When I first learned of Britney Spears and a conservatorship used in the same sentence, I was confused. I thought at first it must be an honour that she earned for her multi-talents but as the real reason unfolded, I was mystified as to why.
Madonna, Christina Aguilera and Spears came to mind when reflecting on female singers. Britney was my favourite of the three for her popular songs since she hit the charts in the late nineties. Her debut hit, “Baby one more time,” still resonates in the back of my mind.
Britney Spears, 16, catapulted to the top of global pop charts with her debut single. Although she did generate controversy along the way, she had a loyal fan base following her. In fact her debut album of the same name as her hit song still remains the best-selling album by a teenage solo artist: a phenomenal career start.
Spears, singer, songwriter and dancer, began acting erratically in 2007. In her mid-twenties, she was while going through a divorce and lost custody of her children. This health crisis was lightning rod for the press and public and Britney labelled as having a mental illness.
She made headlines for shaving her head and hitting a photographer’s car. Admitted to a psychiatric hospital twice in 2008 for an assessment, the second time was for in a standoff by refusing to hand over her kids. It ended as a police matter.
Britney has amassed a fortune of over $350 million throughout her 22-year career, yet court documents show her net worth is only $59 million. Despite professionals that oversaw her fortune there is no explanation where that amount of money could have dispersed. No one makes scores of financial blunders to that degree. Her fans are skeptical of the discrepancy as are a great deal of others.
Her temporary conservatorship stablished around this time –had few specifics made public.
The courts gave her father Jamie Spears control over her estate and other aspects of her life. Why? Britney Spears couldn’t be depended on to make her own decisions! Was she actually that irresponsible or was daddy taking advantage of her incapacity and a generous bank account at that time?
In the years under the conservatorship, Spears still released three albums, maintained a residency in Las Vegas and made regular television appearances.
That led to an unsuccessful legal attempt by Britney to remove her father’s control over her estate. In his defense Jami Spears stated he had been on good terms with his daughter and loved her. He was there to safeguard and always protect her against those with self-serving interests and those who might seek to harm her.
Her fan club upon hearing this believed instead that she was manipulated into the arrangement. They have been running a #FreeBritney campaign to protest against it. Released confidential court records did show that the conservatorship restricted aspects of her life, ranging from who she dated to the colour of her kitchen cabinets.
Spears’ conservatorship is two parts – one for her estate and financial affairs, the other for her as a person. Under this legal agreement, she has not controlled her finances since 2008. Jamie Spears was initially in charge of both parts but stepped down as his daughter’s personal conservator in 2019 for health reasons.
But the arrangement could now be nearing its end. The 39-year-old singer has been seeking to dismiss her father from any role and have him charged with “conservatorship abuse”.
He has filed court papers suggesting the “grounds for establishment of a conservatorship may no longer exist”.
The Britney Spears conservatorship case has revealed understandable concerns as Jamie Spears agrees step aside. For anyone doubting that the pop star can’t handle it all alone, she’s seeking guidance once the conservatorship isn’t in control of her anymore — and is a really prudent move on her part.
This welcome change is no shock to Britney fans, who have blamed her own father for impeding her life. Her trust in Jodi Montgomery to stay beyond the conservatorship and if it works out, Britney’s lifestyle and career could improve.
It is a credit to this resilient performer who had to struggle with mental illness for a more than a dozen years together with all her decisions controlled by her own father, finally see promise for a better future.
