June 2008, there have been 3.1 million digital downloads of the songs and remixes from the album in the United States. 'Rolling Stone' gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars. Allmusic also rated the album 3.5 out of 5 stars, calling Blackout "coherent and entertaining" and stating that "it holds together better than any of her other records". 'Blackout's lead single, "Gimme More" leaked on the internet on August 30. The song, which was Spears's first produced by Danja, peaked at number three on 'Billboard' Hot 100 on October 3, making it, at the time, her most successful single in the U.S. since her debut, "...Baby One More Time".

Spears's highly anticipated performance of "Gimme More" at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards attracted worldwide attention which exceeded expectations. It became perhaps the most talked-about televised song and dance routine since her friend Michael Jackson's appearance a quarter century earlier on the 'Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever' special. Her singing, her dancing and even her wardrobe were all commented on extensively. The BBC stated that "her performance would go down in the history books as being one of the worst to grace the MTV Awards." The single rocketed to worldwide success. The second single," Piece of Me ", peaked at No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart.

In December 2007, Spears began a relationship with Adnan Ghalib, had been working as a paparazzo, taking photographs of Spears outside her house. Of his relationship with Spears, Ghalib stated, "I think she's a great person.". This relationship lead to speculation Spears was suffering from a form of Stockholm Syndrome in which kidnapping victims feel attached and show sympathy for their captors". New York psychologist, Patricia Saunders, said about Spears: " some of the characteristics of persistent paparazzi are similar to stalkers. And for Britney, she's looking for any port in a storm. The elements of Stockholm syndrome come from that sense of 'If you can't beat them, join them'".' and her 27th birthday party.

On the evening of January 3, 2008, after not sleeping for over four days, Spears refused to relinquish custody of her children to Federline's representatives. In response, police were called to Spears's home.

She was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after she "appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance", though blood tests tested negative for any illicit substances. She was held for psychiatric evaluation for two days.

Pending a February 19 hearing, Commissioner Scott Gordon issued an order on January 14 stating that her visitation rights have been suspended indefinitely. On January 31, a court placed Spears under temporary co- conservatorship of her father James Spears and attorney Andrew Wallete, giving them complete control of her assets.

As a result of an order placed by her psychiatrist, she was taken to UCLA Medical Center to be put on a 5150 involuntary psychiatric hold for the second time that month.

On February 1, a restraining order was issued against Sam Lutfi, a prominent figure in Spears's life. She was released from the hospital on February 6, amid speculation that she has bipolar disorder, although medical records are confidential, and no confirmation has been made. Her parents expressed disappointment and concern at the decision to release her.

She has regained some visitation rights after coming to an agreement with Federline and his counsel. On July 18, 2008, Spears and Federline reached a custody settlement in which Federline retains sole custody while Spears keeps her visitation rights.

Vanessa Grigoriadis reported in "The Tragedy of Britney Spears"(2008), her cover story for 'Rolling Stone', that "more than any other star today, Britney epitomizes the crucible of fame for the famous: loving it, hating it and never quite being able to stop it from destroying you". Grigoriadis wrote that "every day in L.A., at least a hundred paparazzi, reporters and celebrity-magazine editors dash after her" and that paparazzi estimated Spears generated "up to twenty percent of their coverage for the past year". She received positive reviews for her performance as well as bringing in the series' highest ratings ever. Spears reprised her role in May 2008, leaving the storyline open for a future return.

On September 7, 2008, Spears opened the MTV Video Music Awards for the third time. Although having not performed, a sketch comedy with Jonah Hill was pre-taped, as well as an introduction speech to the official opening of the show. Spears won Best Female Video, Best Pop Video and Video Of The Year for "Piece of Me". On September 15, Jive released a statement announcing the title of her sixth studio album, 'Circus' as well as the first single, "Womanizer". The single was released to radio stations on September 26, and the release date for the album is December 2, Spears's 27th birthday. On October 15, the song made a record-breaking jump to number one on the 'Billboard' Hot 100, breaking the record set by T.I.'s Live Your Life. It also garnered first-week download sales of 286,000, the biggest opening-week tally by a female artist since Nielsen Sound Scan began tracking digital downloads in 2003. It marked Spears's first number one single on the Hot 100 since her debut, "...Baby One More Time".

