Britney Spears, the iconic pop star, took a significant step in opening up about a tumultuous period in her life in 2007 when she shaved her head. This moment, widely sensationalized and scrutinized by tabloids, coincided with a challenging phase in her life, including a painful divorce. Britney’s constant presence in the public eye, as a paparazzi target and gossip fixture, magnified the situation, fueling speculations that she was becoming erratic.
But what was truly transpiring in Britney’s mind during that time?
In her highly anticipated memoir, “The Woman in Me,” set to release on October 24, the pop sensation provides an intimate glimpse into her thoughts and experiences. In an exclusive excerpt featured in this week’s PEOPLE cover story, Britney speaks about her enduring struggle with scrutiny and body image.
“I’d been eyeballed so much growing up. I’d been looked up and down, had people telling me what they thought of my body, since I was a teenager,” she shares.
“Shaving my head and acting out were my ways of pushing back,” Britney candidly reveals in her book.
Following the head-shaving incident, Britney Spears entered a court-ordered conservatorship in 2008, which granted her father and a lawyer control over her financial and personal matters. Under this arrangement, she claims she was forbidden from maintaining her newly chosen look.
“Under the conservatorship, I was made to understand that those days were now over,” she writes. “I had to grow my hair out and get back into shape. I had to go to bed early and take whatever medication they told me to take.”
While Britney did record and release four successful albums and headlined a Las Vegas residency during her nearly 14-year conservatorship, she describes herself as profoundly unhappy.
“I would do little bits of creative stuff here and there, but my heart wasn’t in it anymore. As far as my passion for singing and dancing, it was almost a joke at that point,” she reflects. “Thirteen years went by with me feeling like a shadow of myself.”
In a striking passage, Britney addresses the impact of the conservatorship and her frustrations, particularly in comparison to male artists who faced their own struggles.
“I think back now on my father and his associates having control over my body and my money for that long and it makes me feel sick… Think of how many male artists gambled all their money away; how many had substance abuse or mental health issues. No one tried to take away their control over their bodies and money. I didn’t deserve what my family did to me.”
The turning point in Britney’s life came in September 2021 when she pleaded with the court to end the conservatorship, ultimately leading to the suspension of her father, Jamie Spears, as conservator. Two months later, the conservatorship was finally terminated.
Britney’s newfound freedom empowered her to share her story on her own terms.
“Over the past 15 years or even at the start of my career, I sat back while people spoke about me and told my story for me,” she reveals in an email interview with PEOPLE. “After getting out of my conservatorship, I was finally free to tell my story without consequences from the people in charge of my life.”
With her upcoming memoir, “The Woman in Me,” Britney Spears unveils her personal truth, offering candid insights into her journey from a teen sensation to becoming one of the best-selling female artists of all time.
“It is finally time for me to raise my voice and speak out, and my fans deserve to hear it directly from me,” Britney asserts. “No more conspiracy, no more lies—just me owning my past, present, and future.”
Britney Spears’ memoir, “The Woman in Me,” is available for pre-order ahead of its release on October 24.
