Britney Spears is also known in the world of perfumes and fragrances. She has endorsed two Elizabeth Arden fragrances till date. The first Elizabeth Arden fragrance that she promoted was ‘Curious’ in 2004. The perfume was the best selling perfume of that year, with its sales crossing the 100 million dollars mark. Britney Spears went ahead and released the new ‘Fantasy’ fragrance with Elizabeth Arden in September 2005. ‘Fantasy’ met with great success at the sales outlet. Britney Spears has promoted too more fragrances, ‘In Control’ and ‘Midnight Fantasy’ in 2006. The last Elizabeth Arden fragrance she launched was ‘Believe’ in September 2007.

Britney Spears has endorsed some of her own products. She has published four books, the most famous of which is A Mother’s Gift. She has also released seven DVDs, one of which was the self produced 2005 reality series, Britney &Kevin: Chaotic. Britney Spears has also dabbled with the toy and game market, and launched a doll and a video game.

Britney Spears has had a total of seven tours. The tours have grossed over a hundred and fifty million dollars from tour ticket sales. The merchandise turnover from her tours has been recorded at forty five million dollars.

The books that she has written are ‘Heart to Heart’, ‘A Mother’s Gift’, and ‘Stages’. ‘Heart to Heart’ and ‘A Mother’s Gift’ were co-written by Lynne Spears, while ‘Stages’ was co-authored by Sheryl Berk. ‘A Mother’s Gift’ tells about a little girl from Biscay, Mississippi, who gets accepted on a scholarship in the prestigious Haverty School of Performing Arts. However, here she should brave the reality of being a girl from a different place, and also one of the poorest people studying in the school. The book also speaks of the relation of the girl with her mother. The book was later made into an ABC Family television movie, titled ‘A Brave New Girl’.

The seven DVDs that Britney Spears has released are:

Time Out With Britney Spears
Live and More!
Britney: The Videos
Live from Las Vegas
In the Zone
Greatest Hits: My Prerogative and
Britney & Kevin: Chaotic.

In 1999, Britney Spears made an appearance on the Sitcom Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. She performed the song ‘(You Drive Me) Crazy. She has also appeared on Saturday Night Live as a Guest and a musical guest during 2000, 2003 and 2003. Her television appearance in the ‘Will & Grace’ episode, ‘Buy, Buy, Baby’. was widely commented upon, due to the role that she played in the program, that of a closet lesbian.

Her first starring role was in the movie ‘Crossroads’. Britney Spears played the character of Lucy, who travels the world to be united with her long lost mother. The film was a typical teenage movie, where the main protagonists of the movie were college students, and the movie spoke about their life and times of three friends, Mimi, Lucy and Kit.

The movie failed to set the box office on fire, though it was recovered the money for the producers. Many termed the movie as being too predictable and just another teenage life diary. ‘Crossroads’ also has the famous starting scene in which Britney Spears dances to a song by Madonna playing on the radio. Her attire for the scene, a t-shirt and panties, was widely criticized as being too different from the ‘innocent girl’ image she portrayed for a major part of her singing career. Her performance in the movie also came in for a lot of negative criticism. Britney Spears has been awarded the Razzie Awards for the movie, in the category of Worst Original Song and Worst Actress. However, some critics were of the opinion that her acting abilities were better, and it was a treat watch her, as compared to Mariah Carey, who starred in ‘Glitter’ and Mandy Moore.

Apart from the movie, Britney Spears has made cameos in a couple of movies and television serials, like Austin Powers in Goldmember and Longshot. Some prerecorded footage of hers was seen in the 2004 documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11, where she urges the people to believe in the President and be loyal and supportive to him.

What followed was what could be termed as her most bizarre antic. She went into a salon and sheared off her own hair with a pair of shears. The incident took place in a salon at Tarzana, California. She admitted herself to a rehabilitation center in Malibu, California and left the institute briefly. However, she returned on 22 February. All this was going on while her custody battle for her sons was in the background. Her now ex-husband, Kevin Federline, who is known to be one of the few celebrities to have been dumped over a cell phone conversation, requested for an emergency hearing of their custody case. However, this emergency hearing was canceled by Federline and no other explanation was given.