On October 21, 2008, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Steele declared a mistrial and dismissed the August 2007 driving without a license misdemeanor charges against Spears, who was represented by attorney J. Michael Flanagan. Spears claimed she had a valid Louisiana license and a California permit was not required.

On November 6, 2008, Spears won two awards at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2008, "Album of The Year" for 'Blackout' and "Act of 2008", and despite not being present, two acceptance videos were taped and shown at the show. 'Circus' debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 selling 505,000 copies in its first week. This became Spears's fifth number one album, making her the only act in Nielsen Sound Scan history to have four albums debuted with 500,000 copies or more. It is also Spears's second album, the first being '...Baby One More Time', to have charted two top-ten singles as "Circus", the follow up single to the number-one hit "Womanizer", debuted at number three on the Hot 100, making it, at the time, her highest debut on the chart as well as her seventh top ten hit.

In January 2009, Spears and her father obtained a restraining order against the singer's former manager/friend Sam Lutfi, one-time beau Adnan Ghalib, and attorney Jon Eardley--all of whom, court documents claim, have been conspiring to gain control of the pop star's affairs. The restraining order forbids Lutfi and Ghalib from contacting Spears or coming within 250 yards of her, her property or family members.

In February 2009, Spears achieved further success in solidifying her comeback by having the second single of off her comeback album, "Circus" rise to number one on the Top 40 Radio Chart, making it the first time Spears has achieved back-to-back number one hits on the Top 40 Chart along with her comeback single, "Womanizer". This makes her fifth number one song on the chart, putting her in a tie for second place for most number one Top 40 songs in the Mainstream Top 40's sixteen year history. Mariah Carey is in first place with six number one songs.

In March, Spears launched her seventh tour to promote the 'Circus' album. 'The Circus Starring Britney Spears' began its run on March 3, 2009 in Spears's home state of Louisiana. Opening night, as well as every following show in North America, sold out. The tour spanned through North America, Europe, and Australia. Spears was accompanied by her children on the tour, and were in her custody for over 50% of the time for the duration of the tour.

In April 2009, Spears declared her support for same-sex marriage to the media, following the controversial incident on Miss USA where contestant Carrie Prejean, representing California, expressed her disapproval of same-sex unions. The message left by Spears on her Twitter page read "Love is love! People should be able to do whatever makes them happy!" After years of absence, 'Forbes' magazine listed Spears as the 13th most powerful celebrity and the second most top-earning young musician as she made $35 million from June 2008 to June 2009. Also producer and remixer Russ Castella posted a message on Twitter stating that he was working on a track titled "Dirty Girl" for Spears. On November 24 Jive released a greatest hits album, 'The Singles Collection' to honor her 10th anniversary in the music industry. It contained the new single "3" which topped the 'Billboard' 100 making it her 3rd #1 hit on the chart. It also marked the first time in 3 years that a song had debuted directly at #1 on the chart. The album was released in a standard edition, deluxe CD+DVD edition, Box Set edition, and digital download.

