Celebrity Shock

Young star Britney Spears fell under the extreme pressures of the media spotlight and had what can only be referred to as a mental breakdown. Britney Spears was under the spotlight when she was first signed to the music industry in 1997, and released her first single "Baby One More Time" in 1999. Britney Spears was a prominant figure in both popular and mainstream culture, and although what followed from this chart topping first single was a great success, she also faced many struggles. Britney Spears started to spiral into a whirlwind of depression from 2006. Although musically she was still having a great deal of success, releasing a number of albums, it was personal issues and unconfortable encounters with the media and paparazi which pushed her over the edge. On February 17th, 2007 Britney went to a back street hair salon and was filmed by paparazi shaving off her hair. This was seen by her fans and the media as a cry for help. Trying to shed her skin and turn over a new leaf, an attempt to release herself from all the stress of being a worldwide star. During her downfall, Britney lost full custody of her sons, and was put into a rehabilitation center due to alcohol and drug abuse. Britney was then placed under temporary conservatorship of her father James Spears and attorney Andrew Wallet, which gave them complete control of her assets.

Britney Spears on the road to recovery in 2012. . .

Nicki Minaj stated that Britney Spears Is a major influence on her career, commenting, "the fact that she came back out with just so much fire inspires me, and it inspires young women and people all over the world. It just inspires you. A lot of my fans feel like they are the underdog and feel like they are the people who aren’t ever accepted for themselves, or who are laughed at or poked fun at forever. It just goes to show that once you keep at whatever it is you’re doing, people may not like you, people may not love you, but they will have to respect you at the end of the day. And that respect is all that matters."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britney_Spears