Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears first appeared on national television as a contestant on the Star Search program in 1992 and went on to star on the television series The New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994. After a brief membership with the pop musical group Innosense, Spears signed a recording contract with Jive Records, releasing her debut album ...Baby One More Time in 1999 which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.[1][2] The success of the album propelled Spears into stardom, establishing her as a pop icon and "bona fide pop phenomenon", credited for influencing the revival of teen pop in the late 1990s.[3]
The title-track of Spears's debut album and its accompanying music video also established her as an international sex symbol, garnering controversy over the influence of her public image on teenage girls.[3] Amidst further media scrutiny, Spears continued her career with three more consecutive number one studio albums; Oops!... I Did It Again (2000), Britney (2001), and In the Zone (2003).[4][5] Spears subsequently became the first artist in the history of Nielsen SoundScan to have four consecutive albums debut at number one. Spears's personal life began to gain substantial media attention after her marriage to Kevin Federline in 2004. Their marriage ended two years later, resulting in an ongoing custody battle over their two children, born in 2005 and 2006.[6][7]