Britney Spears is ready to tell her story at last. The long-awaited memoir from Britney Spearsis nearly here. In July, the pop-star revealed the cover and the title of the novel and we can confirm that it's called, The Woman In Me.
Britney reportedly signed a 'record breaking' publishing deal of £11m with Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Yep, that's a lot of money. And it's thought to be one 'of the biggest of all time' according to Page Six (not as much as the Obamas though, who secured a $65m deal in 2017 to write several books for Penguin Random House.)
It's of course understandable why there has been such huge demand for Britney to tell her story in her own words. In November 2021, the singer was finally free from the conservatorship which had ruled her life for the past 14 years. Her freedom meant - after her father was granted control of her affairs in 2008 - she could finally make basic decisions regarding her finances, career and personal life again.
After endless speculation about the twists and turns in her life and the nature of her 13-year-long conservatorship - Britney is finally telling her side of the story, in her own words.
Excerpts from Britney's upcoming memoir
The conservatorship made her feel like a 'child robot'
Writing in her memoir, Britney said the experience stripped her of agency, making her feel like a 'child-robot'. 'I became a robot. But not just a robot – a sort of child-robot. I had been so infantilised that I was losing pieces of what made me feel like myself … The woman in me was pushed down for a long time. They wanted me to be wild on-stage, the way they told me to be, and to be a robot the rest of the time.'
Her abortion as a teenager
Britney also reveals that she became pregnant while she and Justin Timberlake were dating – when they were 17 and 18 years old – and decided to have an abortion, which was one of the most 'agonising' things she'd ever experienced. Justin Timberlake has not responded to these claims.
The infamous head shaving scandal
In 2007, the press, especially tabloids, assumed Britney was having an emotional breakdown when she shaved her head in front of the paparazzi. In her memoir, Britney claims that it was, in fact, a reaction to the intense public scrutiny she had been under since she was a teenager.
'I’d been looked up and down, had people telling me what they thought of my body, since I was a teenager,' she wrote. 'Shaving my head and acting out were my ways of pushing back.'
Teenage drinking
Britney alleges that from as early as the eighth grade (when she would have been around 13 or 14 years old), she drank cocktails with her mother, Lynne.
'For fun … my mom and I would make the two-hour drive from Kentwood to Biloxi, Mississippi, and while we were there, we would drink daiquiris. We called our cocktails "toddies".'
'The way we drank was nothing like how my father did it. When he drank, he grew more depressed and shut down. We became happier, more alive and adventurous,' she wrote.
Child star
The singer also reveals that she went 'method' when she starred in the film Crossroads in 2002. 'I think I started method acting — only I didn’t know how to break out of my character,' she wrote in her memoir.
'Some people do method acting, but they’re usually aware of the fact that they’re doing it_._ But I didn’t have any separation at all.'
She claims she started to walk, talk and carry herself differently while she was filming – something that ultimately prompted her to quit acting.
'I hope I never get close to that occupational hazard again. Living that way, being half yourself and half a fictional character, is messed up. After a while, you don’t know what’s real anymore.'
What is Britney Spears' book The Woman In Me about?
The memoir will chronicle the singer's turbulent journey in the public eye. The inevitable bestseller will cover her rise to fame in the ’90s, her troubled relationships with her father Jamie, mother Lynn, and sister Jamie Lynn, and her historic conservatorship case with lawyer Mathew Rosengart that ultimately led to her regaining her freedom.
According to a press release from Gallery Books, the memoir promises to reveal 'for the first time her incredible journey (and) strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.' The statement continues, 'The singer’s memoir illuminates the enduring power of music and love — and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms.' Adding, 'The Woman in Me is 'a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.'
Jennifer Bergstrom, Gallery Books Senior Vice President and Publisher, told PEOPLE, 'Britney’s compelling testimony in open court shook the world, changed laws, and showed her inspiring strength and bravery.' She added, 'I have no doubt her memoir will have a similar impact — and will be the publishing event of the year. We couldn’t be more proud to help her share her story at last.'
Beyond rehashing all the family drama, there’s hope that Britney's tell-all may help to transform the conservatorship system in America, which has been widely criticised following her emotional 2021 testimony.
When will Britney Spears' memoir The Woman In Me be released?
Britney Spears' memoir The Woman In Me will be released on the 24th of October 2023. We don't have long to wait!
Can I buy Britney Spear's memoir The Woman In Me now?
Although you won't be able to get your hands on Britney Spears' book until autumn, you can pre-order it now.
Spears told the court in 2021, 'I just want my life back.' Now, with The Woman in Me, the global superstar will take a significant step toward that goal.