Let’s be honest, 2020 has been kind of “toxic.” Between the global pandemic, the wild presidential election and the fight against racial injustice, I think it’s safe to say 2021 can’t come soon enough.
We are pretty sure Britney Spears feels the same way. Although she’s all smiles and dances (and peasant blouse) on Instagram, the pop star has been dealing with legal battles over her conservatorship and has been at the center of a #FreeBritney movement.
In 2008, Spears entered into a conservatorship with her father, Jamie Spears, after suffering a very public breakdown. Under the conservatorship, he reportedly had full control over his daughter’s financial and medical affairs until 2019, when he stepped down after being accused of physically abusing of the singer’s 14-year-old son, Sean. Spears’ longtime “care-manager,” Jodi Montgomery, temporarily took over conservatorship duties. In the superstar’s case, the terms of the conservatorship haven’t been made public, but she is fighting to change that. There’s even currently a petition to the White House from fans to help end the conservatorship and a #FreeBritney movement that is calling for legal intervention to help Britney regain control over her finances and life.
As we think about the highs and lows of the pop princess‘ year, we can’t help but realize just how many of her songs reflect on what she’s going through. From “Circus”-like court cases to her dancing “Til The World Ends” during the pandemic, we created the ultimate Britney Spears 2020 playlist.
Check out her 2020 timeline and accompanying tracks below.
January
The pop princess’ year started out on a high note. A former Kmart in Los Angeles was transformed into “The Zone,” an immersive pop-up experience and retail shop that celebrated Spears’ iconic songs, videos, and outfits through Instagram-worthy photo ops, interactive displays, and personalized content activated by special RFID wristbands.
Dubbed the “ultimate Britney Spears fan experience,” the 30,000 square foot venue also included a merchandise shop with limited-edition pieces created especially for the event as well as old favorites from previous tours. The pop-up attracted thousands of fans including fellows celebs.
Track: “Me Against The Music”
Standout Lyric: “Trying to take my music, It’s like a competition, Me against the beat, I want to get in the zone.”
MARCH
Like the rest of the world, Spears was forced into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. She passed her time like many of us, posting on Instagram. She took a slew of selfies, modeled her favorite outfit and danced her booty off. Some fans dubbed her snaps and videos bizarre, even questioning if Spears was the one running her own account. But that never stopped her social media habits.
Track: “Till The World Ends”
Standout Lyrics: “See the sunlight, we ain’t stopping, Keep on dancing ’til the world ends”
APRIL
Before showing her fans her workout routine, Spears admitted on Instagrm she burned down her gym six months before.
“It was an accident ….but yes …. I burnt it down 🙈,” she wrote. “I walked past the door to the gym and flames 🔥🔥🔥🔥 BOOM !!!!!! By the Grace of God the alarm 🚨 went off after that and yippy hoorah nobody got hurt 🙏🏼. Unfortunately now I have only two pieces of equipment left lol and a one-sided mirror gym 🙄🙄🙄 !!!!! But it could be much worse so I’m grateful. Pssss I like working out better outside anyways 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸 !!!!”
Track: “Cold As Fire, Hot As Ice”
Standout Lyrics: “New and improved, hey saying thank you very much, Living legend, You can look but don’t touch, cause I’m, Cold as fire, baby, hot as ice.”
July
Breaking his silence, the singer’s brother Bryan Spears spoke about sister’s conservatorship on the As NOT Seen on TV Podcast
“She’s been in this thing for quite some time now. Obviously, there was a need for it in the beginning,” Bryan said. “Now, they’ve made some changes, and all we can do is hope for the best.” He also said that the conservatorship has “been a great thing for our family, to this point, and [we] keep hoping for the best.”
He added that his father, Jamie, has “done the best he could, given the situation he was put in” and talked about how the family has “had to work together” to “keep it all going.” He also opened up about the strain this has all put on the Spears family.
“One person might be on stage and doing this, but it’s a sacrifice from everybody,” he said. “Everyone is putting in, to some degree, a little bit to keep everything going.”
