Britney Spears Dies At 26

July 23, 2007
Duceani Dávila

SANTA MONICA, California - - Britney Spears, actress, dancer and pop sensation, died Friday of a drug overdose. She was 26.

Spears was found lying on her bedroom floor next to what has now been confirmed as ecstasy pills. The singer had a record of drug abuse starting in the year 2003, after her album release “In the Zone.”

Kevin Federline, Spears’ former husband, told The Associated Press that Spears was just trying to recapture the happiness she had in her teenage years.

“She was such a great woman, despite her flaws,” said Federline, who married the singer in 2004. “She always tried to experience new things and make the most out of life.”

Spears was born on December 2, 1981 in Kentwood, Louisiana. She began her career at the age of eight in her appearance in the New Mickey Mouse Club. A couple of years later, Spears briefly joined the all female group, Innocence. After that Spears decided to go solo and signed a deal with Jive records in 1997.

Toward the end of 1998, Spears’ single “…Baby One More Time” made $9 million in sales worldwide. With the schoolgirl uniform and modern choreography, Spears became America’s new pop sensation.

In May 16, 2000, Spears released her second studio album “Oops!..I Did It Again”. The album sold more than 500,000 copies on its release day. It was also nominated for a Grammy award for Best Pop Vocal Album.

In Early 2001, Spears signed a multi-million dollar promotional deal with Pepsi, consisting of a series of TV commercials and magazines ads.

In 2003, Spears married longtime friend Jason Allen Alexander at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. The marriage only lasted fifty-five hours, ending with an annulment on January 5th.

On September 18, 2004, Spears married her 3-month boyfriend Kevin Federline, who had been a backup dancer with her on tour, in Studio City, California.

After Spears’ marriage, she announced that she would be taking a break from her career in order for her to start a family.

In 2005, Spears gave birth to her first son, Sean Preston. A year later her second son, Jayden James, was born.

Fans remember Spears as American’s Music Pop Diva.

“I would like to be called an inspiration to people, not a role model,” Spears once said. “I make mistakes like everyone else.”

Services will be this Saturday at the Grand Trinity Church of Santa Monica starting from 4:00pm – 10:00pm.

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