Britney Spears is
like many 17 year old girls. She loves shopping at the mall, romance novels, and long
strolls along the beach. But there's one thing that sets Britney apart from other 17 year
olds: she loves making music.
This bright beautiful teen from Kentwood,
Louisiana (pop:1200), has been performing since early childhood in local dance reviews and
church choirs. At age 8, she auditioned in Atlanta for the Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse
Club. Although she did not get the part, a producer on the show helped her get an agent in
New York, where she studied at the Off-Broadway Dance Center and the Professional
Performing Arts School. Soon, Britney began appearing in national commercials and
off-Broadway plays.
At age 11, Britney finally made it to the
Mickey Mouse Club. She stayed on the show for two years before returning to her hometown
of Kentwood. After a normal year of high school, Britney began to focus on her future.
"It was fun for a while but I started getting really itchy to get out again and see
the world."
Britney got on a plane at 15 and headed
back to the "Big Apple." An audition for an all-girl vocal group led to her
developing a solo career as a pop singer and her eventual rise to fame. Britney's first
single, "...Baby One More Time," made its debut at number 17 on Billboard's Hot
100 chart. She has been featured in Rolling Stone and Teen People and is currently opening
for the band 'N SYNC. With a new album out in 1999, Britney Spears is poised to take the
music industry by storm.
At 16, Britney Spears enjoys being a girl. She loves colors that
pop and shopping till you drop, romance novels and idyllic days at the beach. Untamed and
untarnished as they come, the bright beautiful teen from Kentwood, Louisiana (pop:1200),
is poised to liven up the pop world with the irresistible collection of songs on her Jive
Records self-titled debut release.
Produced by Eric Foster White (Whitney
Houston, Hi-Five) and Max Martin (Robyn, Backstreet Boys, Ace of Base), the album
showcases Britney's unbridled effervescence and musical curiosity. From the sweet melody
of "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart," to the driving funk of "One More
Time," to the funky reggae beats of "Soda Pop," to her soulful take on the
Jets hit "You've Cot It All," Britney's lively, assured vocal style is
intoxicating. "I want to an artist that everyone can relate to, that's young, happy
and fun," she says.
Despite a refreshingly adolescent attitude,
Britney's life has hardly been traditional. "I've done the prom thing, but it's only
once a year," she notes about her unconventional teenage lifestyle. "I need to
sing and I love to travel."
Performing since early childhood in local
dance reviews and church choirs, she auditioned for the Disney Channel's "Mickey
Mouse Club" series at age eight in Atlanta. Too young for her series, but too
talented to dismiss, a producer on the show helped Britney secure an agent in New York
City, where she spent the next three summers studying at the renowned Off-Broadway Dance
Center and at the Professional Performing Arts School. She also began appearing in
national commercials and Off-Broadway shows including the 1991 comedy,
"Ruthless," based on the 1956 thriller "The Bad Seed." "At 10 I
was playing this really bad child who seems real sweet but she's evil too. It was so much
fun," she recalls.
Finally old enough at age 11, Britney earned
a coveted place in "Mickey Mouse Club." After two years performing on the
popular children's TV show filmed in Orlando, Britney returned to Kentwood for one
completely normal year of high school at age 14. "It was fun for awhile but I started
getting itchy to get out again and see the world," she says.
A devoted fan of pop music- her favorites
include Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston- Britney once again went to New
York to pursue her dream. "I had always wanted to be a singer," she says.
"It's what I always wanted to do since I was little." Now a seasoned performer
at age 15, an audition for an all girl vocal group led to her developing a solo career as
a pop singer as well as continuing her high school studies with tutors. "I need a lot
of help in geometry and Spanish!" she admits.
Recording with Martin in Sweden this past
spring and in New Jersey with Foster White, Britney's ready to make her own special mark
on the world. "I love performing more than anything and having people hear my music.
I know I've had to give some stuff up to do this, but I don't miss high school. When I was
home two years ago, every weekend we'd go out and do the same thing. It's wonderful as
long as you love what you're doing, but I'd rather be doing this!"