She left the treatment facility on March 20, amidst reports that she had successfully completed the entire program. Her custody battle saw many members of her entourage being subpoenaed to be quested about her parenting skills. Britney Spears made quite a few unwanted appearances and interactions with the media, one of which had her attack the paparazzi with an umbrella.

The findings of the custody battle were finally released in September 2007 and Britney Spears was ordered to random drug and alcohol tests. She was also ordered to attend parenting counseling courses. The ex-couple continued to hold joint custody of the children.

Charges were also pressed against her in the hit-and-run case. She was also charged for driving without a license. If proved, Britney Spears faces over a year in jail. She lost physical custody of her children on the first of October.

On January 3rd, 2008, police were called into her house, after she reportedly refused to handover custody of her children to Kevin Federline. Thereafter, she was hospitalized in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and was reported to be under the influence of an unknown substance. However, further tests for any drugs came out negative.

What is the reason for Britney Spear’s sudden fall from glory? Was it a bad marriage? Was it too much hype and media attention at a very early age? These are the questions we will never get an answer for. However, it should be noted that Sam Lufti, a very prominent figure in Britney Spear’s life has given a restraining order. All her assets are controlled by Britney Spear’s father.

Britney Spears met Kevin Federline somewhere around May 2004. After three months of dating, Britney Spears announced her engagement to Kevin Federline, better known as K-Fed in celebrity circles, to the shock of fans and critics alike. Here was a woman who was at the peak of her career, with a couple of million dollars in endorsements and another couple in concerts and record sales. And she was ready to go into a relationship with Kevin Federline, an unknown backup dancer for the likes of Michael Jackson, someone who has had his album sale record broken by Britney Spears. Also, Kevin Federline was in a relationship with Shar Jackson, who was pregnant with their second child.

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline also starred in a reality show during this time, titled Britney and Kevin – Chaotic. This reality show aired on UPN from May to June 2005. As with her first wedding, even this time, Britney Spears sprung a surprise to the world, by marrying Kevin Federline in a non denominational ceremony in a residence in Studio City at California. They finally filed papers on October 6.

Britney Spears took a career break for the purposes of starting a family, as stated on her website. Their first child, Sean Preston Federline in Santa Monica, California on September 14, 2005. Britney Spears announced her second pregnancy in 2006, at an appearance at the Late Show with David Letterman.

During this time, Britney Spears had an incident with paparazzi, which was widely reported and came under scrutiny from various child welfare and safety organizations. She was photographed driving her car away from a herd of photographers with her child in her lap, unrestrained. Britney Spears clarified that she was terrified of the photographers, and the only thing in her mind at the moment was to take her and her child away from the photographers, to safety.

Their second son, Jayden James Federline was born on September 12 in Los Angeles, just two days after the first birthday of their first-born Sean Federline.

Britney Spears again made news in August, 2006 when she posed nude for Harper’s Bazaar. She finally filed for divorce from Kevin Federline in November, citing irreconcilable differences. She also asked for physical and legal custody of the children, with visiting rights for Kevin Federline.

This photo shoot was quite different than any other photos Britney Spears had earlier featured in, with the poses and attire being a bit raunchy. Spears rose heckles in many parent and female groups, who alleged that this was not quite right on Spears’ part. While many celebrities have had quite silent image makeovers, Britney Spears’ made quite a blast, maybe because of her immense popularity as a teenage girl who had suddenly become a global entertainer.

During this phase, Britney Spears also made some statements about her sex life, and specifically said that she would remain a virgin until she entered holy matrimony. This was again termed as being controversial and quite out of character for a girl who had once had a spot in The New Mickey Mouse Club.

Spears was at the peak of her popularity at this time, and was even voted the Most Popular Celebrity during this time. It is a given that any of her antics would be looked into with a microscope by almost everyone all around the world. Some resources also raked up her past and childhood, and were specifically interested in a semblance of a relationship that she had with fellow pop singer Justin Timberlake. Britney Spears has indeed had a rollercoaster ride of a love life, with the sudden news of her marriage to a long time friend quickly causing many newspapers all over the world to hold the front page.

