The pop star is examined in a new book by BIMM’s own Professor Jennifer Otter Bickerdike, out today.

Words: Conor Sharkey Glackin

Britney Spears has been in the news a lot recently due to the ongoing court case against her conservatorship – a controversial, controlling guardianship by her father Jamie – which she’s been under for 13 years. A major popstar since the 90s, it’s been a long time since her music was the focus of attention; usually her personal life is being documented in the tabloids or the ongoing situation involving her dad.

Professor Jennifer Otter Bickerdike’s latest book – four years in-the-making – centres on Spears after recently releasing ‘You Are Beautiful, And You Are Alone: The Biography of Nico’, proving to be a stark contrast between the two artists. Speaking about the enigmatic vocalist, actress and model Nico, Otter Bickerdike explains that “she was someone that was not talked about very much when she was alive”, which sparked the idea of writing about somebody who has been in the spotlight for the last 20 years.

Calling ‘Being Britney: Pieces of a Modern Icon’ “a new way of doing narrative biography,” the book is broken into forty chapters, each one being a self-contained short essay, ergo a separate piece of the superstar we all know as Britney Spears. A large number of topics are covered from fame, misogyny, women’s rights, and plenty more with Spears being at the heart of all of it.

Given the recent media coverage, the book release comes at a perfect time. Most books about Spears are at least 10 years old and outdated given her longevity and continuing illustrious career. “With everything that Britney’s done, I could not believe there was not more out there,” Otter Bickerdike says. This book gives people a chance to explore Britney Spears on a deeper level, beyond the tabloids or TMZ coverage, and to get an understanding of her as a person.

‘Being Britney: Pieces of a Modern Icon’ is out now via Bonnier. Hear a sample of the audiobook here.