In November, Jive stated that Spears was eyeing for a new album to be released in May 2010. They also stated that she's been working with collaborators such as Fernando Garibay, David Guetta, Nate Hills, Sean Garrett and Max Martin. On January 5, 2010 KIIS-FM radio station reported that Britney would be releasing a new single to hit radio airwaves in March of this year. They also hinted that the lead single would be the track produced by David Guetta. One of the other producers from the album, Jon Asher, also commented to the New York Post on Spears's upcoming album, stating that it will feature the Epic Pop genre, a genre that "is not your everyday pop love bug sound. Its upbeat rhythms and sounds with meaningful emotional lyrics that people can feel. Something that truly moves you".On February 10, 2010, reports emerged that Spears would be collaborating with Lady Gaga on a song. Gaga's father Joseph Germanotta had told Spears at the Grammys that Gaga had always wanted to work with her, but admitted that his daughter would not be available to work with her until her recent world tour concludes later in the year.Following her debut, Spears was credited with leading the revival of teen pop in the late 1990s. 'The Daily Yomiuri' reported that "music critics have hailed her as the most gifted teenage pop idol for many years, but Spears has set her sights a little higher-she is aiming for the level of superstardom that has been achieved by Madonna and Janet Jackson."'Rolling Stone' wrote:" Britney Spears carries on the classic archetype of the rock & roll teen queen, the dungaree doll, the angel baby who just has to make a scene."Rami Yacoub who co-produced Spears's debut album with lyricist Max Martin, commented," I know from Denniz Pop and Max's previous productions, when we do songs, there's kind of a nasal thing. With N' Sync and the Backstreet Boys, we had to push for that mid-nasal voice. When Britney did that, she got this kind of raspy, sexy voice."Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic referred to her music as a" blend of infectious, rap-inflected dance-pop and smooth balladry."Spears later commented," With '...Baby One More Time', I didn't get to show my voice off. The songs were great, but they weren't very challenging ".

'Oops!...I Did It Again' and subsequent albums saw Spears working with several contemporary R&B producers, leading to "a combination of bubblegum, urban soul, and raga." Her third studio album, 'Britney' derived from the teen pop niche," rhythmically and melodically ... sharper, tougher than what came before. What used to be unabashedly frothy has some disco grit, underpinned by Spears' spunky self-determination that helps sell hooks that are already catchier, by and large, than those that populated her previous two albums."Guy Blackman of 'The Age' wrote that while few would care to listen to an entire Spears album," the thing about Spears, though, is that her biggest songs, no matter how committee-created or impossibly polished, have always been convincing because of her delivery, her commitment and her presence. For her mostly teenage fans, Spears expresses perfectly the conflicting urges of adolescence, the tension between chastity and sexual experience, between hedonism and responsibility, between confi dence and vulnerability."

Her vocal ability has also been criticized, often drawing unfavorable comparison to her pop rival, Christina Aguilera Critic Allan Raible derides her overdependence in Circus on digital effects and the robotic effect it creates. "She's never been a strong vocalist..." writes Raible," Could she handle these songs with stripped down arrangements and no vocal effects? More importantly, would anyone want to hear her attempt such a performance? Does it matter? No. The focus is still image over substance."Her image and persona are also often contrasted to Christina Aguilera. David Browne of 'Entertainment Weekly' observed" Christina Aguilera may flash skin and belly button, but in her music and manner, she's too eager not to offend -- she's a good girl pretending to be bad. Spears, however, comes across as a bad girl acting good ... Spears' artificial-sweetener voice is much less interesting than the settings, yet that blandness is actually a relief compared with Aguilera's numbing vocal gymnastics. In contrast, Allmusic comments: "Like her peer Christina Aguilera, Britney equates maturity with transparent sexuality and the pounding sounds of nightclubs ... Where Christina comes across like a natural-born skank, Britney is the girl next door cutting loose at college, drinking and smoking and dancing and sexing just a little too recklessly, since this is the first time she 'can' indulge herself. Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine notes," The disparity between Aguilera and Spears can't be measured solely by the timbre and octave range of their voices ... Aguilera's popularity has never reached the fever pitch of Britney's.

