Events

1183 – Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures and flee to western Japan to escape pursuit by the Minamoto clan. (Traditional Japanese date: Twenty-fifth Day of the Seventh Month of the Second Year of Juei).

1385 – Portuguese Crisis of 1383–1385: Battle of Aljubarrota – Portuguese forces commanded by King João I and his general Nuno Álvares Pereira defeat the Castilian army of King Juan I.

1592 – Imjin War: Battle of Hansando Admiral Yi Sun-sin decisively defeats the Japanese Navy at Hasan Island.

1598 – Nine Years War: Battle of the Yellow Ford – Irish forces under Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, defeat an English expeditionary force under Henry Bagenal.

1816 – the United Kingdom formally annexed the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, ruling them from the Cape Colony in South Africa.

1842 – Indian Wars: Second Seminole War ends, with the Seminoles forced from Florida to Oklahoma.

1848 – Oregon Territory is organized by act of Congress.

1880 – Construction of Cologne Cathedral, the most famous landmark in Cologne, Germany, is completed.

1885 – Japan's first patent is issued to the inventor of a rust-proof paint.

1888 – An audio recording of English composer Arthur Sullivan's "The Lost Chord", one of the first recordings of music ever made, is played during a press conference introducing Thomas Edison's phonograph in London.

1893 – France becomes the first country to introduce motor vehicle registration.

1897 – Franco-Hova War: The town of Anosimena is captured by French troops from Menabe defenders in Madagascar.

1900 – The Eight-Nation Alliance occupies Beijing, in a campaign to end the bloody Boxer Rebellion in China.

1901 – The first claimed powered flight, by Gustave Whitehead in his Number 21.

1911 – United States Senate leaders agree to rotate the office of President pro tempore of the Senate among leading candidates to fill the vacancy left by William P. Frye's death.

1912 – United States Marines invade Nicaragua to support the U.S.-backed government installed there after José Santos Zelaya had resigned three years earlier.

1916 – Romania declares war on Austro-Hungary, joining the Entente in World War I

1921 – Tannu Tuva, later Tuvinian People's Republic is established as a completely independent country (which is supported by Soviet Russia).

1933 – Loggers cause a forest fire in the Coast Range of Oregon, later known as the first forest fire of the Tillamook Burn. It is extinguished on September 5, after destroying 240,000 acres (970 km²).

1935 – United States Social Security Act passes, creating a government pension system for the retired.

1936 – Rainey Bethea is hanged in Owensboro, Kentucky in the last public execution in the United States.

1937 – Chinese Air Force Day: The beginning of air-to-air combat of the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II in general, when 6 Imperial Japanese Mitsubishi G3M bombers are shot down by the Nationalist Chinese Air Force while raiding Chinese air bases.

1941 – World War II – Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt sign the Atlantic Charter of war stating postwar aims.

1945 – Japan accepts the Allied terms of surrender in World War II and the Emperor records the Imperial Rescript on Surrender (August 15 in Japan standard time).

1947 – Pakistan gains Independence from the British Empire and joins the Commonwealth of Nations.

1959 – Founding and first official meeting of the American Football League.

1967 – UK Marine Broadcasting Offences Act declares participation in offshore pirate radio illegal.

1969 – Operation Banner: British troops are deployed in Northern Ireland.

1972 – An East German Ilyushin Il-62 crashes during takeoff from East Berlin, killing 156.

1973 – The Pakistani Constitution of 1973 comes into effect.

1974 – The second Turkish invasion of Cyprus begins; 140,000 to 200,000 Greek Cypriots become refugees. Elsewhere, 126 Turkish Cypriots are massacred.

1980 – Lech Wałęsa leads strikes at the Gdańsk, Poland shipyards.

1987 – All the children held at Kia Lama, a rural property on Lake Eildon, Australia, run by the Santiniketan Park Association, are released after a police raid.

1994 – Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, also known as "''Carlos the Jackal''," is captured.

1996 – Greek Cypriot refugee Solomos Solomou is murdered by Turkish forces while trying to climb a flagpole in order to remove a Turkish flag from its mast in the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus.

2003 – Widescale power blackout in the northeast United States and Canada.

2006 – Chencholai bombing in which 61 Tamil girls are killed in Sri Lankan Airforce bombing.

2007 – The 2007 Kahtaniya bombings kills at least 796 people.

2010 – The first-ever Youth Olympic Games are held in Singapore.

Births

1297 – Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Japan (d. 1348)

1473 – Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury, daughter of George, Duke of Clarence (d. 1541)

1479 – Princess Catherine of York (d. 1527)

1575 – Robert Hayman, English-born poet (d. 1629)

1586 – William Hutchinson, Rhode Island colonist (d. 1642)

1599 – Méric Casaubon, English classical scholar (d. 1671)

1625 – François de Harlay de Champvallon, Archbishop of Paris (d. 1695)

1642 – Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (d. 1723)

1653 – Christopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle, English statesman (d. 1688)

1688 – Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia (d. 1740)

1714 – Claude Joseph Vernet, French painter (d. 1789)

1727 – Princess Marie Louise Élisabeth of France, daughter of king Louis XV (d. 1759)

1727 – Princess Anne Henriette of France, daughter of king Louis XV (d. 1752)

1740 – Pope Pius VII (d. 1823)

1758 – Antoine Charles Horace Vernet, French painter (d. 1835)

1777 – Francis I of the Two Sicilies (d. 1830)

1777 – Hans Christian Ørsted, Danish physicist (d. 1851)

1817 – Alexander H. Bailey, American politician (d. 1874)

1840 – Richard von Krafft-Ebing, German psychologist (d. 1902)

1847 – Robert Comtesse, member of the Swiss Federal Council (d. 1922)

1851 – Yannoulis Chalepas, Greek sculptor (d. 1938)

1851 – Doc Holliday, American gambler and dentist (d. 1887)

1857 – Max Wagenknecht, German composer (d. 1922)

1863 – Ernest Thayer, American poet (d. 1940)

1865 – Guido Castelnuovo, Italian mathematician (d. 1952)

1866 – Charles Jean de la Vallée-Poussin, Belgian mathematician (d. 1962)

1867 – John Galsworthy, Nobel Prize Laureate (d. 1933)

1867 – Cupid Childs, American baseball player (d. 1912)

1871 – Guangxu Emperor, Qing Emperor of China (d. 1908)

1876 – Aleksandar Obrenović, King of Serbia (d. 1903)

1881 – Francis Ford, American actor (d. 1953)

1882 – Gisela Richter, British-born art historian (d. 1972)

1892 – Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, English composer and pianist (d. 1988)

1893 – Francis Dvornik, Czech historian (d. 1975)

1895 – Jack Gregory, Australian cricketer (d. 1973)

1901 – Alice Rivaz, Swiss writer (d. 1998)

1908 – Manos Katrakis, Greek actor (d. 1984)

1910 – Pierre Schaeffer, French composer (d. 1995)

1910 – Willy Ronis, French photographer (d. 2009)

1913 – Paul Dean, American baseball player (d. 1981)

1915 – B.A. Santamaria, Australian political activist and journalist (d. 1998)

1916 – Fumio Fujimura, Japanese baseball player (d. 1992)

1916 – Wellington Mara, Co-Owner of the New York Giants (d. 2005)

1923 – Diodoros, Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem (d. 2000)

1924 – Georges Prêtre, French conductor

1924 – Holger Juul Hansen, Danish actor

1924 – Sverre Fehn, Norwegian architect (d. 2009)

1924 – Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, 16th Karmapa Lama, Tibetan religious figure (d. 1981)

1925 – Russell Baker, American columnist

1926 – Alice Ghostley, American actress (d. 2007)

1926 – Buddy Greco, American singer and pianist

1926 – René Goscinny, French comic-strip author (d. 1977)

1926 – Lina Wertmüller, Italian film director

1929 – Dick Tiger, Nigerian boxer (d. 1971)

1930 – Earl Weaver, American baseball manager

1932 – Lee Hoffman, American author (d. 2007)

1933 – Richard R. Ernst, Swiss chemist and Nobel Prize Laureate

1935 – John Brodie, American football player

1936 – Trevor Bannister, British actor (d. 2011)

1940 – Dash Crofts, American musician

1940 – Galen Hall, American football coach

1941 – Lynne Cheney, American political figure

1941 – David Crosby, American musician

1941 – Connie Smith, American singer

1942 – Jackie Oliver, British Formula One driver

1942 – Lionel Morton, musician and television presenter

1945 – Steve Martin, American actor and comedian

1945 – Wim Wenders, German-born film director

1946 – Antonio Fargas, American actor

1946 – Susan Saint James, American actress

1946 – Larry Graham, American musician

1947 – Peter Christian, British actor

1947 – Bruce Nash, American television producer

1947 – Maddy Prior, British folk singer

1947 – Danielle Steel, American novelist

1947 – Jiro Taniguchi, Japanese manga artist

1948 – Terry Adams, American musician (NRBQ)

1949 – Bob Backlund, American wrestler

1949 – Morten Olsen, Danish footballer

1950 – Gary Larson, American cartoonist (The Far Side)

1951 – Peter Blegvad, American musician (Slapp Happy)

1951 – Slim Dunlap, American guitarist and singer-songwriter

1952 – Carl Lumbly, American actor

1952 – Debbie Meyer, American swimmer

1953 – James Horner, American composer

1953 – Cliff Johnson, American computer game author

1954 – Mark Fidrych, American baseball player (d. 2009)

1954 – Stanley McChrystal, American general

1956 – Jackée Harry, American actress

1956 – Andy King, English footballer

1956 – Johnny Lever, Indian actor

1956 – Rusty Wallace, American race car driver

1957 – Peter Costello, Australian politician

1957 – Gino Hernandez, American professional wrestler (d. 1986)

