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, the "Princess of Pop," is a highly influential American singer and one of the best-selling music artists globally, with over 150 million records sold. She is credited with spearheading the revival of teen pop in the late 1990s and early 2000s and became the best-selling teenage artist of all time. Spears remains a significant figure in popular music.
December 2, 1981: Britney Spears Born
On December 2, 1981, Britney Jean Spears was born. She would later be referred to as the "Princess of Pop", and become one of the world's best-selling music artists.
1994: Returned to Mississippi and enrolled at McComb's Parklane Academy
After The All-New Mickey Mouse Club was canceled in 1994, Britney Spears returned to Mississippi and enrolled at McComb's Parklane Academy.
December 1998: Charting Success and Market Shift
In December 1998, Britney Spears' single and video were charting highly, dramatically changing the market and leading RCA Records to sign Christina Aguilera to capitalize on Spears' success.
April 1999: Rolling Stone Cover Controversy
In April 1999, Britney Spears' Rolling Stone cover, featuring her in suggestive attire, caused controversy and led to calls for a boycott of her albums by the American Family Association.
September 1999: Jessica Simpson Charts with "I Wanna Love You Forever"
In September 1999, Jessica Simpson consciously modeled her persona as more mature than Spears and charted her song "I Wanna Love You Forever".
September 7, 2000: Performed at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards
On September 7, 2000, Britney Spears performed at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, where she ripped off her black suit to reveal a sequined flesh-colored bodysuit, followed by a heavy dance routine. This performance is noted as the moment that Spears showed signs of becoming a more provocative performer.
September 11, 2001: Terrorist Attacks of September 11
On September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks occurred, which later prompted the Britney Spears Foundation to provide a grant to the Twin Towers Fund in April 2002 to support the children of uniformed service heroes affected by the attacks.
2001: Release of "Britney" Album and Image Shift
In 2001, with the release of her album "Britney", Britney Spears began to shed her innocent image, transitioning to a more mature and adult persona.
April 2002: Grant to Twin Towers Fund
In April 2002, Britney Spears and The Britney Spears Foundation made a grant of $1 million to the Twin Towers Fund to support the children of uniformed service heroes affected by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
June 2002: Opening of Nyla Restaurant
In June 2002, Britney Spears opened her first restaurant, Nyla, in New York City.
July 2002: Taking a Break from Career
In July 2002, Britney Spears announced she would take a six-month break from her career.
November 2002: End of relationship with Justin Timberlake and Timberlake released the song "Cry Me a River"
In November 2002, Britney Spears' relationship with Justin Timberlake ended after three years and Timberlake released the song "Cry Me a River".
2003: Comments on President George W. Bush and Iraq War
In 2003, Britney Spears commented on President George W. Bush and the Iraq War, expressing trust in the president's decisions, which were later included in Michael Moore's documentary.
July 2004: Engagement to Kevin Federline
In July 2004, Britney Spears became engaged to dancer Kevin Federline, three months after they met.
September 18, 2004: Wedding Ceremony with Kevin Federline
On September 18, 2004, Britney Spears held a wedding ceremony with Kevin Federline, but they were not legally married until three weeks later.
October 2004: Release of Curious Perfume and Career Break
In October 2004, Britney Spears released her first perfume, Curious, and took a career break to start a family.
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: Driving Incident with Son Sean
In February 2006, photos surfaced of Britney Spears driving with her son, Sean, on her lap instead of in a car seat, causing controversy.
May 2006: No Longer Studying Kabbalah
In May 2006, Britney Spears announced she no longer studied Kabbalah, stating, "my baby is my religion".
August 2006: Harper's Bazaar Cover
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.
2006: Personal Problems and Public Image Decline
In 2006, Britney Spears faced highly publicized personal problems that negatively impacted her career and public image.
January 2007: Death of Sandra Bridges Covington
In January 2007, Britney Spears' maternal aunt, Sandra Bridges Covington, died of ovarian cancer.
July 2007: Finalization of Divorce from Kevin Federline
In July 2007, Britney Spears' divorce from Kevin Federline 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.