Like other dance-oriented pop stars, it has been widely reported that Spears lip-syncs in concert. Author Gary Giddins wrote in his book 'Natural selection: Gary Giddins on comedy, film, music, and books' (2006) that "among many other performers accused of moving their lips while a machine does the labor are Britney Spears, Luciano Pavarotti, Shania Twain, Beyoncé, and Madonna." Rashod D. Ollison of 'The Baltimore Sun' observes:" Many pop stars ... feel they have no choice but to seek vocal enhancement. Since the advent of MTV and other video music channels, pop audiences have been fed elaborate videos thick with jaw-dropping effects, awesome choreography, fabulous clothes, marvelous bodies. And the same level of perfection is expected to extend beyond the video set to the concert stage. So if Britney Spears, Janet Jackson or Madonna sounds shrill and flat without a backing track, fans won't pay up to $300 for a concert ticket."Giddins adds," it was reported Britney Spears fans prefer her to lip-sync--despite her denials of doing so (contradicted by her own director)--because they expect flawless digitalization when they pay serious money for a concert."Noting on the prevalence of lip-syncing, 'Los Angeles Daily News' reported" in the context of a Britney Spears concert, does it really matter? Like a Vegas revue show, you don't go to hear the music, you go for the somewhat-ridiculous spectacle of it all ". Similarly, Aline Mendelsohn of the 'Orlando Sentinel' remarked:" Let's get one thing straight: A Britney Spears concert is not about the music ... you have to remember that it's about the sight, not the sound."Critic Glenn Gamboa comments her concert tours are" like her life--a massive money-making venture designed to play up her talents and distract from her shortcomings with a mix of techno-tinged sex appeal and disco-flavored flash. And, like her life, it is, more or less, a success.

Throughout her career, Spears has drawn frequent comparisons to Janet Jackson and Madonna, in terms of vocals, choreography and stage presence, citing both as influences in her work. She has also named Michael Jackson as a source of inspiration."According to Spears:" I know when I was younger, I looked up to people... like, you know, Janet Jackson and Madonna. And they were major inspirations for me. But I also had my own identity and I knew who I was, you know."In the 2002 book 'Madonnastyle' by Carol Clerk, she is quoted saying:" I have been a huge fan of Madonna since I was a little girl. I would really, really like to be a legend like Madonna ... Her choreography definitely opened the door for girls to go in there and do their own thing ".

Many critics have argued that Spears should not be considered in the same league of talent as Jackson or Madonna. Journalists Erika Montalvo and Jackie Sheppard of the 'Rocky Mountain Collegian' observed "some may argue that Spears is not only a good recording artist but also an important cultural icon." Joan Anderman of the 'Boston Globe' remarked that" thirteen costume changes in 90 minutes won't bless her with Madonna's intelligence or cultural barometer. An army of cutting-edge R&B producers won't supply her with Janet Jackson's sense of humor or sincere smile ... Britney's heroes aren't great singers. But they're real singers. Spears sounds robotic, nearly inhuman, on her records, so processed is her voice by digital pitch-shifters and synthesizers."

