EBOOK
About
[An] astute reckoning with modern celebrity' - The Times
'A wild read' - The Guardian
'A well-researched, measured account' - The Sun
Part biography, part social history, Being Britney pieces together a collage of stories, interviews, legends and fan experiences to construct a definitive portrait of one of the biggest stars in recent history.
In her unique narrative, acclaimed music author Jennifer Otter Bickerdike provides a sympathetic yet objective re-examination of Britney's trajectory from girl next door to woman trapped by fame. Being Britney is the compelling account of a talented, troubled and talked-about modern icon, whose life, work and individual significance will be recognised for many decades to come.
'After years of being framed as a victim, Britney deserves to be celebrated as the fighter, inspiration and enigma she truly is.' - Jennifer Otter Bickerdike Professor Jennifer Otter Bickerdike is an authoritative name in the world of pop culture. Drawing on more than thirty years' industry experience, she brings a unique and informed perspective to the discussion of contemporary media and music.
An academic, writer, presenter and historian, Jennifer has authored several books on the topics of pop, rock, fandom and celebrity - most recently, the critically acclaimed You Are Beautiful and You Are Alone: The Biography of Nico and the 2017 number-one best-seller Why Vinyl Matters: A Manifesto from Musicians and Fans.
She is a professor and global ambassador for the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. Originally from Santa Cruz, California, Jennifer now lives in London with her husband, James, and their rescue dog, Alfie A timely and unique portrait of one of music's most talented, troubled and talked-about modern icons, re-examining the prolific career, publicised life and continued cultural relevance of pop princess Britney Spears. The book will build on the recent press Britney Spears has received: the singer has spent all of 2021 in the public eye as her conservatorship case reaches the US courts. The #FreeBritney movement (campaigning for Britney's emancipation) continues to gain traction and exposure, resulting in renewed interest in the the singer's life from both traditional print news and social media. The TV documentary Framing Britney Spears received high ratings and lots of online response. A further (currently unscheduled) Britney docuseries is also in the works at Netflix, proving there is a strong appetite for new Britney-related content. Britney's musical relevance endures. She has 22 million monthly listeners on Spotify and is one of the top-fifty best-selling recording artists ever. In 2020, Rolling Stone magazine named '...Baby One More Time' the greatest debut single of all time. The narrative employs a compilation-style structure - similar to Craig Brown's award-winning Beatles biography - and is the first to take a non-sensationalist, up-market approach to the singer's life, work and impact, with an eye on modern values and changing cultural attitudes. Britney Spears will turn forty in December 2021, so the book will be published shortly after this milestone birthday. 'This shocking biography details the misogyny and exploitation that have scarred the singer's life ... Bickerdike is on a mission to free Britney by restoring her reputation as a cultural icon ... [An] astute reckoning with modern celebrity.' 'Being Britney gathers up fragments of news stories, fan gossip, documentaries, chat forums, opinion pieces and more ... this fragmented style is fitting for the digital age in which we live. The book sets up the star as a blank canvas on to which audiences can project whatever they like ... its broad brushstrokes make for a wild read.' 'A well-researched, measured account about one of the world's most recognisable singers.' 'A great, thorough piece of work from a Britneyologist.' 'Britney is blessed to have such a talented writer and perceptive mind broaching the complex
'A wild read' - The Guardian
'A well-researched, measured account' - The Sun
Part biography, part social history, Being Britney pieces together a collage of stories, interviews, legends and fan experiences to construct a definitive portrait of one of the biggest stars in recent history.
In her unique narrative, acclaimed music author Jennifer Otter Bickerdike provides a sympathetic yet objective re-examination of Britney's trajectory from girl next door to woman trapped by fame. Being Britney is the compelling account of a talented, troubled and talked-about modern icon, whose life, work and individual significance will be recognised for many decades to come.
'After years of being framed as a victim, Britney deserves to be celebrated as the fighter, inspiration and enigma she truly is.' - Jennifer Otter Bickerdike Professor Jennifer Otter Bickerdike is an authoritative name in the world of pop culture. Drawing on more than thirty years' industry experience, she brings a unique and informed perspective to the discussion of contemporary media and music.
An academic, writer, presenter and historian, Jennifer has authored several books on the topics of pop, rock, fandom and celebrity - most recently, the critically acclaimed You Are Beautiful and You Are Alone: The Biography of Nico and the 2017 number-one best-seller Why Vinyl Matters: A Manifesto from Musicians and Fans.
She is a professor and global ambassador for the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. Originally from Santa Cruz, California, Jennifer now lives in London with her husband, James, and their rescue dog, Alfie A timely and unique portrait of one of music's most talented, troubled and talked-about modern icons, re-examining the prolific career, publicised life and continued cultural relevance of pop princess Britney Spears. The book will build on the recent press Britney Spears has received: the singer has spent all of 2021 in the public eye as her conservatorship case reaches the US courts. The #FreeBritney movement (campaigning for Britney's emancipation) continues to gain traction and exposure, resulting in renewed interest in the the singer's life from both traditional print news and social media. The TV documentary Framing Britney Spears received high ratings and lots of online response. A further (currently unscheduled) Britney docuseries is also in the works at Netflix, proving there is a strong appetite for new Britney-related content. Britney's musical relevance endures. She has 22 million monthly listeners on Spotify and is one of the top-fifty best-selling recording artists ever. In 2020, Rolling Stone magazine named '...Baby One More Time' the greatest debut single of all time. The narrative employs a compilation-style structure - similar to Craig Brown's award-winning Beatles biography - and is the first to take a non-sensationalist, up-market approach to the singer's life, work and impact, with an eye on modern values and changing cultural attitudes. Britney Spears will turn forty in December 2021, so the book will be published shortly after this milestone birthday. 'This shocking biography details the misogyny and exploitation that have scarred the singer's life ... Bickerdike is on a mission to free Britney by restoring her reputation as a cultural icon ... [An] astute reckoning with modern celebrity.' 'Being Britney gathers up fragments of news stories, fan gossip, documentaries, chat forums, opinion pieces and more ... this fragmented style is fitting for the digital age in which we live. The book sets up the star as a blank canvas on to which audiences can project whatever they like ... its broad brushstrokes make for a wild read.' 'A well-researched, measured account about one of the world's most recognisable singers.' 'A great, thorough piece of work from a Britneyologist.' 'Britney is blessed to have such a talented writer and perceptive mind broaching the complex