Post by Lucky Starr on Nov 10, 2003 13:30:07 GMT -5
The pop starlet turned power icon: Britney Spears
[/size][/center]By Rachel Hardage
Meet the doers and darers of the last 12 months: unabashed, unafraid, unstoppable women. Read how they've changed our world—and get ready to change your own.
She's back—and she's not going anywhere. America's reigning pop princess has a firm grip on fame, fortune and, more importantly, reality.
Only a handful of celebrities can boast first-name fame. Or rake in a staggering $39.2 million a year. Or make national headlines just by dyeing their hair brown. But five years after her turn as a Catholic schoolgirl in "Baby One More Time," Britney Spears—make that Britney—is a paparazzi-stalked, multiplatinum-selling, internationally known pop icon. Sure, when she announced a brief hiatus in August 2002, critics wondered if the belly-baring teen had reached her expiration date: "Britney Past Her Peak?" (USA Today). But as the past few months have shown, Spears successfully navigated the murky waters of teen stardom and is now, like her notoriously driven pop predecessor, Madonna (a 1990 Glamour Woman of the Year), charting her own determined course. Her fourth album, In the Zone, is decidedly more sophisticated than earlier efforts. And while she's still passionate about performing ("When I'm on stage, it's like a drug, I feel like I'm Queen of the World," she says), she's also learning to find a balance between celebrity and, well, reality.
That's why she started The Britney Spears Camp for the Performing Arts on Cape Cod, a 10-day arts-immersion program for kids. "It's an environment where everyone supports you and accepts you for your dreams," says camper Gabrielle Flores, 13. "If I ever become famous, I'd want to give back just like Britney does. It shows you care." Glamour sat down with a caring and decidedly more mature Ms. Spears to talk about life, love and what it's like to be an icon at 22.
Glamour: You've had a big year. In the past few months you've turned heads at New York City's fashion week, created a stir at the MTV Video Music Awards and promoted your highly anticipated album. You're everywhere. How does it feel to be a superstar at such a young age?
Britney Spears: Overwhelming. Even last night was a little bizarre. I was in New York at a party for Rolling Stone's "Hot Issue" [Spears was the honoree]. There I was, at a party thrown for me, where they're playing my songs, and all of a sudden I look up and see they're shooting fireworks over the river, with my music playing in the background. It was surreal. I was just standing there thinking, What is going on? I mean, fireworks? So, yes, it's a blessing, but sometimes I think, Whoa.
Glamour: You recently said that your life had gotten too complicated. Do you still feel that way?
BS: I do. Every day is so different. I'm trying to get to the point where I still challenge myself with my work, but I also want to live a little more. So after this interview, I'll shut it all off and go have some fun. I'm trying to find a balance. I mean, I do want to keep performing. In fact, I'd love to do a musical, because I think singing and acting are my strong points, and I'd like to combine them by doing theater. But I also want to have kids, maybe even as early as 27 or 28. I don't think I'd feel fulfilled if I didn't have a family to go back to at the end of the day.
Glamour: Are you looking for a relationship now?
BS: Yes. I'm looking for a guy who's quirky, somebody I can laugh with. I enjoy my independence, but there are times when I go to bed and I'm like, OK, here I am, all by myself. [Laughs] You know, you used to have that phone call at the end of the day where you'd hear a guy say, "I love you. Good night." And I don't have that anymore. I'm not going to call my mom for that!
GLAMOUR: Are there any rumors about yourself you'd like to clear up?
BS: Yes! "Britney's Revenge!" The Jared Leto thing. I'm not trying to date him [to get revenge on former beau Justin Timberlake, as tabloids have insinuated]. I would never do thatÑI don't even think that way. But the way they placed it on the cover of a magazine, as "Britney's Revenge": I saw that and I was like, Oh no!
GLAMOUR: Would you say it's even harder dating when you've reached your level of celebrity?
BS: Yes. It's weird. When I'm in my mode as an artist, I can act smooth, do all the directing and do my thing. But when I'm around a guy I like, I get vulnerable and vague. I have to learn to be more assertive. That's one reason I admire Madonna—she has her career, but she also has her family. She's my idol. I've looked up to her all of my life.
GLAMOUR: There was so much talk in the media about how that kiss at the VMAs symbolized a passing of the torch in the pop music world. Madonna was actually on the cover of our very first Woman of the Year issue. What is it about her that inspires you?
BS: She's a cool lady. And she's very smart. But mostly I admire her because she believes in herself. She came into a male-dominated music industry and took over in a huge way —she came in and owned it! I like that. She has her career but she also has her family. She makes it all work, and she keeps it all in perspective.
GLAMOUR:, How do you keep it in perspective? You seem very grounded.
BS: By being alone, being creative. I paint. I draw. But honestly, there's nothing better than that special moment in the morning, when it's just you and your bowl of cereal. There's no distraction, no photographers, and that moment, for me, is honestly the most important part of my day. You can get so caught up in the phenomenon of what you do, but it's not reality.
GLAMOUR: Is that one of the reasons you started The Britney Spears Camp for the Performing Arts?
BS: When I was little, we couldn't afford all the classes and lessons I wanted to take, so I wanted to give something back to kids who can't afford acting and singing lessons. Now they can work with the best coaches at our camp for a week or two. And at the end, I go to the camp to watch them perform.
GLAMOUR: Does helping kids balance out the negative aspects of celebrity?
BS: I've just been blessed and given so much. Who cares about the press? Who cares about the paparazzi? Who cares what I do for a living? Of course I love what I do. But I know that's not what life's all about.
Glamour, December 2003
Info & Photo From: us.glamour.com