The One and Only Britney Spears
In just a few weeks, so few you can count the time by days if you wanted, I will journey to Las Vegas.
Whilst there I shall indulge in little-to-no gambling, but a great deal of restaurant-frequenting. Truly, however, the reason I'll make my way to Nevada is for Britney. Britney Spears. (Just in case there was any confusion.)
My path and Britney's first crossed in 1999 and you can learn all about it with my very detailed explanation of how and why I got paid to go to more than one Britney Spears concerts.
Since then, I've followed her career with one eye, sometimes half an eye, and let's be honest ... sometimes just a blink's worth of an eye. But I've followed her. I am aware.
Before you scoff at my choice, before you write her off, before you even think of whispering the words "lip sync" let me talk to you about the Britney I know.
I won't discredit Britney by calling her a "survivor", what a pedestrian way to talk about her.
Yes she has "survived". Her career beats on despite the head-shaving, ambulance-calling, custody-drama, full-on breakdown era.
But I wouldn't call her a survivor, although she is.
It's too understated.
Britney is a muse.
Britney is a muse for the late 1990s pop/boy-band/teen songstress absolute hysteria that gripped the world. Yes you had your BSB, your *NSync, your "Genie in a Bottle"-era Christina Aguilera. But it was Britney and her signature "Baby One More Time" video that broke the wave across a sea of pre-teens and teens. She was a muse for a generation of kids who longed to express themselves through sugary pop and I would argue a muse for The Disney Channel which learned (and quickly) that the teen market was a huge market and created character after character that, I would ALSO argue, seemed to be modelled after innocence-era Britney.
Britney is a muse.
Britney is a muse for Justin Timberlake. Do you think he's the more famous one? The cutest *Nsync member? An actor/singer? The creator of that super annoying song from that "Trolls" movie? (I hate that song). Justin is NOT more famous than Britney. In fact I believe the last, lukewarm spark of life that still flickers in the heart of the Britney/Justin piece of gossip continues to warm the fame of Justin. Let me also point out the guy did an entire revenge/breakup song about their split that featured a BRITNEY LOOKALIKE. (The song was "Cry Me a River", obviously.) He knows what memories keep his fame flame alive and all signs point to Britney. (I love www.laineygossip.com for continuing to point all this out long before this post.)
Britney is a muse.
Britney is a muse for those who crave the bizarre, the totally individual, the 'what the heeeck'? Proof point? Her Instagram account. Do you remember the series of weird Instagram fashion shows she did there? Also, remember when she and Justin wore matching denim outfits all those years ago? That was THE WEIRDEST. But she owned it. And I feel like it's a pretty safe bet that whole thing was her idea.
Britney is a muse.
Britney is a muse for anyone who hasn't just had a rough day ... they've had a pretty rough life. She made it through childhood pageantry, public breakups, public divorces, flashing mishaps and full-on public breakdowns. But she got back on track. She is making some serious cash in Vegas one must assume. She continues to make a solid, high-paying living off a few candy-coated hits and a lot of early-on publicity. She's made it through. She's had public embarrassment after public embarrassment and she's come back for more.
Britney is a muse.
Britney is a muse for anyone with a major dream, medium talent and the drive to make things happen. Her voice is average, but her drive? That's big. There are plenty of people with bigger voices and more warbling aptitude. But she's managed to surpass them. Because she pushes ahead. She forges ahead.
Britney is a muse.
Britney is a muse for a wide array of entertainment writers past and present (myself included) who want someone to write about. She inspires people to care, to follow her life - her poor choices, her comeback stories, her abs. She inspires gossip and profiles and photographers.
Britney is a muse.
See you soon, Brit-Brit.
