The latest in a tradition of teenage pop singers that has included Debbie Gibson and, for a time, Alanis Morrisette, Britney Spears has risen to the top of the charts before reaching the age of eighteen. She was born on December 2nd, 1981 in Kentwood, Louisiana, a town of about 1200 people. She started out performing in local dance reviews and singing in church choirs. When she was eight, she auditioned for “The Mickey Mouse Club”, a revival of the popular late 50’s TV show. She was turned down because of her age but she impressed the producers enough that they referred her to an agent in New York.

Spears spent the next three summers studying at the prestigious Off-Broadway Dance Center and at the Professional Performing Arts School. When she was ten, she won the lead part in the Off-Broadway play “Ruthless”. She played a bad girl that fooled people into thinking that she was good. The play was based on the 1956 thriller The Bad Seed.

At eleven, Spears once again auditioned for “MMC”. This time she won the spot. Among the performers who also starred in the show at the time were Joshua “JC” Chasez and Justin Timberlake, both of whom would go on to fame and fortune with the pop group N’Sync. Spears appeared on the show until she was fourteen, when she returned to Kentwood for a year of high school.

After a “normal” year of high school, Spears was once again caught up with the desire to travel and perform. She auditioned for a pop group that was being put together by Jive Records, the home of the Backstreet Boys. She was turned down for the group but was awarded a solo contract. While she finished high school through tutors, her debut album was produced by Eric Foster White (Whitney Houston, Hi-Five) and Max Martin (Robyn, Backstreet Boys, Ace of Base).

Jive records then went on an aggressive marketing campaign. One of her songs was included on a Backstreet Boys sampler. Anyone who requested the Backstreet Boys’ “I’ll Never Break Your Heart” was given a free copy of her video. She was given extensive coverage in teen magazines such as Superteen, Bop, Teen Machine, and Teen People. She appeared in the teen oriented “Dawson’s Creek”. She was also featured in a McDonald’s ad and signed a modelling contract with Tommy Hilfiger. She filmed a video for “…Baby One More Time” that featured her in a short dress and elaborate choreography in a high school. The video was given extensive airplay. “…Baby One More Time” and its accompanying album quickly shot to number one in the US and Canada. She became the youngest artist ever to have her debut album and single go to number one.

Now a major star, Spears embarked on a tour with N’Sync and signed up with their management. She soon became the subject of controversy with her appearance in Rolling Stone. Many complained that a minor should not appear in magazines posing provocatively. More controversy was created by rumours, which she would neither confirm nor deny, that she had breast implants. Recently, she had to delay the filming for the video to her second video, “Sometimes”, after she had to have surgery on her knee.

With Spears now at the top of the music industry, one has to ask how long it will last. The teenage demographic that makes up the main part of her fan base are notoriously fickle. Just remember The New Kids on the Block and how poorly their last album sold. With that said, even is she does fade from public prominence, it does not mean that she is gone for good. Alanis Morissette and to a lesser degree Debbie Gibson both disappeared from the limelight, only to return years later more mature and in more control of their music. Only time will tell what will happen to Britney Spears.