1958 – Bobby Eaton, American professional wrestler

1959 – Marcia Gay Harden, American actress

1959 – Magic Johnson, American basketball player

1959 – Frank Brickowski, American basketball player

1960 – Fred Roberts, Basketball player

1960 – Sarah Brightman, British soprano

1960 – Sharon Bryant, American R&B; singer

1960 – Cecilia Gasdia, Italian soprano

1961 – Susan Olsen, American actress

1961 – "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert, American wrestler (d. 1995)

1962 – Mark Gubicza, American baseball player

1962 – Rameez Raja, Pakistani cricketer

1964 – Neal Anderson, American football player

1965 – Emmanuelle Béart, French actress

1965 – Mark Collins, English guitarist

1965 – Brannon Braga, writer and executive producer of ''24,'' ''Star Trek,'' and ''FlashForward''

1966 – Halle Berry, American actress

1966 – Karl Petter Løken, Norwegian footballer

1967 – Erik Gandini, Italian-Swedish director

1968 – Catherine Bell, American actress

1968 – Darren Clarke, Northern Irish golfer

1968 – Adrian Lester, British actor

1968 – Billy Mavreas, Greek-Canadian cartoonist

1968 – Pravin Amre, Indian cricketer

1969 – Tracy Caldwell, American astronaut

1969 – DJ Uncle Al, American hip-hop DJ (d. 2001)

1969 – Stig Tøfting, Danish footballer

1970 – Kevin Cadogan, guitarist and songwriter

1971 – Raoul Bova, Italian actor

1971 – Mark Loretta, American baseball player

1971 – Pramodya Wickramasinghe, Sri Lankan cricketer

1972 – Jay Manuel, Canadian make-up artist

1972 – Yu Jae-seok, South Korean entertainer

1973 – Jared Borgetti, Mexican footballer

1973 – Daisuke Ishiwatari, Japanese game developer and composer

1973 – Jay-Jay Okocha, Nigerian footballer

1973 – Kieren Perkins, Australian swimmer

1974 – Chucky Atkins, American basketball player

1974 – Martin Bulloch, Scottish musician (Mogwai)

1974 – Christopher Gorham, American actor

1974 – Ana Matronic, American singer (Scissor Sisters)

1975 – Mike Vrabel, American football player

1976 – Alex Albrecht, American actor

1976 – Maya Nasri, Lebanese actress and singer

1976 – Steve Braun, Canadian actor

1977 – Elisavet Mystakidou, Greek taekwondo practitioner and Olympic medalist

1977 – Ed Harcourt, UK singer, songwriter

1977 – Juan Pierre, American baseball player

1978 – Anastasios Kyriakos, Greek footballer

1978 – Kate Ritchie, Australian actress

1978 – Greg Rawlinson, New Zealand All Black rugby player

1979 – Paul Burgess, Australian athlete

1979 – Yoichiro Morikawa, Japanese film director

1980 – Estrella Morente, Spanish flamenco singer

1980 – Roy Williams, American football player

1981 – Earl Barron, American basketball player

1981 – Matthew Etherington, English footballer

1981 – Julius Jones, American football player

1981 – Kofi Kingston, Ghanaian professional wrestler

1983 – Elena Baltacha, Ukrainian/British tennis player

1983 – Mila Kunis, Ukrainian/American actress

1983 – Leo Núñez, Dominican baseball player

1983 – Spencer Pratt,American socialite

1984 – Clay Buchholz, American baseball player

1984 – Josh Gorges, Canadian ice hockey player

1984 – Nick Grimshaw, British radio DJ and television presenter

1984 – Robin Söderling, Swedish tennis player

1984 – Giorgio Chiellini, Italian footballer

1985 – Christian Gentner, German footballer

1985 – Shea Weber, Canadian hockey player

1986 – Terin Humphrey, American gymnast

1987 – James Buckley, English actor

1987 – Tim Tebow, American football player and winner of 2007 Heisman trophy

1987 – Chrystina Sayers, American singer and dancer (Girlicious)

1988 – Shahd Barmada, Syrian singer

1989 – Kyle Turris, Canadian ice hockey player

1990 – Jaydee Bixby, Canadian singer

Deaths

582 – Tiberius II Constantine

1040 – Duncan I of Scotland

1167 – Rainald of Dassel, Archbishop of Cologne

1204 – Minamoto no Yoriie, Japanese shogun (b. 1182)

1390 – John FitzAlan, 2nd Baron Arundel, English soldier (b. 1364)

1430 – Philip I, Duke of Brabant (b. 1404)

1433 – King John I of Portugal (b. 1357)

1464 – Pope Pius II (b. 1405)

1573 – Saitō Tatsuoki, Japanese warlord (b. 1548)

1691 – Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnel, Irish rebel (b. 1630)

1704 – Roland Laporte, French Protestant leader (b. 1675)

1727 – William Croft, English composer (b. 1678)

1774 – Johann Jakob Reiske, German physician (b. 1716)

1784 – Nathaniel Hone, Irish-born painter (b. 1718)

1856 – Constant Prévost, French geologist (b. 1787)

1860 – André Marie Constant Duméril, French zoologist (b. 1774)

1870 – David Farragut, American officer of the United States Navy (b. 1801)

1874 – Jonathan Clarkson Gibbs, American politician (b. 1821)

1905 – Simeon Solomon, British artist (b. 1840)

1909 – William Stanley, American inventor and engineer (b. 1829)

1928 – Alfred Henschke, German writer, poet (b. 1890)

1926 – John H. Moffitt, American politician (b. 1843)

1938 – Hugh Trumble, Australian cricketer (b. 1876)

1941 – Paul Sabatier, French chemist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1854)

1941 – Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Polish martyr (b. 1894)

1943 – Joe Kelley, American baseball player (b. 1871)

1943 – Lore Berger, Swiss writer (b. 1921)

1951 – William Randolph Hearst, American newspaper magnate (b. 1863)

1954 – Nikos Ploumpidis, Greek resistance figure (b. 1901)

1955 – Herbert Putnam, American librarian (b. 1861)

1956 – Bertolt Brecht, German writer (b. 1898)

1958 – Frédéric Joliot, French physicist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1900)

1958 – Konstantin von Neurath, German diplomat (b. 1873)

1964 – Johnny Burnette, American Rockabilly singer (b. 1934)

1965 – Vello Kaaristo, Estonian cross-country skier (b. 1911)

1966 – Tip Snooke, South African cricketer (b. 1881)

1967 – Bob Anderson, British racing driver (b. 1931)

1972 – Oscar Levant, American actor (b. 1906)

1972 – Jules Romains, French author (b. 1885)

1978 – Nicolas Bentley, British writer (b. 1907)

1980 – Dorothy Stratten, Canadian actress and model (b. 1960)

1981 – Karl Böhm, Austrian conductor (b. 1894)

1981 – Dudley Nourse, South African cricketer (b. 1910)

1982 – Patrick Magee, Irish actor (b. 1922)

1984 – Spud Davis, American baseball player (b. 1904)

1984 – J. B. Priestley, British playwright (b. 1894)

1985 – Gale Sondergaard, American actress (b. 1899)

1988 – Roy Buchanan, American guitarist (b. 1939)

1988 – Robert Calvert, South African singer (Hawkwind) (b. 1945)

1988 – Enzo Ferrari, Italian car maker (b. 1898)

1989 – Ricky Berry, American basketball player (b. 1964)

1991 – Alberto Crespo, Argentine racing driver (b. 1920)

1992 – John Sirica, American judge (b. 1904)

1992 – Tony Williams, American singer (The Platters) (b. 1928)

1994 – Elias Canetti, British-born Austrian novelist (b. 1905)

1996 – Tom Mees, American sportscaster (b. 1949)

1996 – Solomos Solomou, Greek Cypriot refugee (murdered) (b. 1970)

1999 – Pee Wee Reese, American baseball player (b. 1918)

2000 – Alain Fournier, French-born computer graphics researcher (b. 1943)

2000 – Cuan McCarthy, South African cricketer (b. 1929)

2001 – Earl Anthony, professional bowler (b. 1938)

2002 – Dave Williams, American singer (Drowning Pool) (b. 1972)

2003 – Helmut Rahn, German footballer (b. 1929)

2004 – Czesław Miłosz, Polish-born writer, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1911)

2004 – Trevor Skeet, New Zealand-born British politician (b. 1918)

2005 – Coo Coo Marlin, American race car driver (b. 1932)

2006 – Bruno Kirby, American actor (b. 1949)

2007 – Tikhon Khrennikov, Russian composer (b. 1913)

2007 – Pinchas Goldstein, Israeli politician (b. 1939)

2007 – Kotozakura Masakatsu, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 53^rd Yokozuna (b. 1940)

2010 – Rallis Kopsidis, Greek writer (b. 1929)

2010 – Herman Leonard, American photographer (b. 1923)

2010 – Tahar Wattar, Algerian novelist (b. 1936)

2011 – Shammi Kapoor, Indian actor and director (b. 1931)

Holidays and observances

Christian Feast Day:

*Maximilian Kolbe

*August 14 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

Independence Day, celebrates the day on which Pakistan was made an independent country based on border lines created by the British during the end of their rule of India in 1947. (Pakistan)

Pramuka Day (Indonesia)

External links

BBC: On This Day

On This Day in Canada

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Category:Days of the year Category:August

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Coordinates	36.34°′″N43.13°′″N
years active	1992–present
background	solo_singer
birth name	Britney Jean Spears
birth date	December 02, 1981
birth place
genre	Pop, dance
occupation	Singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, record producer, author, fashion designer, video director
instrument	Vocals, piano
label	Jive
associated acts	InnosenseThe New Mickey Mouse Club
website	}}

Britney Jean Spears (born 1981) is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album ''...Baby One More Time'' in 1999. During her first decade within the music industry, she became a prominent figure in mainstream popular music and popular culture, followed by a much-publicized personal life. Her first two albums established her as a pop icon and broke sales records, while title tracks "...Baby One More Time" and "Oops!... I Did It Again" became international number-one hits. Spears was credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s.

