Early Life and Education of Britney Spears: A Complete Timeline
Discover the defining moments in the early life of Britney Spears. From birth to education, explore key events.
Britney Spears, dubbed the "Princess of Pop", is an American singer recognized for her significant cultural impact and role in reviving teen pop in the 21st century. Known for captivating stage performances, Spears has explored various musical genres, including pop, R&B, and electropop.
December 2, 1981: Britney Spears Born
On December 2, 1981, Britney Jean Spears, an American singer who would later be known as the "Princess of Pop", was born.
1984: Dance Lessons
In 1984, Britney Spears began attending dance lessons in Kentwood and was selected to perform as a solo artist at the annual recital.
1994: Return to Mississippi
Following The All-New Mickey Mouse Club's cancellation in 1994, Britney Spears returned to Mississippi and enrolled at McComb's Parklane Academy.
September 11, 2001: Terrorist attacks
On September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks happened. Subsequently, Britney Spears Foundation made a grant to support the children of uniformed service heroes affected by the attacks.
February 2002: Release of Crossroads
In February 2002, Britney Spears' first starring role in the movie Crossroads was released. While the film was critically panned, Spears' acting was praised, and it became a box office success, grossing over $61.1 million worldwide on a $12 million budget.
June 2002: Opening of Nyla Restaurant
In June 2002, Britney Spears opened her first restaurant, Nyla, in New York City. However, she terminated her relationship with the restaurant in November of the same year due to mismanagement.
July 2002: Career Break Announcement
In July 2002, Britney Spears announced she would take a six-month break from her career; however, she went back into the studio in November to record her new album.
November 2002: End of Relationship with Justin Timberlake and Release of "Cry Me a River"
In November 2002, Britney Spears' relationship with Justin Timberlake ended after three years. Timberlake then released the song "Cry Me a River", the music video featuring a Spears look-alike and fueled rumors that she had been engaging in an affair.
August 2003: MTV Video Music Awards Performance with Madonna and Christina Aguilera
In August 2003, Britney Spears opened the MTV Video Music Awards with Christina Aguilera, performing "Like a Virgin". Halfway through they were joined by Madonna, whom they both kissed. The incident was highly publicized.
March 2004: Start of Onyx Hotel Tour
In March 2004, Britney Spears embarked on the Onyx Hotel Tour in support of her album In the Zone.
June 2004: Cancellation of Onyx Hotel Tour and Knee Injury
In June 2004, Britney Spears' Onyx Hotel Tour was canceled after she fell and injured her left knee during the music video shoot for "Outrageous".
July 2004: Engagement to Kevin Federline
In July 2004, Britney Spears became engaged to dancer Kevin Federline, whom she had met three months earlier. Federline had recently broken up with actress Shar Jackson, who was still pregnant with their second child at the time.
September 18, 2004: Wedding Ceremony with Kevin Federline
On September 18, 2004, Britney Spears and Kevin Federline held a wedding ceremony, though they were not legally married until October 6.
October 2004: Career Break and Launch of 'Curious' Perfume
In October 2004, Britney Spears took a career break to start a family and released her first perfume, Curious, with Elizabeth Arden. Curious broke the company's first-week gross for a perfume.
May 17, 2005: Premiere of Britney and Kevin: Chaotic
On May 17, 2005, Britney Spears' first reality show Britney and Kevin: Chaotic, which chronicled the stages of her relationship with Kevin Federline, premiered on UPN.
August 2005: Release of "Someday (I Will Understand)"
In August 2005, Britney Spears released "Someday (I Will Understand)", which was dedicated to her first child, Sean Preston.
February 2006: Controversy Over Driving with Son on Lap
In February 2006, pictures surfaced of Britney Spears driving with her son, Sean, on her lap instead of in a car seat, leading to criticism from child advocates. Spears attributed the situation to a frightening encounter with paparazzi.
May 2006: Spears stops studying Kabbalah
In May 2006, Britney Spears announced she no longer studied Kabbalah, explaining, "my baby is my religion".
August 2006: Nude Photo for Harper's Bazaar
In August 2006, Britney Spears posed nude for the cover of Harper's Bazaar. The photograph was compared to Demi Moore's August 1991 Vanity Fair cover.
September 2006: Birth of Second Son, Jayden James
In September 2006, Britney Spears gave birth to her second son, Jayden James.
November 2006: Filing for Divorce from Kevin Federline
In November 2006, Britney Spears filed for divorce from Kevin Federline, citing irreconcilable differences.
January 2007: Death of Maternal Aunt, Sandra Bridges Covington
In January 2007, Britney Spears' maternal aunt, Sandra Bridges Covington, with whom she had been very close, died of ovarian cancer.
May 2007: The M+M's Tour
In May 2007, Britney Spears produced a series of promotional concerts at House of Blues venues, titled The M+M's Tour.
