BRITNEY SPEARS

Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she is widely regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of the 21st century. Her impact on pop music—particularly her role in reviving teen pop—and energetic stage performances contributed to her widespread success. Spears began her professional career in 1992 as a cast member for the musical Ruthless! and the final two seasons of The All-New Mickey Mouse Club television series before signing with Jive Records in 1997. She rose to prominence with the US number-one single "...Baby One More Time", one of the best-selling singles in history. Her first two albums—...Baby One More Time (1999) and Oops!... I Did It Again (2000)—rank among the best-selling of all time. Her third album, Britney (2001), is one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century. After starring in the films Longshot (2001) and Crossroads (2002), she released the albums In the Zone (2003) and Blackout (2007). The former spawned the top-ten single "Toxic", which won the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording. Facing lifelong public scrutiny and struggles with mental illness, Spears was placed under a controversial conservatorship in 2008.