Britney Spears announced her forthcoming memoir, “The Woman in Me,” during the earlier part of this year and now the official release date of October 24th is finally drawing near.
According to Gallery Books, the book’s publisher, this autobiography chronicles a “courageous and incredibly touching tale of freedom, celebrity, motherhood, survival, faith, and optimism.” Following a 2021 legal battle, the pop sensation gained her freedom from a 13-year conservatorship, which had granted her father, Jamie Spears, control over her finances, career decisions, and even her reproductive choices.
Here’s everything we currently know about “The Woman in Me.”
The audio book author
The audiobook version will be narrated by Oscar-nominated actress Michelle Williams, who steps into Spears’ shoes for the task. In a statement to the magazine, Williams declared, “I stand with Britney.”
Spears’ book deal was a lucrative one.
With multiple publishers vying for her autobiography, it was eventually Simon & Schuster that secured the rights, reportedly paying the pop star a substantial $15 million. The sum makes it one of the most high-earning book deals in history, trailing only those struck by Barack and Michelle Obama, who earned $65 million for their respective memoirs.
It shares about Justin
The memoir delves into Spears’ tumultuous relationship with former NSYNC frontman, Justin Timberlake. An excerpt published in People magazine reveals a particularly sensitive topic, disclosing that Spears was once pregnant with Timberlake’s child.
Spears reflects, “I always anticipated that we would one day start a family together. This just happened much sooner than I had expected, but Justin was clearly not thrilled about the pregnancy. He insisted that we were not prepared to welcome a baby into our lives, claiming that we were too young.”
She goes on to describe her decision to terminate the pregnancy due to Timberlake’s hesitance, adding, “I’m not sure if it was the right choice. If it had been solely up to me, I would never have gone through with it. Yet, Justin was resolute in not wanting to become a father.”
Spears and Timberlake dated from 1999 to 2002, and their breakup was followed by controversy, including rumours of Spears’ infidelity fueled by Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River” music video. The Hulu documentary “Framing Britney Spears” shed light on this, prompting Timberlake to issue an apology on social media, saying, “I am profoundly sorry for instances in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or failed to advocate for what was right.”
We hear about her head-shaving
Spears also shares the truth behind her infamous head-shaving incident in the book. After her divorce from Kevin Federline in 2007, she became a constant target of paparazzi harassment. Her attempt to shave her head at a salon was thwarted by the stylist, which led Spears to take matters into her own hands. Photographers captured the moment, and tabloids painted her as having a “breakdown” and accused her of shaving her head to evade drug testing.
Spears clarifies that the haircut was an act of rebellion, saying, “I had been scrutinized so intensely since my early years. People had commented on my appearance and body since my teenage days. Shaving my head and acting out were my ways of pushing back.”
Subsequently, in 2008, after numerous disparaging narratives about her mental health appeared in the tabloids, she was placed under a conservatorship. Spears laments, “Under the conservatorship, I was made to believe that those days were behind me. I had to grow my hair out and get back in shape. I had to go to bed early and take the medication they prescribed.”
What we hope is in it
The memoir doesn’t clarify whether Christina Aguilera is mentioned. Spears and Aguilera crossed paths as co-stars on Disney Channel’s “The Mickey Mouse Club” in the 1990s and later became pop music contemporaries. Although their relationship was sometimes portrayed as a rivalry in the media, Aguilera expressed support for Spears in 2021 regarding her conservatorship, stating on Twitter, “It is unacceptable that any woman, or human, wanting to be in control of their own destiny might not be allowed to live life as they wish… My heart goes out to Britney. She deserves all the true love and support in the world.”
During an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Aguilera remained uncertain about her inclusion in Spears’ memoir, saying, “I don’t know. I hope everything is fine with her.”
It’s a best seller
Despite not yet being available on bookshelves, Britney Spears’ memoir has already achieved bestseller status on Amazon, a milestone celebrated by the pop icon on social media. She expressed her gratitude, exclaiming, “Only one week until my book is released. Thank you all for making it number one on Amazon already!”