Britney Spears must be the only reason that the little known The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas shot to international fame. It was here that she married Jason Allen Alexander. However, the marriage was short-lived, with it almost breaking the record for the shortest marriage ever. The marriage lasted for fifty five hours, after which it was annulled on the grounds that the 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.”

Baby One More Time
I’m a Slave 4 U
Breathe on Me
Do Something and
Toxic.

Britney Spears did not sing live at these concerts. These concerts are deemed important to her career, because her last tour was in 2004, and also because these concerts were the first symbols of her return to a musical career. Britney Spears worked with producers like Nate ‘Danja’ Hills, Sean Garret and J.R Rotem during this phase.

Her album, ‘Blackout’ was released in October 2007 It was scheduled to be released in November 2007 but was proponed due to a leak over the Internet. ‘Blackout’ debuted at number two on the US Billboard charts. It sold a little over 250,000 copies and was generally well received by critics. The album was rated at 3.5 out of 5 stars by Rolling Stone magazine. All Music Guide also rated the album at 3.5 out of a possible 5.

Blackout’s single, ‘Gimme More’ had its global level on August 30. The song was produced by Danja and was at number 3 at the Billboard’s Hot 100 on October 3. Therefore, ‘Gimme More’ was her most successful song, after her debut single, ‘One More Time’.

Britney Spears came under a lot of flak when she performed the ‘Gimme More’ for the MTV Video Music Awards in 2007. Her performance was highly criticized with some going so far as saying that it was the worst performance at a MTV awards, ever. Some critics also noted that Britney Spears stopped lip synching during the performance and sometimes stopped singing altogether.

However, the performance had no effect on the single, and it went on to be one of the more successful singles that Britney Spears has released.

In November 2004, her Greatest Hits album was released, titled ‘Greatest Hits: My Prerogative’. She also released her first remix album, ‘B In the Mix: Remixes’ in November 2005. The remix album spanned her entire career, beginning with ‘Baby One More Time’ to her latest hit, ‘Toxic’. The single ‘Some Day (I Will Understand) was also remixed for the album. The album also saw an ‘Asia only release’, the song ‘And Then We Kiss’. Though the song was never officially released in the USA, it topped at Number 15 on the Billboard Hotdance Airplay chart.

Britney also toured for the House of Blues under the name ‘the M+Ms’. This tour, which was basically a series of short, concert like promotional appearances for her at the various House of Blues and other club like venues was said to be her comeback vehicle. The name was rumored to be a short form for ‘Mother and Ms’, both roles that Britney Spears has played in her life. The tour is considered as a comeback tour for Britney Spears, and also her way to garner some positive publicity after the rough patch in her life. She toured the House of Blues in San Diego, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Mandaly Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Orlando and Miami. Each of the show lasted for fifteen minutes. Britney Spears did not sing at these shows, instead turning to lip syncing to her songs like ‘Baby One More Time’, ‘I’M a Slave 4 U’, ‘Breathe on Me’, ‘Do Something’ and ‘Toxic’.

During this phase, Britney Spears worked with Sean Garret, J R Rotem and Nate Hills. She worked with these producers between 2006 to 2007. She soon released her next album, ‘Blackout’. Though the album was scheduled for a November 2007 release, it was released on October 2007, due an Internet Leak of the album. The album debuted at Number 2 on the US billboard 200 charts, and the single, ‘Gimme More’ was at number three on Billboard’s Hot 100. ‘Gimme More’ was therefore her most successful single, after her debut single ‘Baby One More Time’.

The album sold 745, 744 copies in its first week, more than Michael Jackson’s ‘Invincible’. The album opened to mixed reviews, though it made Britney Spears the first female performer to their first three albums debut at Number One on the charts. Many critics and fans were surprised by the sudden, mature and adult voice that they heard, but the truth was that Britney Spears the woman had arrived with this album. Maybe this was the reason for the cold reception that the album got from fans, with only one single, ‘I M a Slave 4 U’ being the top ranker for the album with a 27 at the Billboard Hot 100 Music Charts. This song was the album’s biggest hit.

Britney Spears planned a tour in support of the album, the ‘Dream Within a Dream’ Tour. However, the tour was cut short in Mexico City, because of bad weather. Britney Spears then took a six month hiatus from her career.