December 2007: Relationship with Adnan Ghalib
In December 2007, Britney Spears began a relationship with paparazzo Adnan Ghalib.
2007: High Photo Sales
In 2007, photos of Britney Spears sold for a combined value of $100 million, highlighting her status as a tabloid fixture and paparazzi target.
January 2008: Hospitalization and Conservatorship
In January 2008, Britney Spears was hospitalized after refusing to relinquish custody of her sons and was placed under a conservatorship led by her father, Jamie Spears, and attorney Andrew Wallet.
July 2008: Regaining Visitation Rights
In July 2008, Britney Spears regained some visitation rights to her sons after coming to an agreement with Kevin Federline.
2008: Suffered mental breakdown and conservatorship
In 2008, Britney Spears suffered a mental breakdown and was involuntarily placed in a conservatorship.
January 2009: Restraining order against Lutfi, Ghalib, and Eardley
In January 2009, Britney Spears and her father Jamie obtained a restraining order against Sam Lutfi, Adnan Ghalib, and Jon Eardley, accusing them of conspiring to control her affairs.
May 2010: Relationship with Jason Trawick Confirmed
In May 2010, Britney Spears' representatives confirmed her relationship with her agent, Jason Trawick, and their decision to end their professional relationship to focus on their personal one.
2010: Inspiration for Character in 'Country Strong'
In 2010, Gwyneth Paltrow's character in the film 'Country Strong' was inspired by Britney Spears' treatment by the media.
December 2011: Engagement to Jason Trawick
In December 2011, Britney Spears became engaged to Jason Trawick.
2011: Closure of The Britney Spears 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.
January 2013: End of Engagement with Jason Trawick
In January 2013, Britney Spears and Jason Trawick ended their engagement.
October 2014: Relationship with Charlie Ebersol
In October 2014, Britney Spears began dating television producer Charlie Ebersol.
October 24, 2015: Donation to Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation
On October 24, 2015, Britney Spears donated $120,000 to the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation. In addition, $1 of each ticket sale for her Las Vegas residency, Britney: Piece of Me, was donated to the nonprofit organization. Spears also fundraised for the charity through social media, and sold limited edition merchandise, with all proceeds going to the NCCF.
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, to raise additional money toward her goal of $1 million for the NCCF. Participants were entered for a chance to win a spin class with Spears herself. The event ultimately went on to raise $553,130.
2016: Meeting with Hillary Clinton
In 2016, Britney Spears posted pictures of a meeting with Hillary Clinton on social media, expressing admiration for Clinton as an inspiration and voice for women.
April 2017: Israeli Election Rescheduled Due to Tel Aviv Concert
In April 2017, the Israeli Labor Party announced it would reschedule its July primary election to avoid conflict with Britney Spears' sold-out Tel Aviv concert, citing traffic and security concerns.
December 2017: Support for the DREAM Act
In December 2017, Britney Spears publicly showed support for the DREAM Act by posting a photo of herself wearing a "We Are All Dreamers" T-shirt, advocating for Congress to pass the act.
2017: Reflection on Mental Health and Career Breaks
In 2017, Britney Spears reflected on the need to prioritize her mental health and take breaks during her career, acknowledging past struggles and the desire to please others.
January 4, 2019: Indefinite Hiatus and Residency Cancellation
On January 4, 2019, Britney Spears announced an indefinite hiatus and the cancellation of her Las Vegas residency after her father suffered a near-fatal colon rupture.
March 2019: Conservator Resignation and Psychiatric Facility
In March 2019, Andrew Wallet resigned as co-conservator of Britney Spears' estate. Spears also 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 West Hollywood City Hall, demanding Britney Spears' release from the facility.
May 2019: Judge Orders Evaluation of Conservatorship
In May 2019, Judge Brenda Penny ordered a professional evaluation of Britney Spears' conservatorship.
2019: #FreeBritney movement
In 2019, Britney Spears' legal battle over her conservatorship led to the establishment of the #FreeBritney movement.
