Britney Spears in bikini

Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer and entertainer. Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Spears first appeared on national television in 1992 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993 to 1994 with fellow singer Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake. In 1997, Spears signed a recording contract with Jive, releasing her debut album ...Baby One More Time in 1999. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with over 25 millions copies sold, and established her as a pop icon and "bona fide pop phenomenon", credited for influencing the revival of teen pop in the late 1990s.[2]
In the years following her ascent to pop superstar, Spears's personal life has been a frequent subject of celebrity and tabloid journalism. Spears has been married twice, most notably to Kevin Federline, has two children, and was the subject of a reality TV show with Federline in Britney & Kevin: Chaotic.
According to Zomba Label Group and Sony Music, Spears has sold over 85 million records worldwide.[3][4][5] She is ranked as the eighth best-selling female recording artist in the U.S. with 35 million copies of her albums certified by the RIAA,[6] and is currently the fifth best-selling artist act of the decade in the country, as well as the top-selling female artist.[7] Spears is also ranked by Forbes 2009 issue as the 13th most powerful celebrity, and with earnings of over $35 million dollars in 2009, the 2nd-highest earning young musician of the year.