American recording artist and entertainer, one of the best-selling music artists in the history of contemporary music. Born Britney Jean Spears on December 2, 1981, she began performing as a child, and signed with Jive Records in 1997. Spears released her debut album 'Baby One More Time' in 1999, and this and her second album broke sales records, establishing her as a pop icon. In the 2000s, she released a few albums that yielded a number of chart-topping singles, but from 2006-2008 she experienced personal struggles and her career went under hiatus.

In 2011, Spears returned with her seventh studio album, titled Femme Fatale, which is currently scheduled for release on March 29, 2011, including the lead single "Hold It Against Me" which has become Spears' fourth U. S. Number-one single.

Spears has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists in the history of contemporary music. In June 2010, Spears was ranked sixth on Forbes list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world; she is also the third most mentioned musician on the internet, according to Forbes.