In 2001, she released her third studio album ''Britney'' and expanded her brand, playing the starring role in the film ''Crossroads''. She assumed creative control of her fourth studio album, ''In the Zone'' (2003), which yielded chart-topping singles "Me Against the Music", "Toxic" and "Everytime". After the release of two compilation albums, Spears experienced personal struggles and her career went under hiatus. Her fifth studio album, ''Blackout'', was released in 2007 and despite receiving little promotion, it spawned hits "Gimme More" and "Piece of Me". In 2008, her erratic behavior and hospitalizations caused her to be placed in a conservatorship. The same year, her sixth studio album ''Circus'' was released, with the global chart-topping lead single "Womanizer". She embarked on her highest-grossing global concert tour, The Circus Starring Britney Spears, in 2009. Her seventh studio album ''Femme Fatale'', released in 2011, has become the first of her albums to yield three top ten singles in the United States.

Spears has sold over 100 million records worldwide. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the eighth top-selling female artist in the United States, with 33 million certified albums. Spears is also recognized as the best-selling female artist of the first decade of the 21st century, as well as the fifth overall. She was ranked the 8th Artist of the 2000s by ''Billboard''. In June 2010, Spears was ranked sixth on ''Forbes'' list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world; she is also the third most mentioned musician on the internet, according to ''Forbes''.

Biography

1981–97: Early life and career beginnings

Britney Jean Spears was born on December 2, 1981, the second child of Lynne Irene (née Bridges) and James Parnell Spears. She is of English heritage through her maternal grandmother, who was born in London, and of distant Maltese descent. Her siblings are Bryan James and Jamie Lynn. At age three, she started to attend dance lessons in her hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana, and was selected to perform a solo at the annual recital. During her childhood, she also attended gymnastics and voice lessons, and won many state-level competitions and children's talent shows. Spears made her local stage debut at age five, singing "What Child Is This?" at her kindergarten graduation. She said about her ambition as a child, "I was in my own world, [...] I found out what I'm supposed to do at an early age". At age eight, Spears and her mother Lynne traveled to Atlanta for an audition in the 1990s revival of ''The Mickey Mouse Club''. Casting director Matt Cassella rejected her for being too young to join the series at the time, but introduced her to Nancy Carson, a New York City talent agent. Carson was impressed with Spears's vocals and suggested enrolling her at the Professional Performing Arts School; shortly after, Lynne and her daughters moved to a sublet apartment in New York. Spears was hired for her first professional role as the understudy for the lead role of Tina Denmark in the Off-Broadway musical ''Ruthless!''. She also appeared as a contestant on the popular television show ''Star Search'', as well as being cast in a number of commercials. In December 1992, she was finally cast in ''The Mickey Mouse Club'', but returned to Kentwood after the show was canceled. She enrolled at Parklane Academy in nearby McComb, Mississippi. Although she made friends with most of her classmates, she compared the school to "the opening scene in ''Clueless'' with all the cliques. [...] I was so bored. I was the point guard on the basketball team. I had my boyfriend, and I went to homecoming and Christmas formal. But I wanted more."

In June 1997, Spears was in talks with manager Lou Pearlman to join female pop group Innosense. Lynne asked family friend and entertainment lawyer Larry Rudolph for his opinion and submitted a tape of Spears singing over a Whitney Houston karaoke song along with some pictures. Rudolph decided he wanted to pitch her to record labels, therefore she needed a professional demo. He sent Spears an unused song from Toni Braxton; she rehearsed for a week and recorded her vocals in a studio with a sound engineer. Spears traveled to New York with the demo and met with executives from four labels, returning to Kentwood the same day. Three of the labels rejected her, arguing audiences wanted pop bands such as the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls, and "there wasn't going to be another Madonna, another Debbie Gibson, or another Tiffany." Two weeks later, executives from Jive Records returned calls to Rudolph. Senior vice president of A&R; Jeff Fenster stated about Spears's audition that "It's very rare to hear someone that age who can deliver emotional content and commercial appeal. [...] For any artist, the motivation—the 'eye of the tiger'— is extremely important. And Britney had that." They appointed her to work with producer Eric Foster White for a month, who reportedly shaped her voice from "lower and less poppy" delivery to "distinctively, unmistakably Britney." After hearing the recorded material, president Clive Calder ordered a full album. Spears had originally envisioned "Sheryl Crow music, but younger more adult contemporary" but felt all right with her label's appointment of producers, since "It made more sense to go pop, because I can dance to it—it's more me." She flew to Cheiron Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, where half of the album was recorded from March to April 1998, with producers Max Martin, Denniz Pop and Rami Yacoub, among others.

1998–00: ''...Baby One More Time'' and ''Oops!... I Did It Again''

After Spears returned to the United States, she embarked on a shopping mall promotional tour to promote her forthcoming album. Her show was a four song set and she was accompanied by two back up dancers. Her first concert tour followed, as an opening act for 'N Sync. Her debut album, ''...Baby One More Time'', was released on January 1999. It debuted at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 and was certified two-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America after a month. Worldwide, the album topped the charts in fifteen countries and sold over ten million copies in a year. It became the biggest selling album ever by a teenage artist. The title track was released as the lead single from the album. Originally, Jive Records wanted its music video to be animated; however, Spears rejected it, and suggested the final idea of a Catholic schoolgirl. The single sold 500,000 copies on its first day, and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, topping the chart for two consecutive weeks. "...Baby One More Time" later received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The title track also topped the singles chart for two weeks in the United Kingdom, and became the fastest-selling single ever by a female artist, shipping over 460,000 copies. It would later become the 25th most successful song of all time in British chart history. Spears is also the youngest female artist to have a million seller in the country. "(You Drive Me) Crazy" was released as the third single from the album. It became a top-ten hit worldwide and propelled ''...Baby One More Time'' to sell 26 million copies.

The April 1999 cover of ''Rolling Stone'' featured Spears lying on her bed, clad with a bra, shorts and an open top. The American Family Association (AFA) referred to the shoot as "a disturbing mix of childhood innocence and adult sexuality" and called to "God-loving Americans to boycott stores selling Britney's albums." Spears responded to the outcry commenting, "What's the big deal? I have strong morals. [...] I'd do it again. I thought the pictures were fine. And I was tired of being compared to Debbie Gibson and all of this bubblegum pop all the time." Shortly before, Spears had announced publicly she would remain a virgin until marriage. On June 28, 1999, Spears began her first headlining ...Baby One More Time Tour in North America, which was positively received by critics, but generated some controversy due to her racy outfits. An extension of the tour, titled Crazy 2k, followed in March 2000. Spears premiered songs from her upcoming second album during the show. ''Oops!... I Did It Again'', her second studio album, was released in May 2000. It debuted at number one in the US, selling 1,3 million copies, breaking the SoundScan record for the highest debut sales by any solo artist. The album sold over 20 million copies worldwide. Rob Sheffield of ''Rolling Stone'' said that "the great thing about ''Oops!'' – under the cheese surface, Britney's demand for satisfaction is complex, fierce and downright scary, making her a true child of rock & roll tradition." The album's lead single, "Oops!... I Did It Again", peaked at the top of the charts in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and many other European nations. The album as well as the title track received Grammy nominations for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, respectively.

The same year, Spears embarked on the Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour, which grossed $40.5 million; she also released her first book, ''Britney Spears' Heart-to-Heart'', co-written with her mother. On September 7, 2000, Spears performed at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. Halfway through the performance, she ripped off her black suit to reveal a sequined flesh-colored bodysuit, followed by heavy dance routine. It is noted by critics as the moment that Spears showed signs of becoming a more provocative performer. Amidst media speculation, Spears confirmed she was dating 'N Sync member Justin Timberlake.

2001–03: ''Britney'', ''Crossroads'' and ''In the Zone''

In February 2001, Spears signed a $7–8 million promotional deal with Pepsi, and released another book co-written with her mother, entitled ''A Mother’s Gift''. Her third studio album, ''Britney'', was released in November 2001. While on tour, she felt inspired by hip hop artists such as Jay-Z and The Neptunes and wanted to create a record with a funkier sound. The album debuted at number one in the ''Billboard'' 200 and reached top five positions in Australia, the United Kingdom and mainland Europe and sold over 12 million copies worldwide. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic called ''Britney'' "the record where she strives to deepen her persona, making it more adult while still recognizably Britney. [...] It does sound like the work of a star who has now found and refined her voice, resulting in her best record yet." The album was honored with two Grammy nominations—Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Overprotected"— and was listed in 2008 as one of ''Entertainment Weekly'''s "100 Best Albums from the Past 25 Years". The album's first single, "I'm a Slave 4 U", became a top-ten hit worldwide.