Britney Spears courted controversy at this stage, when she made her third consecutive MTV Video Music Awards, with caged animals and dancing with an albino snake wrapped around her. PETA alleged that the animals were mistreated and therefore they cancelled a planned campaign with Britney Spears about the use of fur and animal products. At the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, she performed with Christina Aguilera for the song ‘Like a Virgin’ and then with Madonna. The two shared a highly publicized kiss onstage.

‘In The Zone’ was Britney Spear’s next album which featured Moby and R.Kelly. The album was produced by RedZone and Britney co-wrote eight of the eleven songs in the album. ‘In The Zone’ reached Number One in its debut week on the US Music Chart. This made Britney Spears the only woman to have four album debuts on the top of the Music Chart. It sold 609,000 copies and had to bear a mild reception from her fans and listeners. The album had the hit single ‘Toxic’, which was responsible for Britney’s first ever Grammy for ‘Best Dance Recording’.

While the single was released in late 1998, the album of the same name was released in 1999. The single as well as the album met with immense success. The Single has sold more than nine million copies worldwide, and had reached the Number One Slot on the Billboard Hot Hundred. United World Chart judged the song as the thirty eighth best song and the second most charter song ever. It was ranked twenty fifth by MTV’s ‘100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time’ and ‘Rolling Stone’.

The album was released in January 1999 and quickly rode into and above the popularity charts. Due to the immense success of her album and single, she was the first artist ever to top the US Billboard Charts along with the United World Chart.

Her rise to fame continued by making her quite busy during the any Music Awards ceremony that year. She was voted Female Artist of the year, along with four other awards at the Billboard Music Awards. She was also rated the Favorite new Pop/Rock Artist at the American Music Awards.

But Britney Spears did not rest on her laurels and soon enough, came out with her second album, ‘Oops, I Did It Again’. The album debuted at number one in the US. The album broke the records of the highest number of album sales in the first week by any solo artist, by selling 1,319, 193 copies in the first week. The RIAA awarded the album the Diamond rating after it sold ten million copies.

While the album broke records, the single broke some other records, like the most number of additions in radio stations in a single day. Very quickly, it broke into the Top Ten list of many countries, including the US. The year 2000 also saw Britney Spear’s first world tour, ‘The Oops I Did It Again World Tour’. She earned two more Billboard Awards as well as the Grammy Nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Both the albums that she released that year met with the same critical as well as commercial comments and acclaim, and it could now be really said, ‘A Star is Born’.

After her stint on the show ended, she returned to her home in Kentwood and attended high school for a year. By 1997, Britney Spears was back in the limelight, and she joined the all girl’s group, Innosense for a while. Her stint as a girl band member was short lived, and she hit the road solo in the same year. Her first records company in the solo avatar was Jive Records. Initially, she worked as an opening act for popular boy bands like ‘N Sync and Backstreet Boys.

By the end of the next year, Britney Spears had finally begun the journey to become one of the most prominent female celebrities in the world. She released her debut single, ‘Baby One More Time’, which became an instant success all over the world. The single had its fair share of controversy, with Spears sporting a midriff baring schoolgirl uniform in the music video. It ranked number one at the Billboard’s Hot 100. The single sold nine copies million worldwide. It also ranked MTV’s ‘100 Greatest Songs of All Time’, and was ranked 25th on Rolling Stone Magazine.

Britney Spears soon released the ‘Baby One More Time’ album in January 1999. The album peaked the Billboard 200. The song, Baby One More Time, was considered Diamond now. That year, she won four Billboard Music awards, one of them being ‘Female Artist of the Year’. The American Music Awards adjusted her the ‘Favorite Rock/Pop New Artist for the year’. She was also nominated for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammies that year, but lost out to Christina Aguilera and Sarah McLachlan that year. Her second album was ‘Oops… I Did It Again’, which enjoyed as much popularity, if not more, than her first album.

During this time, she was linked to fellow start Justin Timberlake. Spears and Timberlake broke their relationship in 2002. Controversy arose once more when Timberlake released his single, ‘Cry Me a River’, which featured a model that resembled Britney Spears. It hinted that Spears had been unfaithful. Timberlake has since denied that the model was meant to portray Britney Spears.