On this day of October 24, 2023, bookstores were filled with fans of the global popstar, Britney Spears. Indeed, they were more than impatient to immerse themselves in the poignant story of the interpreter of Toxic, who released his memoirs today. A memorable day, since the singer had been forced into silence for more than a decade due to the guardianship imposed by her family. At 41, Britney Spears thus breaks the chains of silence and reveals, in The Woman in me (editions JC Lattès in France), its struggles, its pains and its triumphs. His goal ? Reclaiming a story that was stolen from them for too long. “I didn’t write this book with the aim of insulting anyone! It’s the past, I don’t like the press headlines I’m reading”, commented the star on Friday October 20, 2023, on her Instagram account. With nearly 300 pages, she depicts, without filter, the abuse and betrayals she faced, notably by her father, mother and sister.
The Britney Spears saga
The story begins with the portrait of a child from a modest background, with an alcoholic father dominated by tyranny. “Disagreement was not tolerated”report our colleagues from Franceinfo, who revealed extracts from the work. She depicts a childhood rocked by intensive dance lessons in New York at the age of 11, stealing from her his childish carefreeness. But success comes with Baby One More Time, propelling her to global superstardom at just 16 years old. A golden period then began when she started a relationship with singer Justin Timberlake. However, she reveals that she became pregnant and had an abortion, a decision she deeply regrets. The breakup with the singer was amplified in the media, specifically with his music video Cry Me a River, where he expressed his version of the facts, tarnishing the public image of Britney Spears. The year 2007 marked its collapse. Media pressure, two children to take care of, chaotic personal life… She tells her story without filter “descent into hell”and in particular the head shaving episode in Los Angeles, which she describes as a cry of distress: “It was a way of saying ‘Fuck you'”. While the world saw her collapse, she continued to work, feeling the exploitation of her family: “I came into this world to fund their bank account”. But in 2019, the singer found the strength to fight, and in 2021, the guardianship was finally lifted. Now, Britney Spears wants to focus on her inner peacetemporarily putting aside his musical career.