Spears's performance of the single at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards featured a caged tiger and a large albino python draped over her shoulders. It was harshly received by animal rights organization PETA, who claimed the animals were mistreated and scrapped plans for an anti-fur billboard that was to feature Spears. To support the album, Spears embarked on the Dream Within a Dream Tour. The show was critically praised for its technical innovations, the ''pièce de résistance'' being a water screen that pumped two tons of water into the stage. The tour grossed $43.7 million, becoming the second highest grossing tour of 2002 by a female artist, behind Cher's Farewell Tour. Her career success was highlighted by ''Forbes'' in 2002, as Spears was ranked the world's most powerful celebrity. Spears also landed her first starring role in ''Crossroads'', released in February 2002. Although the film was largely panned, most critics actually praised Spears's acting. ''Crossroads'', which had a $11 million budget, went on to gross over $57 million worldwide. In June 2002, Spears opened her first restaurant, Nyla, in New York City, but terminated her relationship in November, citing mismanagement and "management's failure to keep her fully apprised". In July 2002, Spears announced she would take a six month break from her career; however, she went back into the studio in October to record her new album. Spears's relationship with Justin Timberlake ended after three years. In December 2002, Timberlake released the song "Cry Me a River" as the second single from his solo debut album. The music video featured a Spears look-alike and fueled the rumors that she had been unfaithful to him. As a response, Spears wrote the ballad "Everytime" with her backing vocalist and friend Annet Artani. The same year, Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst confirmed that he was in a relationship with Spears, only to deny it later. In a 2009 interview, he explained that "I just guess at the time it was taboo for a guy like me to be associated with a gal like her." Spears opened the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards with Christina Aguilera, performing "Like a Virgin". Halfway through they were joined by Madonna, with whom they both kissed. The incident was highly publicized.

Spears released her fourth studio album, ''In the Zone'', in November 2003. She assumed more creative control by writing and co-producing most of the material. ''Vibe'' called it "A supremely confident dance record that also illustrates Spears's development as a songwriter." NPR listed the album as one of "The 50 Most Important Recording of the Decade", adding that "the decade's history of impeccably crafted pop is written on her body of work." ''In the Zone'' sold over 609,000 copies in the United States and debuted at the top of the charts, making Spears the first female artist in the SoundScan era to have her first four studio albums to debut at number one. It also debuted at the top of the charts in France and the top ten in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. ''In the Zone'' sold over 10 million copies worldwide. The album produced the hit singles: "Me Against the Music", a collaboration with Madonna; "Toxic"—which won a Grammy for Best Dance Recording; "Everytime" and "Outrageous".

2004–07: Compilation albums, motherhood, personal struggles and ''Blackout''

On January 3, 2004, Spears married childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander at The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The marriage was annulled 55 hours later, stating that Spears "lacked understanding of her actions". She began The Onyx Hotel Tour in support of ''In the Zone'' in March 2004. On June 8, 2004, Spears fell and injured her left knee during the music video shoot for "Outrageous". She was taken immediately to a local hospital, where doctors performed an MRI scan and found floating cartilage. The following day, Spears underwent arthroscopic surgery. She was forced to remain six weeks with a thigh brace, followed by eight to twelve weeks of rehabilitation, which caused The Onyx Hotel Tour to be canceled. During 2004, Spears became involved in the Kabbalah Centre through her friendship with Madonna.

In July 2004, she announced her engagement to American dancer Kevin Federline, whom she had met three months before. The romance received intense attention from the media, since Federline had recently broken up with actress Shar Jackson, who was still pregnant with their second child at the time. The initial stages of their relationship were chronicled in Spears's first reality show ''Britney & Kevin: Chaotic''. They held a wedding ceremony on September 18, 2004, but were not legally married until three weeks later on October 6 due to a delay finalizing the couple's prenuptial agreement. Shortly after, she released her first fragrance with Elizabeth Arden, ''Curious'', which broke the company's first-week gross for a perfume. In October 2004, Spears announced she would be taking another career break to start a family. ''Greatest Hits: My Prerogative'', her first greatest hits compilation album, was released in November 2004. Spears's cover version of Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative" was released as the lead single from the album, reaching the top of the charts in Finland, Ireland, Italy and Norway. The second single, "Do Somethin'", was a top ten hit in Australia, the United Kingdom and other countries of mainland Europe. Worldwide, ''Greatest Hits: My Prerogative'' sold over 5 million copies. In late 2004, Spears went on KIIS-FM radio in Los Angeles, CA to play a new demo titled "Mona Lisa." The demo was to be the first single from an upcoming album called the "Original Doll." However, Spears' label later cancelled the album for unknown reasons. Spears gave birth to her first child, Sean Preston Federline, on September 14, 2005.

In November 2005, she released her first remix compilation, ''B in the Mix: The Remixes'', which consists of eleven remixes. In February 2006, pictures surfaced of Spears driving with her son Sean, on her lap instead of in a car seat. Child advocates were horrified by the photos of her holding the wheel with one hand and Sean with the other. Spears claimed that the situation happened because of a frightening encounter with paparazzi, and that it was a mistake on her part. The following month, she guest-starred on the ''Will & Grace'' episode "Buy, Buy Baby" as closeted lesbian Amber Louise. She publicly announced she no longer studied Kabbalah in June 2006, explaining, "my baby is my religion." Two months later, Spears posed nude for the cover of ''Harper's Bazaar''. The picture was heavily compared to Demi Moore's August 1991 ''Vanity Fair'' cover. She gave birth to her second child, Jayden James Federline, on September 12, 2006. On November 7, 2006, Spears filed for divorce from Federline, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce was finalized in July 2007, when the couple reached a global settlement and agreed to share joint custody of their children. Spears's aunt Sandra Bridges Covington, with whom she had been very close, died of ovarian cancer in January. On February 16, 2007, Spears stayed in a drug rehabilitation facility in Antigua for less than a day. The following night, she shaved her head with electric clippers at a hair salon in Tarzana, Los Angeles. She admitted herself to other treatment facilities during the following weeks. After completing a month-long program at Promises, she wrote on her website, "I truly hit rock bottom. Till this day I don't think that it was alcohol or depression. [...] was like a bad kid running around with ADD." In May 2007, she produced a series of promotional concerts at House of Blues venues, titled The M+M's Tour. Spears lost physical custody of her children to Federline on October 1, 2007. The reasons of the court ruling were not revealed to the public.

Her fifth studio album, ''Blackout'', was released in October 2007. It debuted at the top of charts in Canada and Ireland, number two in the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200,—held off from the top spot by Eagles's ''Long Road out of Eden''— France, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom and the top ten in Australia, Korea, New Zealand and many European nations. In the United States, Spears became the only female artist to have her first five studio albums debut at the two top slots of the chart. ''Blackout'' sold over 3.1 million copies worldwide. Peter Robinson of ''The Observer'' said that "Britney has delivered the best album of her career, raising the bar for modern pop music with an incendiary mix of Timbaland's ''Shock Value'' and her own back catalogue." Dennis Lim of ''Blender'' commented, "Spears’s fifth studio album is her most consistent, a seamlessly entertaining collection of bright, brash electropop." ''Blackout'' won Album of the Year at MTV Europe Music Awards 2008 and was listed as the fifth Best Pop Album of the Decade by ''The Times''. Spears performed the lead single "Gimme More" at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. The performance was panned by many critics. David Willis of BBC stated her performance would "go down in the history books as being one of the worst to grace the MTV Awards". Despite the backlash, the single rocketed to worldwide success, peaking at number one in Canada and the top ten in almost every country it charted. The second single "Piece of Me" reached the top of the charts in Ireland and reached the top five in Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The third single "Break the Ice" was released the following year and had moderate success due to Spears not being able to promote it properly. In December 2007, Spears began a relationship with paparazzo Adnan Ghalib.

2008–10: Conservatorship and ''Circus''

On January 3, 2008, Spears refused to relinquish custody of her sons to Federline's representatives. She was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, after police that arrived at her house noted she appeared to be under the influence of an illicit substance. The following day, Spears's visitation rights were suspended at an emergency court hearing, and Federline was given sole physical and legal custody of the children. On January 31, 2008, Spears was committed to the psychiatric ward of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and put on 5150 involuntary psychiatric hold. The court placed her under temporary conservatorship of her father James Spears and attorney Andrew Wallet, giving them complete control of her assets. Spears was released on February 6, 2008. Her parents expressed disappointment and concern at the decision to release her. The following month, she guest-starred on the ''How I Met Your Mother'' episode "Ten Sessions" as receptionist Abby. She received positive reviews for her performance, as well as bringing the series its highest ratings ever. In July 2008, Spears regained some visitation rights after coming to an agreement with Federline and his counsel. On September 7, 2008, Spears opened the MTV Video Music Awards with a pre-taped comedy sketch with Jonah Hill and an introduction speech. She won Best Female Video, Best Pop Video and Video of the Year for "Piece of Me". A 60-minute introspective documentary, ''Britney: For the Record'', was produced to chronicle Spears' return to the recording industry. Directed by Phil Griffin, ''For the Record'' was entirely shot in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and New York City during the third quarter of 2008. Main shooting began on September 5, 2008, two days before Spears' appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards. ''For the Record'' was broadcast on MTV on November 30, 2008 to 5.6 million viewers for the two airings on the premiere night. MTV reported that Spears' documentary garnered on average, the highest rating in its Sunday night timeslot, in the network's history.

Her sixth studio album ''Circus'', was released in December 2008. It received positive reviews from critics; according to the music review aggregation of Metacritic, it garnered an average score of 64/100. ''Circus'' debuted at number one in Canada, Czech Republic and the United States, and inside the top in many European nations. In the United States, Spears became the youngest female artist to have five albums debut at number one, earning a place in the ''Guinness Book of World Records''. She also became the only act in the Soundscan era to have four albums debut with 500,000 or more copies sold. ''Circus'' became one of the fastest-selling albums of the year, and has sold 4 million copies worldwide. Its lead single, "Womanizer", became her first number one in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 since "...Baby One More Time" and topped the charts in countries such as Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway and Sweden. It was also nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Dance Recording. In January 2009, Spears and her father James obtained a restraining order against her former manager Sam Lufti, ex-boyfriend Adnan Ghalib and attorney Jon Eardley—all of whom, court documents claim, had been conspiring to gain control of Spears's affairs. The restraining order forbids Lutfi and Ghalib from contacting Spears or coming within 250 yards of her, her property or family members. Spears embarked on The Circus Starring Britney Spears in March 2009. With a gross of U.S. $131.8 million, it became the fifth highest grossing tour of the year.

