The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
Two, maybe even three, generations had lived for and loved Britney Spears over the past couple of decades. Her music is the soundtrack to many lives; her life is what sold millions of tabloids to little girls and boys — now women and men — who worship her. We were there for her triumphs, her failures, her embarrassment, her rage … We were there for almost everything, thanks to the paparazzi who hounded her day and night, but it’s only now, so many years later, that we’re allowed a glimpse into the private life of one of history’s greatest performers with her tell-all memoir, The Woman in Me.
A Cautionary Tale Begins
Her memoir starts off relaying parts of her childhood, where generational trauma had seen her father turn into an abusive alcoholic and her mother having to try and cope with it all while raising two young children. Soon, however, readers are transported to Britney’s early days in the industry, where she meets fellow pop icons: Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling, Christina Aguilera, and so on. The journey she takes readers on is powerful, emotional, and even nostalgic to some degree, especially when we are given an inside look at her relationship with Timberlake — a relationship that would eventually villainize her while catapulting him into stardom.
While there are bombshells being dropped here and there in the first section of the book about what happened during her early days in the industry, Britney Spears isn’t nearly as unkind as she could have been. Her abortion is an emotional revelation, her break-up with Timberlake was a rollercoaster ride, and the way she was treated by interviewers was appalling.
The Brawl, A Wedding, And K-Fed
Britney Spears’ tumultuous life doesn’t come to a grinding halt after the explosive ending of her first public relationship, even if certain parties (ahem … Justin Timberlake … ahem) probably wished it had. She moved on, though saddened and heartbroken, and tells readers about a short-lived, albeit passionate “brawl” with Colin Farrell, who at the time was definitely one of the sexiest men alive. We learn about her first wedding, the chaos that ensued with her family, the fallout …
Then, Britney dives into meeting Kevin Federline, marrying him, having his children back-to-back, the divorce, and the custody battle. She was in love, and had an idea of what their lives would be, but ultimately he had used her for his own personal gain. What’s more, he used their children — continues to use them — against her for monetary gains.
Truthfully, what fans saw in the tabloids and what had actually transpired are two very different stories. As any new mother would tell you, mistakes happen even to the best of us. Add in the paparazzi, post-partum depression, a philandering husband, and the scrutiny of the masses, and things will quickly spiral out of control.
Her life at that time was framed through a lens that made her out to be a trainwreck who was a danger to herself and to others, specifically her children. This, paired with a couple of highly publicized incidents, would lead to her losing complete control of her life.
The Conservatorship
Britney Spears’ conservatorship, which most fans probably know about, is “the darkest time of my life”. For thirteen years she “went with it” for her boys. She exchanged her freedom for her children, regardless of how she was psychologically, verbally, medically, and most famously financially abused by people who were supposed to love her. Everything about her was controlled to such an extent that she lost her love for music.
This memoir, while full of jaw-dropping revelations, shows that not everything is as it appears. A fairy tale life, a flourishing young woman who simply needed the guidance of her loving family, was all for show. There may have been rumors about her mistreatment in the early days of her conservatorship, but the extent of the damage was unknown until now.
As a die-hard Britney fan, it is painful to look back at those years and realize our adoration probably hurt her more than it helped. We unknowingly fed a greedy machine, which forced her to perform like a monkey day in and day out, all because we wanted more from Britney Spears. We didn’t see the torture, the pain, the heartbreak … All we saw was the legend. But Britney Spears has shown the world time and time again that she is stronger than anyone gave her credit, and that no matter what, she is a woman to be reckoned with.
The Woman in Me is a fantastic, highly addictive memoir that shows Britney Spears is done living her life for others and that she’s ready to heal.
About Britney Spears:
Multi-platinum, Grammy Award–winning pop icon Britney Spears is one of the most successful and celebrated entertainers in music history, with more than 100 million records sold worldwide. In 2021, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. Spears’s album Blackout was added to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Library & Archives in 2012. She lives in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage/Getty Images)