July 2007: Finalization of Divorce from Kevin Federline
In July 2007, Britney Spears and Kevin Federline's divorce was finalized, and they agreed to share joint custody of their sons.
October 2007: Loss of Custody of Sons
In October 2007, Britney Spears lost physical custody of her sons to Kevin Federline. The reasons of the court ruling were not revealed to the public.
December 2007: Relationship with Adnan Ghalib
In December 2007, Britney Spears began a relationship with paparazzo Adnan Ghalib.
January 2008: Institutionalization and Conservatorship
In January 2008, Britney Spears was institutionalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center due to her worsening mental condition, after she refused to relinquish custody of her sons to Kevin Federline's representatives. Her visitation rights were suspended, Federline was given sole custody, and she was placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold. By February, her father Jamie filed for temporary conservatorship.
July 2008: Regaining Visitation Rights
In July 2008, Britney Spears regained some visitation rights after coming to an agreement with Kevin Federline and his counsel.
2008: Conservatorship and Circus Album
In 2008, Britney Spears was placed under a conservatorship and also recorded the album Circus.
2009: Alleged End Date of Conservatorship
In January 2019 allegations arose that Britney Spears' conservatorship was supposed to have ended in 2009, which fueled the #FreeBritney movement.
2011: Closure of the Foundation
In 2011, after Britney Spears went through conservatorship, her father and lawyer Andrew Wallet zeroed out the Britney Spears Foundation, leading to its closure.
2013: Spears calls 'Britney and Kevin: Chaotic' the worst thing she's done in her career
In a 2013 interview, Britney Spears referred to the show 'Britney and Kevin: Chaotic' as "probably the worst thing I've done in my career".
October 24, 2015: Donation to Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation
On October 24, 2015, Britney Spears donated $120,000 to the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation. She also donated $1 from each ticket sale for her Las Vegas residency, Britney: Piece of Me to the NCCF, and fundraised through social media and limited edition merchandise sales.
October 27, 2016: Britney Spears Piece of Me Charity Ride
On October 27, 2016, Britney Spears partnered with Zappos and XCYCLE to host the Britney Spears Piece of Me Charity Ride in Boca Park, Las Vegas. The event aimed to raise money for the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation, building on the $450,000 already raised from ticket sales and merchandise. Participants had the chance to win a spin class with Spears, and the event raised $553,130.
March 2017: Britney: Live in Concert World Tour Announcement
In March 2017, Britney Spears announced that her residency concert would be performed abroad as a world tour, named Britney: Live in Concert, with tour dates in select Asian cities.
April 2017: Israeli Labor Party Reschedules Primary Election
In April 2017, the Israeli Labor Party announced that it would reschedule its July primary election to avoid conflict with Britney Spears' sold-out Tel Aviv concert, citing traffic and security concerns.
December 31, 2017: Final Show of Britney: Piece of Me
On December 31, 2017, Britney Spears performed the final show of Britney: Piece of Me. The final performance reportedly brought in $1.172 million, setting a new box office record for a single show in Las Vegas.
January 2018: Release of Sunset Fantasy Perfume and Announcement of Piece of Me Tour
In January 2018, Britney Spears released her 24th perfume, Sunset Fantasy, with Elizabeth Arden. She also announced the Piece of Me Tour, which was set to take place in July 2018.
March 20, 2018: Campaign for Kenzo
On March 20, 2018, Britney Spears was announced as part of a campaign for French luxury fashion house Kenzo. The company aimed to shake up the 'jungle' world of fashion with Spears' 'La Collection Memento No. 2' campaign.
April 27, 2018: Partnership with Epic Rights for Fashion Line
On April 27, 2018, Epic Rights announced a new partnership with Britney Spears to debut her own fashion line in 2019, which would include clothing, fitness apparel, accessories, and electronics.
July 2018: Piece of Me Tour in North America and Europe
In July 2018, Britney Spears' Piece of Me Tour took place in North America and Europe. Pitbull was the supporting act for the European leg.
October 18, 2018: Announcement of Britney: Domination Residency
On October 18, 2018, Britney Spears announced her second Las Vegas residency show, Britney: Domination, which was set to launch at Park MGM's Park Theatre on February 13, 2019.
October 21, 2018: Performance at Formula One Grand Prix in Austin
On October 21, 2018, Britney Spears performed at the Formula One Grand Prix in Austin, which was the final performance of her Piece of Me Tour.
January 4, 2019: Indefinite Hiatus and Cancellation of Las Vegas Residency
On January 4, 2019, Britney Spears announced an indefinite hiatus and the cancellation of her Las Vegas residency after her father, Jamie, suffered a near-fatal colon rupture.
January 2019: Allegations and Conservatorship Controversy
In January 2019 Britney Spears was allegedly held in a facility against her will after violating a no-driving rule, sparking the #FreeBritney movement.