February 2020: "The Zone" Pop-Up Museum Opens in Los Angeles
In February 2020, an interactive pop-up museum dedicated to Britney Spears, dubbed "The Zone", opened in Los Angeles, though it was later suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 2020: #DoYourPartChallenge Participation
In March 2020, Britney Spears participated in the #DoYourPartChallenge, helping people with needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. She invited fans to send her messages on Instagram for supportive words, choosing three fans to connect with.
August 17, 2020: Court Filing Regarding Conservatorship Wishes
On August 17, 2020, Britney Spears' lawyer submitted a court filing documenting her desire to alter her conservatorship, instate Montgomery as permanent conservator, and replace Jamie as conservator of her estate.
November 2020: Bessemer Trust Approved as Co-Conservator
In November 2020, Penny approved Bessemer Trust as co-conservator of Britney Spears' estate alongside Jamie.
February 2021: Framing Britney Spears Documentary Premiere
In February 2021, Framing Britney Spears, a documentary about Britney Spears' career and conservatorship, premiered on FX.
June 2021: Spears Speaks Out Against Conservatorship in Court
In June 2021, Britney Spears spoke to the court calling the conservatorship "abusive". Her court statement received widespread media coverage, generating over 1 million shares on Twitter, over 500,000 messages using the tag #FreeBritney, and more than 150,000 messages with a new hashtag referencing the court appearance, #BritneySpeaks.
August 5, 2021: Converted to Catholicism
On August 5, 2021, Britney Spears announced that she had converted to Catholicism.
September 15, 2021: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People
On September 15, 2021, Britney Spears was named one of Time's 100 most influential people of 2021, recognizing her impact and fight against her conservatorship.
October 2021: Gratitude for #FreeBritney Movement
In October 2021, Britney Spears thanked her fans and the #FreeBritney movement for "freeing me from my conservatorship", acknowledging their role in her personal liberation.
2021: Conservatorship terminated and Framing Britney Spears documentary
In 2021, Britney Spears' conservatorship was terminated, following her public testimony where she accused her management team and family of abuse. Also, the documentary Framing Britney Spears was released.
April 2022: Pregnancy Announcement
In April 2022, Britney Spears announced her pregnancy with Sam Asghari's child.
September 5, 2022: Declared Atheism
On September 5, 2022, Britney Spears declared that she doesn't believe in God anymore and is an atheist due to the way her children and family have treated her.
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 due to her deleted Instagram account. She was found to be safe and in no danger.
September 2023: Welfare Check Initiated After Knife-Dancing Video
In September 2023, an additional welfare check was initiated when Britney Spears posted an Instagram video of herself dancing with knives, which her security team clarified were not real.
2023: Affair with Wade Robson Admitted
In 2023, Britney Spears admitted to engaging in an affair with choreographer Wade Robson.
2023: The Woman in Me memoir release
In 2023, Britney Spears released her memoir, The Woman in Me, which reached number one on The New York Times Best Seller list in its first week of release.
2023: Revealed abortion experience
In her 2023 memoir, Britney Spears revealed that she had an abortion in late 2000 while dating Justin Timberlake, after he said they were not prepared for parenthood.
January 2024: Reports of Songwriting for Spears
In January 2024, reports circulated that Charli XCX and Julia Michaels were asked to write songs for Britney Spears, but Spears denied them, saying she would never return to the music industry but that she had written songs for other artists.
February 2024: Partnership with Glace for "Britney Brûlée" dessert
In February 2024, Britney Spears partnered with New York City dessert shop Glace to create the "Britney Brûlée" dessert, with a portion of the proceeds from its sales being donated to The Trevor Project.
May 1, 2024: Divorce Settlement Reached
On May 1, 2024, Britney Spears and Sam Asghari reached a divorce settlement.
May 2024: Charli XCX Confirms Writing for Spears
In May 2024, Charli XCX confirmed in an interview that she was asked to write for Britney Spears, but she did not know if Spears was a part of the process, explaining that "the team were present... But she didn't record it. She obviously didn't."
December 2, 2024: Divorce Finalized
On December 2, 2024, the judge signed off on the divorce settlement between Britney Spears and Sam Asghari, finalizing their divorce.
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