10 Facts You Most Likely Didn't Know About Britney Spears

After capturing the world’s attention with her dance moves and musical prowess, we set out to look for facts about Britney Spears that only the most diehard fans would know.

After …Baby One More Time came out in 1998 (yes, 1998), our lives were never the same. It was like the world had a cultural reset. We were glued to the name ‘Britney Spears,’ waiting in anticipation of what her next hit would be. Especially for 90s kids, the 2000s were the primetime that would be referenced again and again, and Britney is certainly one of the stars we fondly remember.

So, to celebrate how we’re never letting go of our golden years, here are some lesser-known facts about Britney Spears.

[Hero and featured image credit: Britney Spears/Facebook]

10 Facts You Most Likely Didn’t Know About Britney Spears

1. Britney Spears’ first televised gig was for Maull’s

Britney’s first credited acting role was in a Maull’s barbecue sauce commercial in 1993 as “Girl.” Interestingly, she went on to star in another commercial in 1995 for American telecommunications company BellSouth, playing the riveting role of “Girl on Phone.”

2. …Baby One More Time was almost very different from what we know

Britney Spears’ debut single …Baby One More Time was originally written for girl group TLC, but the lyrics didn’t appeal to them. Originally, the record company wanted the music video to be animated with a Power Rangers theme, but Britney didn’t like the idea and suggested the Catholic schoolgirl concept instead. The school they used to film the music video is also the same one used in Grease.

3. Britney has various aliases

It’s not uncommon for celebrities to use aliases when checking into hotels to avoid attention and preserve anonymity. Britney revealed that she uses “a ton” of aliases in her 2009 biography Britney: Inside the Dream, as well as on Carpool Karaoke with James Corden. The names include Ms. Alotta Warmheart, Ms. Diana Prince, Mrs. Abra Cadabra, Chastity Montgomery, and, of course, Anita Dick.

4. The two biggest songs Britney Spears passed on

Initially, Lady Gaga wrote the iconic track Telephone for Britney Spears to be included in her album ‘Circus,’ but she rejected it. Gaga then kept it for herself, and we’re glad she did. It was that rejection that gave us the iconic duo that to this day, never got a sequel despite the cliffhanger ending. Britney also rejected Umbrella, which later got passed onto Mary J. Blige, and then to Rihanna.

5. Britney Spears was once in a girl group

Formed in 1997, Britney joined a girl group named “Innosense” with Danay Ferrer, Mandy Ashford, Nikki DeLoach, and Amanda Latona. They took inspiration from boy bands like NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, and marketed to be a sort of American Spice Girls. They disbanded in 2003 for each member to pursue solo projects as they couldn’t make chart-topping singles.

6. Britney’s appearance on The X Factor

Britney Spears sat at the judges’ panel in the second season of The X Factor back in 2012, and became the highest-paid celebrity judge in TV history, having negotiated a USD 15 million contract for a single season. She was then dethroned by Katy Perry and her USD 25 million contract for American Idol.

7. Britney’s favourite music video

Out of all her legendary music videos, her favourite is actually Overprotected, released in 2001. “I just think it says a lot. It was directed so well, it was really colourful, and the dancing was amazing,” Britney said in an interview. Rightfully so, the song is considered highly underrated by many of her fans.

8. Britney’s many inspirations

Britney has mentioned a number of industry icons that inspire her work. She has mentioned that she sees herself giving the energy of Sheryl Crow, that Mariah Carey is the reason she started singing, and that her three favourite artists as a child include Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Whitney Houston. Other names that have popped up in various interviews include Shania Twain, Cher, Prince, and Michael Jackson.

9. Close friendship with Natalie Portman

Actress Natalie Portman and Britney have known each other since they were ten years old, as they were both understudies for the lead role of Tina Denmark in the all-female off-Broadway musical Ruthless. She also mentioned that if she ever made a biopic, she would want Natalie to play the role of Britney.

10. Britney Spears’ entry on Wikipedia has some of the most references ever

Seeing that Britney has been very active after her conservatorship, as well as coming out with a new biography, the star’s Wikipedia reference count is currently at 520. This puts her on the eighth spot in the “musicians” category, the highest being Brian Wilson with 662 references.

If you’re interested in knowing the article with the highest reference count ever, it’s weirdly “COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan” with 1,013 references, interestingly followed by Joseph Stalin with 965.

The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

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