Britney Spears has been the centre of the news for as long as we can remember - except now, Britney Spears new name is Maria River Red. At the start of July, Britney Spears shared with fans that she had some 'great news,' revealing that she's changed her name. And in her most recent tweet, she once again reminded us that the name Britney is so last year.
Sharing a snap of her whipping out her dance moves, Britney tweeted 'Barbie would say "horrific" to no shoes. But I'm not Barbie... I'm Maria River Red.'
Indeed, a quick scan over Britney's social media will show that she is indeed going by Maria River Red now. The star joined new social media Threads under the moniker, and has updated her Instagram name as well. Why the name change? Well, we did some digging to find out...
Is Britney Spears' real name Maria River Red?
It's not known whether she's legally changed her name, but Britney certainly seems to be making the change to the new moniker Maria River Red on social media.
Why did Britney Spears change her name to Maria River Red?
Before she was Maria River Red, she was simply River Red. In January 2023, Brit announced in a since-deleted post that she was changing her name to River Red - writing 'don't underestimate the power of purity. I see right through it all … it has liquid and is wet … it’s playful and has mass !!! I changed my name to River Red !!! Yet the fire is where it illuminates … to stare at it and jump right in with no fear at all !!!!'
Fast forward to July 2023, and the star had quietly changed her name to Maria River Red, making a new Threads account under that name too. Many fans were left questioning when Britney (or should we say, Maria) changed her name - but she first gave us a hint in an Instagram reel shared on 4th July. In the post, she is having a boogie to the song Maria Maria by Santana. Some fans wonder if Brit perhaps took her new name from this song.
One fan speculated that there was a hidden meaning behind Britney's new name, insisting it was an anagram for 'I've remarried.' Of course, Britney did get married to Sam Asghari in the summer of 2022.
Others believe that it might be something to do with an upcoming album, becoming almost an alter ego (much like Beyonce's I am Sasha Fierce.) In an online forum, one user wrote 'I think Britney's always kind of played with "alter egos" like she did with Mona Lisa in the past, when she wanted to exercise more control over her actions. Besides, "Britney Spears" is a brand that so many have a stake in and an opinion of.'
'It's a shame not to use a stage name, in my opinion. My interpretation of River Red is that it's a reclamation of her identity as a free woman, a woman who is not a performer and a cash cow, and it probably has a deeper meaning known only to Britney.'
Another theory is that it could be somehow linked to her upcoming memoir, The Woman In Me, where she will open up about her 13-year-long conservatorship.
Does Britney Spears still have social media?
Britney does have social media, for now. Semi-regularly deleting her socials has become something of a habit for the Toxic singer since she was released from her 13-year conservatorship in November 2021.
She can be found on Twitter @britneyspears, on Instagram @britneyspears, and on Threads @britneyspears where her name is Maria River Red but her username remains Britney Spears.
What was Britney Spears's conservatorship?
Britney – and her literal army of devoted fans – had been fighting for her freedom from the controversial conservatorship for years, before she finally won her battle in 2021.
During those years, she says she was refused access to her own money, not allowed to make the decision to marry or have kids (she claimed in court she had been fitted with an IUD against her will), making her own friends, planning her own social life or even leave the house without express permission. Her father Jamie Spears, who was Britney's official conservator before it was lifted by a judge, denies ever having excessive control over her 'personal affairs' - including the IUD fitting.
Following the high-profile court case that would eventually lead to her long-awaited freedom, Britney wrote on Instagram, 'I apologise for pretending like I’ve been ok the past two years. I did it because of my pride and I was embarrassed to share what happened to me … but honestly who doesn’t want to capture their Instagram in a fun light! Believe it or not pretending that I’m ok has actually helped.'
And with Britney's memoir set to release Autumn, it seems the world will finally have a glimpse into the star's own world. Sharing a teaser video on her Twitter, Britney wrote 'My story, on my terms, at last.'