The Simple Guide to Taylor Swift
Published by Chris Scott at Smashwords.
Copyright 2011 Chris Scott
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Introduction
By the time she was 21, Britney Spears had already been named the Princess of Pop, released her third chart topping album and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Now, just months away from her 30th birthday, Britney is still a cultural icon. She's survived rumors and rehab, breakups and break downs. She's gone from classy to trashy and back again. From sexy schoolgirl to Femme Fatale, this self proclaimed country girl from rural Kentwood, Louisiana has sold over 100 million albums and won the hearts of people all over the world.
Before she had 9 million followers on twitter and 14 million fans on facebook, Britney Spears was just a kid from Louisiana who loved to sing. She was born in McComb, Mississippi December 2, 1981 to Lynne Irene Spears and James Parnell Spears. Her mother, Lynne was an elementary school teacher and her father, Jamie, a building contractor. She had one older brother, Bryan, who was four years older. They grew up in McComb, Mississippi where Britney attended the private school, Parklane Academy, sang “What Child is This” at her kindergarten graduation, and dreamed of being a star. If there wasn't a reason to perform, Britney would make one, even if that meant just putting on a show for her dolls. She loved to sing and to dance, and she saw no reason why she shouldn't do exactly that as often as possible.
Britney's mother encouraged her, signing her up for dance lessons and gymnastics, and entered her in talent shows. Even as a child, Britney didn't disappoint. She took to dance and gymnastics, won talent shows and wanted more. When she was 8, her mother took her to Atlanta to audition for The Mickey Mouse Club. The director said she was definitely talented but too young for the show. He referred Lynne to a talent agent who then referred her to the Professional Performing Arts School in New York. So they sublet an apartment in New York and gave the school a try.
Show Business
Britney attended the Professional Performing Arts School for the next three years. While there, she appeared in a few commercials and received her first acting role, the understudy for the lead of the Off-Broadway musical, Ruthless!. In 1992, she competed on Star Search where she won one round but didn't make it to the finals. It was a start, but understudies and commercials do not make a star. In 1993 they decided to give The Mickey Mouse Club another try. This time, the audition was a success. Britney left the musical, where Natalie Portman took her place as understudy, and joined the cast of The Mickey Mouse Club, along with Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Ryan Gosling who would all go on to be famous. Three years later, The Mickey Mouse Club went off the air and Britney and her mother returned to Kentwood with Britney's new little sister, Jamie Lynne.
High School
Back in Kentwood, Britney once again attended Parklane Academy. After her taste of show business, Britney found the high school experience to be dull and boring, comparing it to the opening scenes in Clueless where everyone is divided into cliques. She made friends, dated, played point guard on the basketball team and was crowned Homecoming Queen, but she still wanted more. She wanted to be a star and wasn't going to settle for anything less.
Music
Never one to give up, Britney joined the new all girl band, Innosense in 1997. Though the band broke up later that year, Britney was already working on a professional demo. Family friend and entertainment lawyer, Larry Rudolph sent her an unused Toni Braxton song which she practiced and then recorded. Then it was back to New York to meet with record label executives. After three rejections, Britney was finally signed by Jive Records in 1997. Once signed, Britney was sent to Sweden to record her first album. It was to be the first of many overseas trips for Britney Spears.
...Baby One More Time
Back in Kentwood, the music of choice was most often country music with stars like Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton, but thanks to her mother's love of pop music, Britney grew up listening to Madonna, Michael Jackson and Mariah Carey. She enjoyed the music of fellow Jive artists, NSYNC and Backstreet Boys but wanted to find her own sound. Though she originally envisioned something closer to Sheryl Crow's music, she didn't mind taking it in more of a pop direction since that would make it easier to dance to.
Though she wasn't expected to have much control over the first album, she put her foot down when given the original lyrics to the song “Born to Make You Happy.” She was too young, she said, to sing such explicit lyrics. The lyrics were rewritten and the song made it to the album along with the song “Baby One More Time” that propelled Britney's launch into the spotlight.
For the “Baby One More Time” video, Britney knew exactly what she wanted. She suggested a Catholic Schoolgirl theme. The school scenes were filmed in the same place the movie Grease was shot in 1978. For the video, Britney wore a schoolgirl uniform complete with braids, pink ribbons and a shockingly bare midriff. The video showcased the energy, enthusiasm and sex appeal that would continue to be associated with Britney's image throughout her career. There was no drama on this set, however. Britney's 'love interest' was played by her cousin, but that didn't stop the single from selling 500,000 copies. The world had had its first taste of Britney and she'd had her first taste of fame. Neither could get enough.
To promote her upcoming album, Britney performed in the “Hair Zone Mall Tour,” a tour sponsored by L'Oreal where Britney performed on stage in big city malls and food courts. It was her first tour and it was small, but it paved the way for future success. By the time her debut album was released, Britney was already a star.
Gimme More
On January 12, 1999 Britney's much anticipated debut album, Baby One More Time was released. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 100 and eventually sold 26 million copies. The title track hit the top of the charts and stuck fast. “Baby One More Time” was the number one hit for two weeks. She toured with NSYNC, graced the covers of a dozen magazines and began to see the first signs of what would be called Britney-mania. Gossip and rumors filled the tabloids and crowds appeared where ever she was, fans and paparazzi alike vying for a glimpse of their newest favorite star.
Britney enjoyed the attention, showing off platinum blond hair and her trademark bare midriff. In 1999 she was voted one of the Hottest Stars Under 21 by Teen People Magazine and One of People's 50 Most Beautiful People. She worked out, keeping her figure lean and fit, though at only 5'5” even a few extra pounds could be enough to give the rumor mills something to talk about.
Rumors and Controversy
When Britney appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in a black bra, boy short panties and an open button up shirt, the American Family Association launched an anti-Britney campaign, attempting to boycott her albums. She was criticized for her too sexy image which they claimed was a bad influence on the young girls who looked up to her. Britney defended her morals and her image. She said she didn't find anything wrong with the photo or the image she portrayed. While she might dress provocatively for a photo shoot or a video, she was a virgin and planned to stay that way.