She released her second greatest hits album, ''The Singles Collection'' in November 2009. "3" became her third number one single in the US, and was the first song to debut at the top of the charts in three years. Later that month, she released an application for iPhone and iPod Touch titled "It's Britney!". In May 2010, Spears's representatives confirmed she was dating her agent Jason Trawick, and that they had decided to end their professional relationship to focus on their personal relationship. Spears designed a limited edition clothing line for Candie's, which was released in stores in July 2010. On September 28, 2010, she made a cameo appearance on a Spears-themed tribute episode of American TV show ''Glee'', titled "Britney/Brittany". Spears approved of the episode, although her appearances received mixed reviews from critics. The episode drew ''Glee'''s second largest audience, as well as the show's highest ratings ever.

2011–present: ''Femme Fatale''

In March 2011, Spears released her seventh studio album ''Femme Fatale''. Max Martin and Dr. Luke executive produced the album and the album's first single "Hold It Against Me". The single debuted at number-one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. This gave Spears her fourth number-one single on the chart, and made her only the second artist in history to have two consecutive singles debut at number-one, after Mariah Carey. The album peaked at number one in the United States(selling 276,000 copies), Canada, and Australia, and peaked inside the top ten on nearly every other chart. The album's peak in the United States ties Britney with Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson for the third-most number ones among women. ''Femme Fatale'' has sold over 590,000 copies in the United States and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. The album received positive critical reviews after its release, receiving a score of 67 on Metacritic, her highest critical score since ''Oops!... I Did It Again,'' with many critics naming the album one of Spears's best. In April 2011, Spears appeared in a remix to the song "S&M;" by Rihanna after Rihanna asked her fans via Twitter who they wanted her to collaborate with. The song reached number one in the US in mid-April 2011, giving Britney her fifth number one on the chart. In early May, Spears' second single from ''Femme Fatale'', "Till The World Ends", reached number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and had ninety-eight million audience impressions on the ''Billboard'' chart, granting Spears the highest weekly audience of her 13-year chart career. ''Femme Fatale's'' third single "I Wanna Go" reached the top forty on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in June 2011. Among females in the last thirteen years, Spears now has the third-most top forty hits, with twenty-one. In August, the single managed to reach the top-ten on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, which is the first time for Spears to have three songs from one album in the top-ten. On the week ending September 24, 2011, "I Wanna Go" moved 2-1 on the mainstream top 40, becoming her sixth number-one on that chart (making her tied for third all-time) and her first number-one and third top-ten pop song for ''Femme Fatale.'' Spears now has the longest span of number ones on the mainstream top 40, with a length of twelve years, seven months, and four days.

On March 2011, Spears announced that she would tour throughout the United States during summer 2011 The Femme Fatale Tour opened June 16 at the Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, California to positive reviews. Many critics noted that Spears sang more of the concert live in response to lip-synching accusations during The Circus Starring Britney Spears, and that the dancing is some of her best in years. The first ten US dates of the tour grossed $6.2 million, landing the fifty-fifth spot on Pollstar's Top 100 North American Tours list for the half-way point of the year. The tour will travel to Europe and South and Central America later in 2011. On August 12, Spears announced that her performances at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto will be taped to air on the EPIX television channel and for a DVD release, resulting in the doubling of traffic to EPIX social sites and 'Britney Spears' becoming a worldwide trending topic on Twitter. Her first televised concert since the Onyx Hotel Tour in 2004, the show, ''Britney Spears: Femme Fatale,'' was shot in 2D and 3D on August 13 and 14 and will premiere on Epix in November.

On June 15, 2011, it was announced by ''Billboard'' that the RCA/Jive Label Group would be splitting, with Jive Records going to a restructured Epic Records, and RCA Records staying intact. In August it was announced that Spears had officially joined the RCA's roster. During the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28 2011, MTV played tribute to Spears with a group of young female dancers that memorialised Britney's music videos, performances, and style. Following which, Spears accepted the MTV Video Vanguard Award from Lady Gaga, who said that "industry wouldn't be the same without [her]".

On September 9, 2011, Spears announced that her second remix album, ''B in the Mix: The Remixes Vol. 2'', will be released on October 11, along with the tracklist.

Musical style and performance

Following her debut, Spears was credited with leading the revival of teen pop in the late 1990s. ''The Daily Yomiuri'' reported that "[m]usic critics have hailed her as the most gifted teenage pop idol for many years, but Spears has set her sights a little higher-she is aiming for the level of superstardom that has been achieved by Madonna and Janet Jackson." ''Rolling Stone'' wrote: "Britney Spears carries on the classic archetype of the rock & roll teen queen, the dungaree doll, the angel baby who just has to make a scene." Rami Yacoub who co-produced Spears's debut album with lyricist Max Martin, commented, "I know from Denniz Pop and Max's previous productions, when we do songs, there's kind of a nasal thing. With N' Sync and the Backstreet Boys, we had to push for that mid-nasal voice. When Britney did that, she got this kind of raspy, sexy voice." Following the release of her debut album, Chuck Taylor of ''Billboard'' observed, "Spears has become a consummate performer, with snappy dance moves, a clearly real-albeit young-and funkdified voice ... "(You Drive Me) Crazy", her third single ... demonstrates Spears's own development, proving that the 17-year-old is finding her own vocal personality after so many months of steadfast practice." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic referred to her music as a "blend of infectious, rap-inflected dance-pop and smooth balladry." Spears later commented, "With ''...Baby One More Time'', I didn't get to show my voice off. The songs were great, but they weren't very challenging".

''Oops!...I Did It Again'' and subsequent albums saw Spears working with several contemporary R&B; producers, leading to "a combination of bubblegum, urban soul, and raga." Her third studio album, ''Britney'' derived from the teen pop niche, "[r]hythmically and melodically ... sharper, tougher than what came before. What used to be unabashedly frothy has some disco grit, underpinned by Spears' spunky self-determination that helps sell hooks that are already catchier, by and large, than those that populated her previous two albums." Guy Blackman of ''The Age'' wrote that while few would care to listen to an entire Spears album, "[t]he thing about Spears, though, is that her biggest songs, no matter how committee-created or impossibly polished, have always been convincing because of her delivery, her commitment and her presence. For her mostly teenage fans, Spears expresses perfectly the conflicting urges of adolescence, the tension between chastity and sexual experience, between hedonism and responsibility, between confidence and vulnerability."

Her vocal ability has also been criticized, often drawing unfavorable comparison to her pop rival, Christina Aguilera Critic Allan Raible derides her overdependence in Circus on digital effects and the robotic effect it creates. "She’s never been a strong vocalist..." writes Raible, "Could she handle these songs with stripped down arrangements and no vocal effects? More importantly, would anyone want to hear her attempt such a performance? Does it matter? No. The focus is still image over substance." Her image and persona are also often contrasted to Christina Aguilera. David Browne of ''Entertainment Weekly'' observed "Christina Aguilera may flash skin and belly button, but in her music and manner, she's too eager not to offend — she's a good girl pretending to be bad. Spears, however, comes across as a bad girl acting good ... Spears' artificial-sweetener voice is much less interesting than the settings, yet that blandness is actually a relief compared with Aguilera's numbing vocal gymnastics. In contrast, Allmusic comments: "Like her peer Christina Aguilera, Britney equates maturity with transparent sexuality and the pounding sounds of nightclubs ... Where Christina comes across like a natural-born skank, Britney is the girl next door cutting loose at college, drinking and smoking and dancing and sexing just a little too recklessly, since this is the first time she ''can'' indulge herself. Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine notes, "The disparity between Aguilera and Spears can't be measured solely by the timbre and octave range of their voices ... [Aguilera's] popularity has never reached the fever pitch of Britney's."

Like other dance-oriented pop stars, it has been widely reported that Spears lip-syncs in concert. Author Gary Giddins wrote in his book ''Natural selection: Gary Giddins on comedy, film, music, and books'' (2006) that "among many other performers accused of moving their lips while a machine does the labor are Britney Spears, Luciano Pavarotti, Shania Twain, Beyoncé, and Madonna." Rashod D. Ollison of ''The Baltimore Sun'' observes: "Many pop stars ... feel they have no choice but to seek vocal enhancement. Since the advent of MTV and other video music channels, pop audiences have been fed elaborate videos thick with jaw-dropping effects, awesome choreography, fabulous clothes, marvelous bodies. And the same level of perfection is expected to extend beyond the video set to the concert stage. So if Britney Spears, Janet Jackson or Madonna sounds shrill and flat without a backing track, fans won't pay up to $300 for a concert ticket." Giddins adds, "it was reported Britney Spears fans prefer her to lip-sync—despite her denials of doing so (contradicted by her own director)—because they expect flawless digitalization when they pay serious money for a concert."

In Australia, NSW Fair Trading Minister Virginia Judge has advised disclaimers be printed on any ticket for concerts which contain any prerecorded vocals. She commented: "There could have been some instances where people actually go and purchase a ticket thinking that they're going to have a live performance ... for some people that means that everything is live, it's fresh, it happens instantaneously, it's not something that's been pre-recorded. You want to make sure that they're actually paying for what they think they're getting." Noting on the prevalence of lip-syncing, ''Los Angeles Daily News'' reported "in the context of a Britney Spears concert, does it really matter? Like a Vegas revue show, you don't go to hear the music, you go for the somewhat-ridiculous spectacle of it all". Similarly, Aline Mendelsohn of the ''Orlando Sentinel'' remarked: "Let's get one thing straight: A Britney Spears concert is not about the music ... you have to remember that it's about the sight, not the sound." Critic Glenn Gamboa comments her concert tours are "like her life—a massive money-making venture designed to play up her talents and distract from her shortcomings with a mix of techno-tinged sex appeal and disco-flavored flash. And, like her life, it is, more or less, a success.

