Spears, Britney (1981– )

US pop singer. In 1999 her debut single and album ‘Baby One More Time’ made her one of the biggest-selling musicians of the year, and made her an instant celebrity, famous as much for her youth and raunchy pop videos as for her singing. She branched out into acting in 2002 with the film Crossroads.

In 2000, she released the album Oops!...I Did it Again, which became the bestselling debut album by a solo female artist to date. The same year she was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Later albums include Britney (2001) and In the Zone (2004).

Born in rural Kentwood, Louisiana, she began acting, singing, dancing, and gymnastics as a young child. She spent several summers studying at New York City's Professional Performing Arts School and appeared in the off-Broadway play Ruthless (1991). She appeared on the US children's television series The Mickey Mouse Club (1993–94) with the likes of fellow future star Justin Timberlake. Her first single, the title track of Baby One More Time, was released in 1998 to great success, earning her an opening spot for Timberlake's band ∗NSYNC.