by Janet Grischy

Created on: February 24, 2008

Will Britney's new album revive her singing career? Yes it will. If not, the next one will, or the the one after that. She's a determined person, with a legion of fans, a striking body of work, and a strong desire to rise above her personal troubles.

Change the subject. Remember Judy Garland? Of course. At 16, Judy delighted us as Dorothy in Wizard of Oz. She'd first stepped on stage at age two and a half.

Britney was a little older than that. Here's an evaluation from a talent scout/casting director for The New Mickey Mouse Club, Matt Casella: "I'd never seen a child with the dancing, singing, and gymnastic skills that this child had at 8 years old." Britney impressed him, but not just with her practiced technical abilities: "She knew at a very young age how to turn the switch and go out there and entertain the audience." She didn't get the part, because she was too young. So she continued working at other jobs in the industry, until Disney hired her at age eleven.

She worked on Mouse Club until it went off the air. Soon after that, she auditioned for Jive Records. They signed her, and trained and groomed her. She became a pop princess. She was seventeen.

Her first four albums went platinum. Many adults had still never heard of her. From her sales numbers, we know that many had. For her third album, Britney co-wrote five tracks. On her fourth studio album, she co-wrote 8 songs, and co-produced. She seemed to be trying to gain some control, to move away from being a product, towards being more of an artist.

Once, the people who followed her career only knew her from her music. They had attended her over-the top-concerts or seen her scandalous videos. Some of these videos are hard to watch because of the precocious sexuality, and the apparent desire to shock. She seems to take her cue from Madonna. Still, you can see she she's having fun, and she lets her audience join the party. One video though, is especially hard to look at now. It's called Everytime' and it seems to show the artist practicing for suicide. Some say this video relates to her personal life. Britney has said it's about re-incarnation.

Now Britney's famous for her long public breakdown. Did you know Judy Garland had a breakdown at the age of 25? Afterward, she went back and finished the film she'd been making when it happened. She picked up her career and thrilled many more fans, lightened many more lives. As a matter of fact, Judy Garland had more marriages. She had a great gift, and she shared it extravagantly. So can Britney Spears.

Biography' episode: Britney Spears
http:// youtube.com/user/BritneyTV
http://en.wikipedia.org/wi ki/Britney_Spears

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