Influences

Throughout her career, Spears has drawn frequent comparisons to Madonna and Janet Jackson, in terms of vocals, choreography and stage presence, citing both as influences in her work. She has also named Michael Jackson as a source of inspiration. According to Spears: "I know when I was younger, I looked up to people... like, you know, Janet Jackson and Madonna. And they were major inspirations for me. But I also had my own identity and I knew who I was, you know." In the 2002 book ''Madonnastyle'' by Carol Clerk, she is quoted saying: "I have been a huge fan of Madonna since I was a little girl. She's the person that I've really looked up to. I would really, really like to be a legend like Madonna."

Many critics have argued that Spears should not be considered in the same league of talent as Jackson or Madonna. Journalists Erika Montalvo and Jackie Sheppard of the ''Rocky Mountain Collegian'' observed "[s]ome may argue that Spears is not only a good recording artist but also an important cultural icon." However, in examining her level of skill as an artist, it is questioned that "[a]lthough she has been classified among female elites such as Janet Jackson and Madonna, what does Ms. Spears really have in common with these divas of rock?" Joan Anderman of ''The Boston Globe'' remarked that "[t]hirteen costume changes in 90 minutes won't bless her with Madonna's intelligence or cultural barometer. An army of cutting-edge R&B; producers won't supply her with Janet Jackson's sense of humor or sincere smile ... Britney's heroes aren't great singers. But they're real singers. Spears sounds robotic, nearly inhuman, on her records, so processed is her voice by digital pitch-shifters and synthesizers."

Reporter Ed Bumgardner commented her transition from teen pop start to adult sex symbol with her third studio album ''Britney'' "takes its cues from two other successful performers—Madonna and Janet Jackson—both of whom she brazenly rips off and both of whom, like Spears, are passable singers, at best." Critic Shane Harrison wrote: "From the minimalist thump and "Nasty" feel of "I'm a Slave 4 U" to the scattered quotes in "Boys", [''Britney''] feels like [Spears's] attempt at 'Control'."

Citing Jackson's resolve to incorporate personal and social issues into her work and Madonna's ability to constantly redefine the boundaries of socially acceptable material in the industry, Spears's catalog ultimately pales in comparison, because "[w]hile Jackson and Madonna wrote their own music about subjects of importance, [Spears's] music sounds like an upbeat version of either, 'I want to grow up but the media won't let me,' or 'Here kitty, kitty, I'm wearing my underwear outside of my leather pants'-type ballads." In contrast, Guy Blackman argues that although "no one would argue that Spears is some kind of pioneering pop auteur, there’s still a lot to like about her back catalogue. During her world-conquering peak, she was just about as cutting edge as you could get in the world of global pop superstardom. Spears didn’t just work with big names, she gave big names their names, and maintained her high currency in the world’s most fickle industry for years, when most aspiring starlets are lucky to manage months."

After meeting Spears face to face, Janet Jackson stated: "she said to me, 'I'm such a big fan; I really admire you.' That's so flattering. Everyone gets inspiration from some place. And it's awesome to see someone else coming up who's dancing and singing, and seeing how all these kids relate to her. A lot of people put it down, but what she does is a positive thing." Madonna's respect for Spears has also been a subject of observation. Santiago Fouz-Hernández and Freya Jarman-Ivens, authors of ''Madonna's drowned worlds: new approaches to her cultural transformations, 1983-2003'' (2004) note that the most well known cross-generational relationship exists between Spears and Madonna in which "the entertainment newsmedia almost became obsessed with their relationship of mutual admiration." The biographers also report "[s]ome observers of popular culture, however, feel that the comparisons between the two artist are meaningless and fail to recognize Madonna's unique contribution: Madonna was never 'just another pop star' whereas Britney can more easily be seen as a standard manufactured pop act."

Legacy

Spears became an international pop culture icon immediately after launching her recording career. ''Rolling Stone'' magazine wrote: "One of the most controversial and successful female vocalists of the 21st century," she "spearheaded the rise of post-millennial teen pop ... Spears early on cultivated a mixture of innocence and experience that broke the bank". She is listed by the ''Guinness World Records'' as having the "Best-selling album by a teenage solo artist" for her debut album ''...Baby One More Time'' which sold over thirteen million copies in the United States. Melissa Ruggieri of the ''Richmond Times-Dispatch'' reported, "She's also marked for being the best-selling teenage artist. Before she turned 20 in 2001, Spears sold more than 37 million albums worldwide".

Barbara Ellen of ''The Observer'' has reported: "Spears is famously one of the 'oldest' teenagers pop has ever produced, almost middle aged in terms of focus and determination. Many 19-year-olds haven't even started working by that age, whereas Britney, a former Mouseketeer, was that most unusual and volatile of American phenomena — a child with a full-time career. While other little girls were putting posters on their walls, Britney was wanting to be the poster on the wall. Whereas other children develop at their own pace, Britney was developing at a pace set by the ferociously competitive American entertainment industry". 'Britney Spears' was Yahoo!'s most popular search term between 2005 and 2008, and has been in a total of seven different years. Spears was named as Most Searched Person in the ''Guinness World Records'' book edition 2007 and 2009. Spears has also become a major influence among many new artists, including Kristinia DeBarge, Lady Gaga, Little Boots, Selena Gomez & the Scene, Pixie Lott and Miley Cyrus who has cited Spears as one of her biggest inspirations and has also referenced Spears in her hit song "Party in the U.S.A.". Spears' personal breakdown was also cited as an inspiration for Barry Manilow's album "''15 Minutes''".

In 2011, Adam Markovitz of ''Entertainment Weekly'' commented on the cultural significance of Spears' voice and music. "We don't ask a whole lot from Britney Spears as an entertainer...we'll still send her straight up the charts simply because she's Britney. She's an American institution, as deeply sacred and messed up as pro wrestling or the filibuster. Musically, though, Spears will always have to measure up to her own gold standards of pop euphony: the operatic slither of 2004's 'Toxic' and the candied funk of 2000's 'Oops!...I Did It Again.' Spears is no technical singer, that's for sure. But backed by Martin and Dr. Luke's wall of pound, her vocals melt into a mix of babytalk coo and coital panting that is, in its own overprocessed way, just as iconic and propulsive as Michael Jackson's yips or Eminem's snarls."

Bebo Norman wrote a song about Spears, called "Britney", which was released as a single. Boy band Busted also wrote a song about Spears called "Britney", which was on their debut album. She is also mentioned in P!nk's song "Don't Let Me Get Me". She was cited as the inspiration of Gwyneth Paltrow's character in the 2010 film ''Country Strong''. Richard Cheese called Britney Spears "a remarkable recording artist" and also went on to say that she was "versatile" and what the industry calls an "artist". ''People'' magazine and MTV reported that October 1, 2008, the Bronx's John Philip Sousa Middle School, named their music studio in honor of Britney Spears. Spears herself was present during the ceremony and donated $10,000 to the school's music program.

Discography

''...Baby One More Time'' (1999)

''Oops!... I Did It Again'' (2000)

''Britney'' (2001)

''In the Zone'' (2003)

''Blackout'' (2007)

''Circus'' (2008)

''Femme Fatale'' (2011)

Tours

...Baby One More Time Tour (1999-2000)

Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour (2000)

Dream Within a Dream Tour (2001-02)

The Onyx Hotel Tour (2004)

The M+M's Tour (2007)

The Circus Starring Britney Spears (2009)

Femme Fatale Tour (2011)

See also

Britney Spears filmography

Britney Spears products

Honorific nicknames in popular music

List of best-selling music artists

List of best-selling music artists in the United States

Notes

References

Further reading

Dennis, Steve (2009). ''Britney: Inside the Dream''. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0007317516.

Peters, Beth (1999). ''True Brit: The Story of Singing Sensation Britney Spears''. Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0345436870.

Scott, Kieran (2001). ''I was a Mouseketeer!.'' Disney Press. ISBN 978-0786844708.

Smith, Sean (2006). ''Britney The Unauthorized Biography of Britney Spears.'' Pan Macmillan. ISBN 978-0330440776.

Spears, Britney (2000). ''Britney Spears's Heart to Heart''. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 978-0609807019.

Stevens, Amanda (2001). ''Britney Spears: the illustrated story.'' Billboard Books. ISBN 978-0823078677.

External links

Category:1981 births Category:21st-century actors Category:Actors from Louisiana Category:American child singers Category:American dance musicians Category:American dancers Category:American female pop singers Category:American female singers Category:American film actors Category:American music video directors Category:American musicians of English descent Category:American people of English descent Category:American people of Maltese descent Category:American pop singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American stage actors Category:American television actors Category:Baptists from the United States Category:English-language singers Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Innosense members Category:Jive Records artists Category:RCA Records artists Category:Living people Category:Mouseketeers Category:Musicians from Louisiana Category:Parklane Academy alumni Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:People from Kentwood, Louisiana Category:Sony BMG artists Category:World Music Awards winners