February 13, 2019: Britney: Domination Set to Launch
Britney Spears' second Las Vegas residency show, Britney: Domination, was set to launch on February 13, 2019, at Park MGM's Park Theatre.
March 2019: Resignation of Co-Conservator and Psychiatric Facility Admission
In March 2019, Andrew Wallet resigned as co-conservator of Britney Spears' estate after 11 years. That same month, Spears entered a psychiatric facility amidst stress from her father's illness.
April 22, 2019: Fans Protest for Spears' Release
On April 22, 2019, fans protested outside the West Hollywood City Hall and demanded Britney Spears' release from the psychiatric facility.
May 2019: Hearing and Professional Evaluation of Conservatorship
In May 2019, Judge Brenda Penny ordered a professional evaluation of Britney Spears' conservatorship.
2019: Fashion Line Debut
In 2019, Britney Spears was set to debut her own fashion line in partnership with Epic Rights, including clothing, fitness apparel, accessories, and electronics.
2019: Withdrawal from Touring and Conservatorship Case
In 2019, Britney Spears withdrew from regular concert touring to focus on her conservatorship case, which led to the #FreeBritney movement.
February 2020: Opening of "The Zone" Interactive Museum
In February 2020, an interactive pop-up museum dedicated to Britney Spears, called "The Zone", opened in Los Angeles, but it was later suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 2020: #DoYourPartChallenge Participation
In March 2020, Britney Spears participated in the #DoYourPartChallenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. She offered supportive words to fans on Instagram, selecting three fans to receive personalized messages.
August 17, 2020: Court Filing Regarding Conservatorship
On August 17, 2020, Britney Spears' court-appointed lawyer submitted a court filing documenting her desire to alter her conservatorship, instate Jodi Montgomery as her permanent conservator, and replace Jamie Spears with a fiduciary.
November 2020: Approval of Bessemer Trust as Co-Conservator
In November 2020, Penny approved Bessemer Trust as co-conservator of Britney Spears' estate alongside Jamie Spears.
February 2021: Premiere of Framing Britney Spears Documentary
In February 2021, the documentary Framing Britney Spears, which explores Britney Spears' career and conservatorship, premiered on FX.
February 2021: Extension of Conservatorship Arrangement
On August 21, 2020, the established conservatorship arrangement for Britney Spears was extended until February 2021.
June 2021: Britney Spears Speaks to the Court About Conservatorship
In June 2021, Britney Spears spoke to the court, calling the conservatorship "abusive." Her statement received widespread media coverage and generated significant online support.
August 5, 2021: Conversion to Catholicism
On August 5, 2021, Britney Spears announced that she had converted to Catholicism.
2021: Conservatorship Dissolved and Documentary
In 2021, Britney Spears' conservatorship was dissolved after she publicly testified against her family and management, and the documentary Framing Britney Spears was released.
February 2022: $15 Million Book Deal
In February 2022 Britney Spears signed a $15 million book deal.
April 2022: Pregnancy Announcement
In April 2022, Britney Spears announced her pregnancy with Sam Asghari's child.
September 5, 2022: Statement on Atheism
On September 5, 2022, Britney Spears stated that she no longer believed in God due to her family's treatment of her, declaring herself an atheist.
January 24, 2023: Welfare Check at Spears' Residence
On January 24, 2023, deputies from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office performed a welfare check at Britney Spears' residence after receiving concerned calls from fans following her deleting her Instagram account.
September 2023: Welfare Check Initiated After Instagram Video
In September 2023, an additional welfare check was initiated when Britney Spears posted an Instagram video of herself dancing with knives, but her security team assured authorities that there was no immediate threat to her safety.
October 2023: Publication of "The Woman in Me" Memoir
In October 2023, Britney Spears published her second memoir, "The Woman in Me", which details her rise to fame, public media events, her conservatorship, and her newfound freedom. It sold 1.1 million copies in the United States and 2.4 million copies worldwide in its first week.
2023: Admission of Affair with Wade Robson
In 2023, Britney Spears admitted to engaging in an affair with Wade Robson. As a response to rumors, Spears wrote the ballad "Everytime" with Annet Artani.
2023: Memoir Release
In 2023, Britney Spears' memoir, The Woman in Me, debuted atop The New York Times Best Seller list.
January 2024: Reports of Songwriting Collaboration
In January 2024, reports circulated that Charli XCX and Julia Michaels had been asked to write songs for Britney Spears, although Spears later denied that she would return to the music industry.
February 2024: Partnership with Glace for "Britney Brûlée"
In February 2024, Britney Spears collaborated with New York City dessert shop Glace to create the "Britney Brûlée" dessert. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of this dessert was donated to The Trevor Project.
May 2024: Charli XCX Confirms Songwriting Request
In May 2024, Charli XCX confirmed that she was indeed asked to write songs for Britney Spears, for which she traveled to Malibu, but that she did not know if Spears was a part of the process.
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