Reporter Ed Bumgardner commented her transition from teen pop start to adult sex symbol with her third studio album 'Britney' "takes its cues from two other successful performers--Madonna and Janet Jackson--both of whom she brazenly rips off and both of whom, like Spears, are passable singers, at best." Critic Shane Harrison wrote:" From the minimalist thump and "Nasty" feel of "I'm a Slave 4 U" to the scattered quotes in "Boys,"'Britney' feels like Spears's attempt at 'Control'." The biographers also report" some observers of popular culture, however, feel that the comparisons between the two artist are meaningless and fail to recognize Madonna's unique contribution: Madonna was never 'just another pop star' whereas Britney can more easily be seen as a standard manufactured pop act."Britney Spears is Christian and is currently a practicing member of the Southern Baptist Convention. Although as mentioned previously, she dabbled into Judaic mysticism of Kabala briefly..Spears became an international pop culture icon immediately after launching her recording career. 'Rolling Stone' magazine wrote: "One of the most controversial and successful female vocalists of the 21st century," she" spearheaded the rise of post-millennial teen pop ... Spears early on cultivated a mixture of innocence and experience that broke the bank ". She is listed by the 'Guinness World Records' as having the" Best-selling album by a teenage solo artist "for her debut album '...Baby One More Time' which sold over thirteen million copies in the United States. Melissa Ruggieri of the 'Richmond Times-Dispatch' reported," She's also marked for being the best-selling teenage artist. Before she turned 20 in 2001, Spears sold more than 37 million albums worldwide ". Barbara Ellen of 'The Observer' reported:" Spears is famously one of the 'oldest' teenagers pop has ever produced, almost middle aged in terms of focus and determination. Many 19-year-olds haven't even started working by that age, whereas Britney, a former Mouseketeer, was that most unusual and volatile of American phenomena -- a child with a full-time career. While other little girls were putting posters on their walls, Britney was wanting to be the poster on the wall. Whereas other children develop at their own pace, Britney was developing at a pace set by the ferociously competitive American entertainment industry ". 'Britney Spears' has been Yahoo!'s most popular search term for the last four consecutive years, seven times in total. Spears was named as Most Searched Person in the 'Guinness World Records' book edition 2007 and 2009.

Spears has also become an major influence among many new artists, including Kristinia De Barge, Lady Gaga, Little Boots, Taylor Swift, Pixie Lott and Miley Cyrus who has cited Spears as one of her biggest inspirations and has also referenced Spears in her hit song "Party in the U.S.A.". Bebo Norman wrote a song about Spears, called" Britney ", which was released as a single. Boy band Busted also wrote a song about Spears called" Britney ", which was on their debut album. She is also mentioned in P!nk's song" Don't Let Me Get Me ". Richard Cheese called Britney Spears" a remarkable recording artist "and also went on to say that she was" versatile "and what the industry calls an" artist ". 'People' magazine and MTV reported that October 1, 2008, Bronx's John Philip Sousa Middle School, named their music studio in honor of Britney Spears. Spears herself was present during the ceremony and donated $10,000 dollars to the school's music program.- Spears's first fragrance

In early 2001, Spears signed a multi-million dollar promotional deal with Pepsi that included television commercials, point-of-purchase promotions, and Internet ties between Spears and the company. Britney Spears has earned over US$370 million from her many, multi-million dollar advertisement and endorsement deals all around the World.. She has published four books, including 'A Mother's Gift', and released seven DVDs, including her self-produced 2005 reality series 'Britney & Kevin: Chaotic'. Other Spears products include a doll and a video game. She participated in seven tours including "The Onyx Hotel Tour" in 2004. She has grossed over US$350 million from tour ticket sales and over $185 million in merchandise from her tours, the most ever grossed by a performer (male and female). In November 2009, Britney released the "It's Britney" application for the i Phone and i Pod touch. It features Twitter and Facebook updates, photo galleries, news, a photo game called " Be Britney's Dancer," a sparkler image that includes a surprise when attending her concerts, and exclusive photos and messages from Britney.

Spears endorsed her first Elizabeth Arden fragrance "Curious" in September, 2004, which had $100 million in sales in the five weeks after its 2004 release, and it broke licenser Elizabeth Arden's record for first-week gross for a perfume and went on to become the number-one fragrance in department stores on 2004. In September 2005, Spears released the fragrance "Fantasy" with Elizabeth Arden, which also saw great success. These were followed by the release of two more fragrances of "Curious:In Control" and "Midnight Fantasy" in 2006. Her next Elizabeth Arden fragrance, "Believe", was released in September 2007. In January, 2008, Spears released "Curious Heart". Spears released a new fragrance entitled "Hidden Fantasy" in January 2009. On March 2, 2009 it was announced that Spears would be the new face of Candie's. On April 1, 2009, 'People' magazine released a sneak peek of what the ads will look like. In January 2010, it was announced that Britney would remain the spokesperson for Candies in 2010.