af:Britney Spears als:Britney Spears ar:بريتني سبيرز az:Britni Spirs be:Брытні Спірс be-x-old:Брытні Сьпірс bcl:Britney Spears bar:Britney Spears bs:Britney Spears bg:Бритни Спиърс ca:Britney Spears cs:Britney Spears cbk-zam:Britney Spears cy:Britney Spears da:Britney Spears de:Britney Spears et:Britney Spears el:Μπρίτνεϊ Σπίαρς eml:Britney Spears es:Britney Spears eo:Britney Spears eu:Britney Spears fa:بریتنی اسپیرز fo:Britney Spears fr:Britney Spears fy:Britney Spears ga:Britney Spears gl:Britney Spears ko:브리트니 스피어스 hy:Բրիթնի Սփիրս hi:ब्रिटनी स्पीयर्स hr:Britney Spears io:Britney Spears ilo:Britney Spears id:Britney Spears is:Britney Spears it:Britney Spears he:בריטני ספירס jv:Britney Spears kn:ಬ್ರಿಟ್ನಿ ಸ್ಪಿಯರ್ಸ್ ka:ბრიტნი სპირსი csb:Britney Spears sw:Britney Spears la:Britney Spears lv:Britnija Spīrsa lt:Britney Spears li:Britney Spears hu:Britney Spears mk:Бритни Спирс ml:ബ്രിട്ട്നി സ്പിയേർസ് ms:Britney Jean Spears mn:Бритни Спирс na:Britney Spears nl:Britney Spears ne:ब्रिट्नी स्पेयर्स ja:ブリトニー・スピアーズ no:Britney Spears nn:Britney Spears oc:Britney Spears pnb:برٹنی سپیئرز pap:Britney Spears pl:Britney Spears pt:Britney Spears kaa:Britney Spears ro:Britney Spears ru:Спирс, Бритни sc:Britney Spears sq:Britney Spears scn:Britney Spears simple:Britney Spears sk:Britney Spearsová sl:Britney Spears so:Britney Spears sr:Бритни Спирс sh:Britney Spears fi:Britney Spears sv:Britney Spears tl:Britney Spears ta:பிரிட்னி ஸ்பியர்ஸ் te:బ్రిట్నీ స్పియర్స్ th:บริตนีย์ สเปียรส์ tr:Britney Spears uk:Брітні Спірс ur:برٹنی سپیئرز vi:Britney Spears yi:בריטני ספירס zh:布蘭妮·斯皮爾斯

Coordinates	36.34°′″N43.13°′″N
name	Aaron Russo
birth date	February 14, 1943
birth place	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
death date	August 24, 2007
death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
known for	Music Manager, Film producer, libertarian politician and activist
religion	Judaism}}

Aaron Russo (February 14, 1943 - August 24, 2007) was an American entertainment businessman, filmmaker, libertarian and political activist. He was best-known for producing ''Trading Places'', ''Wise Guys'', and ''The Rose''. Later in life he created the documentaries ''Mad as Hell'', which calls into question the current state of governmental affairs and ''America: Freedom to Fascism'', which investigates the breadth of the Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Federal Reserve System. After a six year battle with bladder cancer, Russo died on August 24, 2007.

Early life

Aaron Russo was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1943. Before moving to New York, his family had lived in Spain, Italy, and Greece. He was raised on Long Island.

Aaron Russo worked for his family's undergarment business, and while in high school, promoted Rock and roll concerts at local theaters. At the age of 24, he opened his own nightclub.

Entertainment career

On April 4, 1968, Russo opened the nightclub Kinetic Playground, originally named the Electric Theater. Through the club, he hosted various famous rock bands and musicians such as Led Zeppelin, The Who, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, Iron Butterfly, Rotary Connection and Jefferson Airplane.

During his career in the entertainment industry, Russo was manager for The Manhattan Transfer and Bette Midler from 1972 to 1979 whose breakout film, ''The Rose'', he produced. Russo stated that he was the first person to book Led Zeppelin in the United States club Kinetic Playground.

He was awarded an Emmy for a Bette Midler TV special, and the soundtrack to ''The Rose'', which he produced, was certified gold. Russo co-directed 1989's ''Rude Awakening''. Russo's films received six Academy Award nominations. Two of Russo's films have been nominated for Golden Globe awards.

His final film was ''America: Freedom to Fascism'', a documentary critical of the Federal Reserve System and the Internal Revenue Service, and warning about the coming of the New World Order. At the time of the film's release, Russo had in excess of $2 million of tax liens against him over taxes he had not paid.

Political career

Russo became involved in politics in the early 1990s when he produced and starred in a video entitled ''Mad As Hell'' in which he criticized NAFTA, The War on Drugs, the concept of a National Identity Card, and government regulation of alternative medicine.

Russo ran in the Republican primary for governor of Nevada in 1998, placing second with 26% of the vote. He later endorsed the Democratic candidate, Las Vegas mayor Jan Laverty Jones, who lost to Republican Kenny Guinn. Russo subsequently planned to run for governor in 2002 as an independent or a Libertarian, but he was sidelined by cancer.

In January 2004, he declared his candidacy for the President of the United States as an independent, then decided to run for the Libertarian Party's nomination. While some considered Russo's style crude and even insulting, others argued his media experience would enable him to pose a serious threat to incumbent President George W. Bush, pulling enough votes from otherwise likely Bush voters to affect the outcome in battleground states, in the same way that Ralph Nader was considered to be in relation to Democrat John Kerry.

At the Libertarian National Convention in May 2004, Russo received 258 votes, as opposed to 256 for Michael Badnarik and 246 for Gary Nolan, short of the majority required to receive the presidential nomination. Russo went on to be defeated on the third and final ballot by nominee Badnarik by a vote of 423-344. On February 15, 2004, Aaron Russo endorsed the Free State Project.

On January 14, 2007, Russo announced his full support for U.S. Congressman Ron Paul's 2008 presidential bid. This support includes his ''America: Freedom to Fascism'' volunteer network. Also in 2007, Russo created restoretherepublic.net, a website dedicated to continuing his work and uniting those who subscribe to his beliefs.

Death

Russo died of bladder cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California on August 24, 2007, at age 64. Shortly before his passing, in 2007, Russo founded RestoreTheRepublic.com to fulfill the political ambitions laid out in his final film. He publicly passed the torch to Gary S. Franchi Jr., founder of the Lone Lantern Society of America to lead the new organization and carry on his fight. Russo said his goal was to ''"try and get the word out to the public about what's happening to America -- and give them an opportunity to try to change things"''.

Regarding an epitaph for his headstone after his death, he told the ''Las Vegas Sun'' (November 4, 1999), ''"I want it to say, 'Freedom Fighter'"''.

On February 14, 2008 Russo's organization produced a gold and silver commemorative piece to immortalize their founder. On the front side of each piece, the words "Freedom Fighter" were embossed.

References

External links

America: ''Freedom to Fascism'', Russo's last film

Visit Aaron Russo' Virtual Memorial

Category:American activists Category:American entertainment industry businesspeople Category:American documentary filmmakers Category:American film producers Category:American Jews Category:Jewish American politicians Category:People from Brooklyn Category:People from Long Island Category:Sephardi Jews Category:People from the Las Vegas metropolitan area Category:1943 births Category:2007 deaths Category:Nevada Libertarians

cs:Aaron Russo de:Aaron Russo es:Aaron Russo fr:Aaron Russo ja:アーロン・ルッソ pt:Aaron Russo sv:Aaron Russo zh:阿羅·拉索

Coordinates	36.34°′″N43.13°′″N
name	DJ Laz
background	solo_singer
origin	Miami, Florida, United States
genre	Reggaeton, Miami Bass
occupation	DJ, rapper
years active	1990–present
label	TVT Records, Collipark Music
associated acts	Flo Rida, Casely, Pitbull, Ying Yang Twins, Mami El Negro
website	MySpace account }}

Lazaro Mendez, better known by his stage name DJ Laz is a Cuban-American rapper and DJ from Miami, Florida.

He is best known for his albums ''DJ Laz'' and ''Category 6'', which charted on U.S. ''Billboard'' album charts. He is also notable for the singles "Journey Into Bass" (1994) and "Move Shake Drop" (2008), which peaked at #56 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Discography

Studio albums

1991: ''DJ Laz featuring Mami El Negro''

1993: ''Journey In''

1994: ''The Latin Album''

1996: ''Bass XXX, Vol. 2''

2001: '' XXX Breaks''

2008: ''Category 6''

2010: ''TBA''

Compilation albums

2001: ''Greatest Hits''

Singles

1991: "Mami El Negro"

1992: "Moments in Bass"

1992: "Latin Rhythm"

1992: "Hump All Night"

1993: "Journey Into Bass" #44 U.S. Rap

1995: "Shake It Up"

1996: "Esa Morena"

1998: "Sabrosura"

1998: "Negra Chula"

1999: "Get Your Ass Off Stage"

2000: "The Red Alert Project"

2000: "Ki Ki Ri Bu"

2000: "Facina"

2008: "Move Shake Drop" (featuring Flo Rida, Casely and Pitbull) #56 U.S. Hot 100, #42 U.S. Pop 100

2008: "She Can Get It"

2009: "I Made It To The U.S.A"

2010: "Alcoholic" (featuring Pitbull)

See also

List of Miami rappers

References

External links

DJ Laz at MySpace

Detailed discography of DJ Laz at Discogs

[ Profile and discography of DJ Laz] at Allmusic

Category:Electro-hop musicians Laz, DJ Category:Living people Category:Rappers from Miami, Florida Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

fr:DJ Laz

Coordinates	36.34°′″N43.13°′″N
name	Nicki Minaj
background	solo_singer
birth name	Onika Tanya Maraj
birth date	December 08, 1982
birth place	Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago
origin	South Jamaica, Queens,
genre	Hip hop, R&B;, pop
occupation	Rapper, singer-songwriter
years active	2002–present
label	Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment, Universal Republic Records, Universal Motown
associated acts	Young Money
website	}}

Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982), known by her stage name Nicki Minaj (), is a Trinidadian-born American musician. She was born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago, and moved to the New York borough of Queens when she was five.

After releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009 and being signed to Young Money Entertainment in August 2009, Minaj released her debut album, ''Pink Friday'', in November 2010. It quickly became a commercial success, peaking at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 and being certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) a month after its release. She became the first artist to have seven singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at the same time. Her second single, "Your Love", reached #1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Rap Songs chart, making Minaj the first female artist to top the chart unaccompanied since 2002. She also became the first female artist to be included on MTV's Annual Hottest MC List. Minaj was named the 2011 ''Rising Star'' by ''Billboard''. Her second studio album, ''Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'' will be released on April 3, 2012.

