Star Image

Britney Spears

Labelled ‘Pop Princess’ since the late 90’s, Britney Spears was a pop sensation at the young age of 17. Britney was signed to ‘Jive Records’ in 1997, releasing her debut album ‘Baby One More Time’ two years later selling over 13million copies. Being in the limelight for 10 years the audience can see the change and differences in her career.

Britney’s first video ‘Baby one more time’ 1999, was filmed in a typical American high school – which is relevant as she was young at the time and probably wanted to aim the video at her teenage fans. The typical American high school is portrayed through the setting and costume. The costumes Include school uniforms with pigtails and pink fluffy hair ties which portrays her as sweet and innocent. In another scene she is wearing ‘gym clothes’ which may portray her as one of the sporty/popular girls in school. Every time was released 5 years later in 2004. The video was a response to Justin Timberlake’s Cry Me a River (2002), after they split in 2001. The video shows Spear’s as a star getting hounded by paparazzi and fans and eventually kills herself by taking an overdose of drugs and drowning in the bath. This specific suicide scene was believed to be a response to rumours that suggested that she had a mental disorder. The video portrayed Spear’s as angelic and vulnerable, due to the clothing she’s wearing in the ‘heaven’ after she has taken her own life. The director David LaChappelle wanted to give the video a cinematic feel, referencing to the 1955 film Leaving Las Vegas. Therefore this video is referencing to her life, and the pressure she has to deal with in day to day life. Her music video Lucky (2001) also has a narrative that slightly represents her personal life, as the video was based on a loved star (actress) that has everything but is still lonely and has something missing in her life despite having wealth, beauty and fame.
Being portrayed as angelic and vulnerable is a reoccurring theme throughout her videos and tends to be represented this way. For example in Sometimes (1999) – she wears the colour white, which represents her purity, as she stated herself to be a virgin until marriage. She also wears white and is represented in Every time (as said above) and is also acting as a guardian angel narrator in Lucky (2001) which again portrays her innocence.

As the years went by Spears’ image changed and her video’s and songs started to become more

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