In the interview, he revealed said that he and Britney speak “constantly” and confirmed she definitely wants out of the conservatorship.
“She’s always wanted to get out of it. It’s very frustrating to have,” he explained. “Whether someone’s coming in peace to help or coming in with an attitude, having someone constantly tell you to do something has got to be frustrating. She’s wanted to get out of it for quite some time.”
Track: “My Prerogative”
Standout Lyrics: “Everybody’s talkin’ all this stuff about me, Why don’t they just let me live (Tell me why), I don’t need permission, Make my own decisions, That’s my prerogative.”
August
The legal drama ramped up toward the end of the summer. The singer filed a request to permanently replace her father with Jodi Montgomery as conservator. In an unprecedented interview with The New York Post, Jamie Spears condemned the #FreeBritney movement as a “joke.” He adds, “All these conspiracy theorists don’t know anything. The world don’t have a clue. It’s up to the court of California to decide what’s best for my daughter. It’s no one else’s business.”
Later that month, a Los Angeles judge ruled that Spears’ conservatorship would be extended until February 2021. The singer’s legal team also filed new court documents, this time requesting that Bessemer Trust Company be appointed conservator of her estate. E! News confirmed through court documents that her mom also nominated the company. Meanwhile, her dad filed a petition to appoint Andrew Wallet co-conservator of Spears’ estate. Wallet previously served as co-conservator of the estate from January 2009 to March 2019.
Track: “Circus”
Standout Lyrics: “All eyes on me in the center of the ring, Just like a circus.”
September
The pop star’s lawyers file to oppose sealing parts of the conservatorship and request a hearing to be public because there are no medical or sensitive issues with her children to warrant secrecy. “Britney herself is vehemently opposed to this effort by her father to keep her legal struggle hidden away in the closet as a family secret,” her lawyer revealed to TMZ. “Far from being a conspiracy theory or a ‘joke’ as James [Jamie] reportedly told the media, in large part this scrutiny is a reasonable and even predictable result of James’ aggressive use of the sealing procedure over the years to minimize the amount of meaningful information made available to the public.”
Spears is mom to two sons Preston, 15, and Jayden, 14, who currently live with her ex, Kevin Federline, 70 percent of the time. (Spears’ custody was reduced to 30 percent in September 2019).
Track: “Overprotected”
Standout Lyrics: “Say hello to the girl that I am, You’re going to have to see through my perspective, I need to make mistakes just to learn who I am, And I don’t want to be so damn protected.”
November
Britney loses her bid to remove her father from her conservatorship, at least for now. In a hearing that was closed to the public, a judge declined to remove her dad as co-conservator of her life and estate. In legal filings, Jamie Spears argued that his daughter is not ready to take back control of her life and finances, according to USA Today.
As a consequence, Spears, who has not performed since early 2019, said she would refuse to perform again and will continue her work hiatus if her father stays on as her conservator.
“My client has informed me that she is afraid of her father. She will not perform again if her father is in charge of her career,” Britney’s lawyer, Samuel D. Ingham III, told the judge at the hearing, per the Associated Press.
The singer did have one small win in court, however. Though the judge denied to remove her dad from her conservatorship, the judge did approve adding a co-conservator to her estate, the Bessemer Trust, which was what Britney’s team requested. The next hearing for the case is scheduled for December 16.
Track: “Piece Of Me”
Standout Lyric: “Another day another drama, Guess I can’t see no harm, In working and being a mama, And with a kid on my arm, I’m still an exception, And you want a piece of me.”
December
Despite all the drama, Spears was all smiles as she celebrated her 39th birthday on December 2. The day before, the pop star took to the gram posting two cute snaps with her 26-year-old fitness trainer beau. “Happy b-day to me,” she shared with her 131 million followers. The couple just returned from a “magical” vacation in Maui where they shared pics and videos of the two them cliff jumping, flying in a private jet, eating deep dish pizza and looking totally in love.
Track: “Born To Make You Happy”
Standout Lyric: I don’t know how to live without your love, I was born to make you happy, ‘Cause you’re the only one up in my heart.”
