|
Britney’s image problems: That seems to be the catch phrase on every fan’s lips these days. It’s brought up each time we see a new set of candids; it’s bemoaned on every website and fan forum; it’s discussed and argued and “fixed” a million times over. And everyone has come to the same conclusion: Britney’s image is either irrevocably wrecked or will be pretty soon. I can see why people have come to this conclusion. So why do I feel so calm and undisturbed by this? Maybe it’s because I’m not in the habit of looking back and playing “what if??” It’s a cruel game and one I’ve learned (from personal experience) to carefully avoid!! Maybe it’s that I’m in a dulled state of denial, where I refuse to believe this is all there is, and this is how it will end? But mostly I think it’s because I knew this would happen. Looking at Britney at 17...young, full of dreams, cavorting down that hallway in the “Baby, One More Time” video…I somehow knew her road would not be easy, I knew she would face drama and backlash and be hurt and scarred in the process. This is not the benefit of hindsight. I can’t explain how I knew these things would happen, but I did. And though I enjoyed seeing her succeed in the early years, I always knew that the moment would come when I would be sitting here writing about her “failure”.
Britney’s story was never meant to be one that was easy. Maybe that’s where a lot of people went wrong. We assumed she was a Beyonce or a Christina: some minor difficulties, but really a triumphant story throughout. But we were wrong. It’s more likely that her story is a cautionary tale, or a story of survival. Looking at the bare facts, it’s hard to really think that Britney had the ground stones to build a legendarily enviable lifestyle: she sold millions of records, but her talent was questioned constantly; she was internationally famous, but she was the quintessential teen pop star everyone expected to fade away into oblivion; she was loved, but once the relationship broke, she was labeled a cheating pariah; she was a successful pop star, but most saw her as a manufactured pop star; many girls envied her and many guys desired her, but to many others, she was anathema, the epitome of the phony, superficial, cheerleader culture they despised; her every words were recorded, but she was quickly dubbed unintelligent and uneducated; she wanted to remain a virgin until marriage, but she was called a hypocrite and a liar for her sexuality. It was never really an easy road; it was never a dream life.
So maybe what we’re missing is what was always before us: Britney never was the pretty, perfect, talented superstar with the world as her oyster. She was never guaranteed the life her contemporaries now enjoy. This is not to say she hasn’t made mistakes, or created bad situations for herself, or been her own worst enemy. But can we honestly say that if she never broke up with Justin, never married in Vegas, never flashed the world and went partying with Paris, never ended up in rehab and feuding with her family, that her life would have continued on its once golden past? I don’t believe it would have. And that I think is the source of my calm contemplation of her life. I sincerely believe that if it wasn’t this drama, it would be another. Britney’s past, her personality and the people surrounding her did not lend themselves to a smooth passage through Fame. The speed bumps were practically written in stone.
So here we are at 25 and her image is in serious trouble. For me, I’ve lost the “Britney the pop star” mentality. Having hoped that her life and career would have been untroubled, and having seen my fears materialized, I’m not so much invested in the “pop star” persona anymore. As pessimistic as this sounds, I’ve accepted that Britney will never return to the way things were, she’ll never be that 18-year-old America’s Sweetheart again, nor be seen as sweet and cuddly and unthreatening. She’ll never have the heart of the nation again. And I suspect she knows as much too.
Everyone talks about that week in New York, post-divorce filing, as proof that we could return to the past, but again they miss the obvious: Not every newspaper was feting Britney: I read quite a few articles questioning her style in the low-cut dresses and high skirt hems; Not everyone was thrilled at her liberation: I saw numerous comments on online blogs where they jeered at her thinking she could keep Kevin after he left Shar in such a public way, and mocking Britney for being so successful as to be only 24 and twice divorced (annulment issues aside). There was initial euphoria yes, but how long was it before the first “She’s a bitch” stories surfaced, accompanied by footage of a devoted Kevin (who has just finished proclaiming his love for his wife) getting a text message, allegedly from Britney telling him she was divorcing his ass. And while the crowds cheered when she appeared at the AMAs in November, the tabloids and style mavens unfavourably critiqued her choice of dress, her shoes and her new hair extensions. It was 1999 all over again. The fall was just waiting to happen, and while Britney definitely drove herself there full speed, it seems to me that denying she would ever have gone there is a bit naďve.
No matter how much we as fans want the Beyonce-Christina mould for her, we have to accept that her cast is a bit different. It will not be calm sailing for her no matter how much she cleans up her image. And so I’m left hoping the best for “Britney the person”. I see the drama and turmoil as steps to make her a better, stronger person. I see the bad hair and the unstylish clothes as her quirky taste that may or may not mellow as she ages. I see the feuds with her family, her management and the press as her crucible, from which she may emerge with a more refined sense of who she is, what she wants and how much control she has over her life and destiny. I’ve stopped hoping for a Britney renaissance, or a comeback to end all comebacks. Now, when I long for the Fame fairy tale, I turn to the other female artists I enjoy: Alicia Keyes, Joss Stone, Celine Dion, Nelly Furtado. When I see Britney, I see too much of the real world, too clearly how life can fuck you up, too many reminders that Fame is a dangerous game. But I also sense possibilities for Britney: hope, happiness, survival. And in the end, that is probably more important than the vagaries of Fame and the image game.
 |
She showed she can pick up her game and reinvent herself and bring a whole new style to her music.
Britney has barely progressed with her albums and besides one meaningful song per album, she's shown no emotion, or personal growth through her music. If anything, she gets shallower and more superficial with each album. And less clothed. And more robotic in voice.
If Britney was the "incredible" artist you claim she is, why wouldn't she write more? Why wouldn't she have some insightful songs? Why wouldn't she stop acting like a teenager in heat? Because she's stuck. She's still there, Oops-ing all over the place. She's stagnant in her mind and it's up to her to really move on and LEARN something about life. I can only hope that this year teachers her and next year she finally does that.