Book Review: The South African Roots Behind Britney Spears' Rise to Pop Stardom

One of the most pleasantly surprising facts I learned from Britney’s book The Woman In Me, and which I didn’t mention in my initial review when I first read it, is that the princess of pop started her career under the wings of South African-born music producers. Yep, you heard right. The owners of Jive Records, one of the biggest music labels in the US at the time, were none other than our very own sons of the soil: Clive Calder and Ralph Simon (look them up!)

In her book, she gushed about meeting Clive, saying:

“I loved him from the second I met him.”

“He had a South African accent that made it sound to me like he was a character in an old movie. I never heard anyone talk that way in real life.”

Alongside Britney Spears, Jive also signed artists such as Janet Jackson, Backstreet Boys, and NSYNC! These guys basically produced the soundtrack of my entire childhood.

I love finding these little treasure troves of information about our beautiful and wildly talented South African folk in the most unexpected places. If you’ve ever doubted, let this be another reminder that South Africa is fertile ground. A land full of promise and her soil births the rarest of gems, both from its minerals and its people.

The more that you read, the more things you will know. ❤️

Beauty, Bitterness, and the Beginning of Healing

“As a little girl, I walked for hours alone in the silent woods behind my house in Louisiana, singing songs. Being outside gave me a sense of aliveness and danger. When I was growing up, my mother and father fought constantly. He was an alcoholic. I was usually scared in my home. Outside wasn’t necessarily heaven, either, but it was my world. Call it heaven or hell, it was mine. Before going home, I would follow a path to our neighbors’ house, through a landscaped yard and past a swimming pool. They had a rock garden full of small, soft pebbles that would trap the heat and stay warm in a way that felt so good against my skin. I would lie down on those rocks and look up at the sky, feeling the warmth from below and above, thinking: I can make my own way in life. I can make my dreams come true. Lying quietly on those rocks, I felt God.”

Despite this beautiful piece of prose, I sensed so much anger and bitterness while reading Britney’s memoir...or journal, really. Being the icon that she was, I expected a little more depth, and feel this book could’ve been everything. But it also could’ve been nothing. So, kudos to Britney for getting her story out and sharing it with the world.

I’m a firm believer that we all have extraordinary stories to tell. In fact, I think everyone should write a book!

Having been a huge Britney Spears fan growing up in the 90s, I’m happy I finally got to hear her life story and some of what went on behind the bright lights and glamour. I personally cannot wait for her next autobiography, once she’s healed, and the anger, pain, and trauma she’s clearly still grappling with feel a little less suffocating. This book, to me, felt like a prelude - a taste of what’s still to come.