Britney Jean Spears was born on December 2, 1981, in Kentwood, Louisiana, this young talent found herself firmly implanted in the entertainment limelight at an early age. After gaining some experience in dance reviews and church choirs, she auditioned for the Disney Channel's "New Mickey Mouse Club," but the 8 year old was deemed too young for the show. Unaffected by this temporary setback, Spears elected to enroll in three years of study with the Off-Broadway Dance Center and Professional Performing Arts School in New York. Her intense study led to a wealth of valuable experience on national commercial spots and Off-Broadway shows. At age 11, her desire to don the most famous mouse ears in the world finally became a reality as Spears began a two-year run on the "New Mickey Mouse Club" alongside such then-unknowns as Justin Timberlake and Joshua (JC) Chasez, who later became part of the pop group 'NSYNC, and Keri Russell of "Felicity" fame. After returning to Louisiana for high school studies, Spears returned to the Big Apple to fulfill her dream of being a singer. Not wanting to forego her education, she continued her high school curriculum with tutors. While in New York, she became associated with Eric Foster White, the powerhouse producer behind such popular entertainers as Whitney Houston and Boyzone. Spears later traveled to Sweden, where she hooked up with Max Martin, formerly associated with the Backstreet Boys and Robyn. These associations led to the development of Spears' first album, "...Baby, One More Time." Before the album's launch, Spears took the important step of familiarizing the U.S. audience with her music by launching a cross-country promotional mall tour. Coupled with the radio release of the album's title track, Spears soared to success and earned a spot on 'NSYNC's national tour. Not surprisingly, once Spears' album was released to the public, it skyrocketed to the top spot on Billboard's music chart, just ahead of 'NSYNC. The tour, and its participants, quickly became one of the hottest tickets in the nation. It soon became apparent to critics and fans alike that this young star was not just your ordinary 17-year-old teen idol. After a controversial photo spread and interview in Rolling Stone magazine, and rumors of breast augmentation spreading, the singer quickly found herself in a spotlight of a different sort, which in some cases might have served to damage a star's career. But Spears has emerged from these events unscathed and unblemished in the eyes of both her young fan base and their parents, and her star status is as big as ever. Going on record in TV Guide, the singer brushed aside the augmentation rumors by attributing her larger chest size to "a major growth spurt." Further, her spectacular 1999 cross-country tour dazzled those in attendance, as did her performances on the 1999 MTV Music Video Awards and the World Music Awards in Monaco, where she appropriately performed a rendition of Cher's "The Beat Goes On," complete with a Cher-like dark wig. Many thought that Spears looked like a living doll, and Play Along Toys captured the essence of that statement in 1999 with the release of a series of dolls based on the talented singer, complete with microphones and costume changes. The superstar also became the youngest singer ever to achieve sales of six million copies of an album, beating out the likes of teen superstars LeAnn Rimes and Brandy and former teen sensations Tiffany and Debbie Gibson. As the century closed, the album achieved diamond status, topping the 10-million mark in sales, placing her neck-and-neck with the Backstreet Boys. As she continues to impress audiences across the U.S with her spring concert tour, the beautiful chanteuse is ready to "Drive You Crazy"--in a good way! Spears' second CD, while not abandoning the pop format entirely, reportedly will feature a much edgier, funkier sound than her debut release. The CD is currently set to roll into stores in May of 2000, with the first single headed to radio stations in late March. And aspirations of a motion picture career should firmly entrench the talented star as one of the world's most talked-about celebrities.