Early life

Maraj was born in 1982 in Saint James, a suburb of Trinidad and Tobago's capital city Port of Spain. Her parents are of mixed Indian and Afro-Trinidadian ancestry and she lived in Saint James with her grandmother until age five, because her parents were looking for a place to live in the Queens borough of New York City at the time. Her mother would occasionally visit, and one day, when Minaj was five, her mother picked her up to move to Queens. According to Minaj, her father drank heavily, took drugs, and once tried to kill her mother by setting the house on fire.

She attended Elizabeth Blackwell Middle School 210, where she played the clarinet. She graduated from LaGuardia High School. At LaGuardia, a school specializing in music and the visual and performing arts, Minaj participated in the drama program. She had initially planned to sing at LaGuardia, but lost her voice on the day of the audition.

Career

2007–09: Mixtapes and Young Money

Minaj released her first mixtape in 2007 after releasing ''Playtime Is Over'' with ''Dirty Money Records''. She released another mixtape on July 7, 2008, titled ''Sucka Free'', under the label ''Be''. On April 18, 2009, Minaj released a third mixtape and appeared in ''XXL'' magazine. She won the Female Artist of the Year award at the 2008 Underground Music Awards. Minaj released ''Beam Me Up Scotty'', another mixtape, in April 2009 under the label of ''Trapaholics Records''; it received positive coverage on both BET and MTV.

In August 2009, Minaj signed a record deal with Young Money Entertainment, with distribution from Universal Motown Records, after fellow American rapper Lil Wayne discovered her and secured the record deal. She then had a solo rap verse in their single "BedRock," which became a commercial success, reaching #2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Minaj also appeared on "Roger That", which charted at #56. The song, and in particular Minaj, received positive reviews from critics. Both songs were included in Young Money Entertainment's debut collaborative studio album ''We Are Young Money'', which was released in December 2009. The album charted in the top ten on the ''Billboard'' 200, reaching #9 and later receiving a Gold Certification by the RIAA. She was then chosen by Mariah Carey to be featured on her single and music video for "Up Out My Face". Critics praised her collaboration for helping to maintain Carey's feminine image and providing a polite track for the female R&B; singer.

2010–present: ''Pink Friday'' and ''Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded''

After a major record label bidding war, Young Money Entertainment announced on August 31, 2009 that Minaj had been released a 360 deal with the label in which she retains and owns all of her 360 rights – including merchandising, sponsorships, endorsements, touring and publishing. In an interview with 95.8 Capital FM, Rihanna stated that after the two collaborated on "Raining Men" from her album ''Loud'' that the duo would be teaming up together for a possible second collaboration on Minaj's ''Pink Friday''. Hip-hop rap artist and producer Kanye West was also confirmed for the album. On August 3, 2010 Minaj revealed on a Ustream.tv channel that the album's name would be ''Pink Friday'', in reference to Black Friday.

''Pink Friday'' was released on November 19, 2010 in both standard and deluxe versions. A buzz single, "Massive Attack", was released in April. In August, Minaj released "Your Love" as the first official single from her debut album. The single peaked at 14 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, 7 on the Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart and topped the Rap Songs chart. Minaj became the first female artist to be included on MTV's Annual Hottest MC List and the first female artist to top the chart unaccompanied since 2002. In October 2010, Minaj became the first artist to have seven songs on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart simultaneously. Minaj released a joint single with The Black Eyed Peas front man, will.i.am titled, "Check It Out", which is Minaj's most successful single to date in Europe. "Right thru Me" was released September 24, 2010; the music video was released in late October. "Moment 4 Life" was released as the fourth single. The track featured Canadian rapper Drake and was released on December 7, 2010, becoming a success on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The single peaked at number 5 on the Hot Rap Songs. The album gained a Platinum certification in the United States a month after the release. It was hinted by Simon Cowell that Minaj would join the judging panel of the American version of the ''The X Factor.'' Starting in June 2011, Minaj will be supporting ''Pink Friday'' by serving as an opening act along with Jessie and the Toy Boys and Nervo on Britney Spears' sixth concert tour, the Femme Fatale Tour, in support of her seventh studio album, ''Femme Fatale''. She also was featured on the official remix of Spears' track "Till The World Ends" along with Spears and singer Kesha, which charted at number 3 in the US in April 2011. "Super Bass" was released from ''Pink Friday'' in May 2011, the single charted within the top 10 in many countries including; United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada and more. The song gained positive reviews from critics. Minaj will voice a character in the 3D animated film, ''Ice Age: Continental Drift'', as an unknown character. Minaj is also featured on French disc jockey David Guetta's 2011 album, ''Nothing but the Beat'' on "Where Them Girls At" and "Turn Me On". She will be featured alongside Madonna and M.I.A on an upcoming single from Madonna's twelfth studio album, for which a music video has been directed by Megaforce. The trio performed "Give Me All Your Luvin'" off Madonna's new album for the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show.

Minaj's second studio album, ''Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'', was announced through Twitter in November 2011 and is set to be released on April 3, 2012. The album's second single, "Starships", was released on February 14. On February 12, 2012, Minaj debuted her song "Roman's Holiday" at the 54th Grammy Awards. The exorcism-themed perfomance drew a mixed response online.

Musical style and image

Image

In an interview with ''Vibe'' Minaj discussed her sexual image stating, "[w]hen I grew up I saw females doing certain things, and I thought I had to do that exactly. The female rappers of my day spoke about sex a lot... and I thought that to have the success they got, I would have to represent the same thing. When in fact I didn’t have to represent the same thing." In an interview with ''Interview'', Minaj commented on her sexual image again stating, "I made a conscious decision to try to tone down the sexiness, I want people—especially young girls—to know that in life, nothing is going to be based on sex appeal. You’ve got to have something else to go with that.” Minaj has a tattoo in Chinese characters that reads "" (''shangdi yu ni chang zai'') on her left arm, meaning, "God is always with you."

Alter egos

While growing up, Minaj's home life was often chaotic, with her parents constantly fighting. As a means of escape, she would create characters and live her life through them. In an interview with ''New York'' she stated, "To get away from all their fighting, I would imagine being a new person. 'Cookie' was my first identity – that stayed with me for a while. I went on to 'Harajuku Barbie,' then 'Nicki Minaj'. Fantasy was my reality."

For her debut album, Minaj created another alter-ego named "Roman Zolanski". She stated that in songs like "Bottoms Up" with Trey Songz it is not Minaj rapping, but instead Roman Zolanski, and claims that Roman is her "twin sister". She claims that he was born inside her, out of rage, and becomes him when she is angry. She has also said 'He is a demon inside her'. Roman has been compared to Eminem's alter ego Slim Shady, and on the song "Roman's Revenge" from ''Pink Friday'', Minaj and Eminem collaborate, using these alter egos. On the collaboration, she said "The new album is going to have a lot of Roman on it ... And if you're not familiar with Roman, then you will be familiar with him very soon. He’s the boy that lives inside of me. He's a lunatic and he's gay and he'll be on there a lot." Roman also has a "mother" called "Martha Zolanski", who also appeared on the song Roman's Revenge, with a British accent. Martha appears in the video for "Moment 4 Life" where she appears to be Minaj's magical Godmother. In songs such as "All I Do Is Win (Remix)" it is Minaj rapping. Minaj stated that on her debut album, fans will get to "meet" Nicki, Roman and Onika.

On November 18, 2010, Minaj assumed a different alter-ego named "Nicki Teresa". Wearing a colorful scarf around her head, she went around as the "healer to her fans" as she visited them at The Garden of Dreams Foundation at Fuse studios in New York City. Minaj made an appearance on ''Lopez Tonight'' on December 6, 2010 and presented a different alter-ego for the Spanish-inspired occasion, named "Rosa" (pronounced Rrrrrosa).

Influences

Minaj has stated that artists who have influenced her musical style include Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Lil Wayne, Lauryn Hill, Jadakiss, Natasha Bedingfield, Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott. She was also inspired by Janet Jackson, Madonna, Britney Spears, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Jones, M.I.A., and Cyndi Lauper.

Personal life

While some songs and interviews have implied that Minaj is bisexual, she has said that she does not date nor have sex with women, but added in an interview with ''Out'' magazine, "I don’t date men either." In an interview with ''Vibe'' she commented, "I just embrace all people of all lifestyles and I don’t tell them they are bad people. And I say girls are beautiful and girls are sexy and they need to be told that, and if they don’t have anyone to tell them that and mean it, I’m gonna tell them that. But I feel like people always wanna define me and I don’t wanna be defined." She reiterated her dislike of being labeled in an interview with ''Out'', saying: "The point is, everyone is not black and white. There are so many shades in the middle, and you’ve got to let people feel comfortable with saying what they want to say when they want to say it."

During an interview in the May 2010 issue of ''Details'', Minaj was asked if she felt hip-hop was becoming more gay-friendly. She responded, "I think the world is getting more gay-friendly, so hip-hop is too. But it's harder to imagine an openly gay male rapper being embraced, people view gay men as having no street credibility. But I think we'll see one in my lifetime."

On July 2011, Minaj's cousin Nicholas was murdered near his home in Brooklyn, New York City.

Discography

''Pink Friday'' (2010)

''Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'' (2012)

See also

List of awards and nominations received by Nicki Minaj

Notes

References

External links

Category:Nicki Minaj Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:African American female singers Category:African American rappers Category:American musicians of Indian descent Category:American people of Trinidad and Tobago descent Category:Female rappers Category:Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni Category:Hip hop singers Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:People from Queens Category:People from Port of Spain Category:Rappers from New York City Category:Singers from New York City Category:Trinidad and Tobago emigrants to the United States Category:Trinidad and Tobago musicians Category:Trinidad and Tobago people of Dougla descent Category:Young Money Entertainment artists

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