There's a good chance we've all heard this iconic refrain over the last twenty years: "This is a story of a girl named Lucky".
Pop culture fanatics know these lyrics as the beginning of Britney Spears' track, "Lucky", from her sophomore album, Oops... I Did It Again. "Lucky" tells the story of a young girl who is suddenly propelled into a level of fame which would be difficult for people twice her age to handle. Even though "Lucky" is a song about a fictional character, its subject matter could easily pertain to Britney herself!
"Brit-Brit" rose to fame at an extremely young age, and this young girl from Kentwood, Louisana, set a precedent for young entertainers for decades to come. Britney released her debut album at 16-years-old, years after she appeared on the New Mickey Mouse Club, and soon became a worldwide sensation. Let's look back at Britney's early career!
15 Britney Always Loved Whitney
There are few songstresses in the world who have out-of-this-world vocal ranges. These types of singers have extremely unique gifts and make such an impression on aspiring singers. Whitney Houston was one of those singers.
Young Britney Spears was no exception - she was a Whitney Houston devotee! Britney incorporated Whitney into her history early on; she sang a cover version of Whitney's beloved hit, "I Will Always Love You", which got Britney a record deal.
14 Brit Did Early Performances At Shopping Malls
Brit's introduction into pop culture began in a rather quiet way; one of young Britney's first performances in front of an audience happened in a setting that's considered a central hub for girls just like her!
Britney had the opportunity to come face-to-face with fans close to her own age when she did some gigs at shopping malls.
13 Mature Themes Weren't Really Britney's Dream
Britney may have been just starting out, but she already had enough self-confidence to know exactly what kind of performer she wanted to be!
Britney knew exactly what she was comfortable with as a performer, and exactly what her limits were! Brit felt uncomfortable singing an original version of a song which appeared on her first album, because of its mature themes.
12 Brit Was 'Mad' For Madonna
Remember the opening scene from Britney's debut film, Crossroads, where her character dances alone in her room to Madonna? There's a strong chance Britney has done the same, IRL! Her love for legendary divas doesn't stop with Whitney. Brit-Brit loves Madonna!
'Madge' appealed to Britney early on in Spears' career. The Material Girl inspired Britney with her music and with her "business model" for a successful entertainment industry career.
11 Brit Loved Singing About Teen Dreams
From the beginning of the iconic piano notes from Britney's debut single, it's easy to assume every listener would be hooked on "...Baby One More Time." As it turns out, Brit was hooked on the tune, too. This debut tune was special to Britney Spears as a singer, because the subject matter was relatable to her as a young teen!
10 She Was Almost A Singer-Songwriter
If it makes her happy, it can't be that bad, right?
Britney has always been proud of her Southern hometown. She is always singing the praises of the Louisana town and has been since day one! Britney's Southern influence almost made its way into her music - in fact, the direction of her career could have been very different.
9 Her Hottest Song Could've Been Very Different
They were famous for being vocal about their distaste for "scrubs". As it turns out, the ladies of TLC weren't very keen on the song that broke Britney into the mainstream, either.
That's right - Britney's first single was rejected by TLC! When the group was presented with "...Baby One More Time," T-Boz didn't feel that song fit TLC's vibe!
8 Britney Knew What People Were Talking About
Despite Britney's young age, our girl was very in tune with the biz!
Several pop star gals are familiar with how to tailor their images just how they like them. Brit was an old pro early on in her career. When she appeared on the cover on Rolling Stone magazine back in 1999. Britney's controversial cover stirred up lots of conversation, but she welcomed it!
7 Britney Wanted To Make Some Changes One More Time
Remember the first time you ever saw Britney onscreen? Chances are, you couldn't help but notice her memorable school girl outfit, which she wore in her debut music video. However, Brit was originally supposed to rock a very different type of outfit.
In the early drafts of the video's concept, "...Baby One More Time" was set in outer space!
6 Brit Hung Out With Teenage Witches
Brit-Brit had memorable faces in her early crew and one gal Britney ran around with back then is familiar to many!
Melissa Joan Hart is an actress responsible for multiple classic roles, memorable to multiple generations. Not only was she Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, she was also an extra in Brit's music video for, "Drive Me Crazy". That song was on the soundtrack of Melissa's movie of the same name.
5 Britney Was Connected To Email
Britney's star power is timeless, but one factor that will always keep her in the 1990s? The track "E-Mail My Heart" on her debut album, ...Baby One More Time.
Internet gifs and clips of early interviews with Brit have made the song legendary, but initially, it was lost among the album's less memorable tracks.
Talk about a landmark ballad about communication! Did Brit hit "send?"
4 Brit Cared About Cher
The beat goes on for Britney! With her sophomore album, Oops!...I Did It Again, she evolved as an artist. It was released in the spring of 2000. While Britney may have wanted to keep up a certain beat during her early years, she soon wanted to usher in classic artists for a new generation! Britney paid homage to a classic diva who came before her, by covering a Cher song.
3 Britney Was A Commercial Cutie
Britney's journey as a pop diva wasn't limited to a classic library of banger songs and singles! She also spent a section of her early career in front of the camera, as a cover girl for commercials!
Before her beloved Pepsi campaign, Britney starred in a series of candy commercials in Japan. We're sold on Brit's endorsements!
2 She Was A Merchandise Queen
There was a period of time when Britney's likeness was everywhere! We could find Britney's name and face on a number of products. From school supplies to multiple series of dolls, Britney had a line of massively successful merchandise.
If you could think of a product, Britney's likeness was on it! Her merchandise line even produced a blow-up chair!
1 Brit Evolved Into A Different Business
In the early 00s, Brit-Brit's possibilities were limitless! In 2002, she sought to expand her resume by diving into the world of entrepreneurship, so she opened a restaurant.
Wouldn't it be a dream to eat Britney-approved food? The dream would be short-lived. "NYLA," which stood for both New York and Los Angeles, would soon close its doors.
Sources: YouTube, iHeart, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, E!, Entertainment Weekly, Elle