Britney Spears Explosion

Welcome to my Britney Spears Explosion blog. This blog begins with her first album in 1999 and takes you through to her breakup with Justin Timberlake at the end of 2002. If you missed my first Britney blog, Britney Spears Beginnings, click here to read that entry. Thanks for being here.

Lou Pearlman, who is known for creating bands such as the Backstreet Boys, ’N Sync, O-Town, and many more, took an interest in young Britney. He was considering her for a spot in the all-girl group Innosense. Lou Pearlman and Justin Timberlake’s mom were the managers of Innosense. Wikipedia shows that Brit was an original member, though I don’t remember this. Anyway, she didn’t last long as she ended up signing with Jive Records and becoming a solo artist. Innocense was together from 1997-2003 with many personnel changes during that time. Britney was smart to leave.

A family friend saw the potential of Britney and helped her record a demo. Britney took her demo and traveled to New York where she met with four different record labels. Three of them rejected her because they weren’t looking for another Debbie Gibson or Madonna. Boy bands were all the rage at the time and Britney wasn’t it for them. Too bad they were wrong. I wonder how long they kicked themselves for turning down Britney Spears. Jive Records was smart and took a chance on Britney.

Baby One More Time

Soon this young girl was off to the studios (in Sweden) to record her debut album, “Baby One More Time”. She returned to the States and did shopping mall tours to promote her album. She then booked her first concert tour which was opening for ‘N Sync. Very cool. Her album hit in January 1999 and debuted at number one on the U.S. charts. It became the biggest selling album ever by a teenager. Sorry, Debbie Gibson. Brit was no longer an opening act and started her own headliner tour in June 1999. She was only 17 at the time. That must have been a crazy exciting year for her!

A Rolling Stones cover in April of 1999 showed our girl lying all sexy on her bed. I didn’t even think it was that sexy. She just looked like a normal teenager lying on her bed talking on the phone. The AFA (American Family Association) got all freaked out and asked “God loving Americans” to boycott stores that were selling Britney’s albums. Seriously? Get your panties out of a knot, people. It’s not like she was naked. She’s not feeding your children drugs. Chill out.

Oops!  I Did It Again

Her second album, “Oops! I Did It Again” released on May 16, 2000, also debuted at number one in the U.S. This girl is on fire! The second, or sophomore, album by an artist can make or break you. Britney just seemed to get better all the time. She also continued to grow out of her innocent little girl persona. On the MTV awards in September 2000, Britney ripped off her suit to reveal a flesh colored bodysuit (so basically naked) and then danced all sexy. I think this was the turning point from little girl to grown up sexy woman. She was 18 at this point.

Around the same time (2000), Britney and Justin Timberlake confirmed they were dating. I think they announced it mainly because the media and paparazzi wouldn’t leave them alone. I thought they were sweet together. They reminded me of Nick Lachey & Jessica Simpson and Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez. I wish all three of those couples could still be together. There’s something about the innocence and sweetness of them that gets me.

Brit kept making hit records and touring. She also wrote a book and opened a restaurant. What can’t this girl do? Goodness! Oh, yeah. She also acts. Her first starring role was in Crossroads which was released in February 2002. The film was a box office success. Of course. Britney can do it all.

Breakup

Britney and Justin broke up at the end of 2002 after three years together. Sad. There are rumors that Britney cheated on him. I remember the rumors of Jessica cheating on Nick. What the heck? Timberlake’s ”Cry Me a River” is supposed to be about Britney. She clapped back with her “Everytime” ballad. Hey! Why not just talk like normal people? That’s funny that their ammunition is writing songs. Hi, Taylor Swift!

This concludes my Britney Spears Explosion blog. I hope you’ve enjoyed this second installment of my three-part Britney series. Stay tuned for my final installment.