Great Debate

More stories from Hillary Smith

More stories from Sadie Sedlmayr

Great+Debate

Glee character Artie Abrams put it best when he said, “Spears is fierce, yo.” The pop culture icon was princess of the pop music industry from a young age, pushing boundaries with racy lyrics, outrageous outfits, and strong talent and showmanship.

 

However, the star went through some historically dramatic meltdowns, too. The 2007 incident where Spears shaved her head is engrained in all of our minds. Drug abuse and whacking an SUV with an umbrella are also Britney moments we will not soon forget.

 

Despite the scandals, Spears has pulled off some seriously impressive comebacks, and it is both inspiring and impressive to stage so many successful comebacks into a tough industry.

 

But just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

 

Spears is 34 years old and a single mom to two sons, both under the age of 11. She should focus on her family rather than trying to rebuild her pop star status. If the stress of fame proves to be too much for her again, her kids might end up on TMZ with shaved heads and wielding umbrellas next.

 

It’s like she’s asking the industry to “hit me baby one more time.” If she was able to pull herself together once, she should cling to that stability for all it’s worth; Lord knows having their lives together is what everyone else is shooting for.

 

Beyond her attempted comeback being potentially risky for her and her family, we must also ask ourselves a tough but necessary question: do we even want more of Britney Spears’ music?

 

Britney Spears peaked back in the early 2000s. She is no longer in touch with the current music and the risqué style that made her famous now feels forced, classless, and just kind of bad.

 

We can all be proud of Spears for making a comeback with her physical and mental health, her comeback to the stage is noble, but misguided and frankly, unnecessary. She is bringing nothing new, nothing groundbreaking, so it is in the best interests of all for her to focus on life beyond fame. Spears isn’t fierce, yo. It’s a painful truth we should start accepting now.

  • Staff Writer Hillary Smith

Who in our world didn’t grow up listening to Britney Spears’ music? Let’s be real here, it’s Spears’ world and we’re just living in it. Her story is a series of comeback after comeback. True to her form, Spears is securing her reign as the Comeback Queen by way of “Glory,” her debut back into the fold.

Has any star pulled off as many comebacks as Spears? The answer has always been the same, which is why everyone should welcome this pop artist back to her home turf: the spotlight.

“Glory”has earned rave reviews. From The Telegraph calling it a “masterpiece,” to People reviewing it as Spears’ “most adventurous album in a decade,” her career has soared to its pinnacle.

Throughout the decade, Spears has come full circle. We  have sat through it all; the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of her turbulent, yet vibrant relationship with pop media culture.

On the other hand, one could argue Spears has made too many bad decisions as a person, and entertainer, living under a microscope. Who can forget that 2007 meltdown involving a series of erratic behaviors like shaving her head and checking in at drug and alcohol treatment facilities?

In Spears’s case, some may argue the good outweighed the bad. Her albums “Baby One More Time”, “Oops! I Did It Again”, “Britney”, “In the Zone”, “Blackout” and “Circus” are perfect reasons for a return.

One might ask why she would warrant a comeback. Given her history of having career hits, as well as being a global icon, there is always room for growth and redemption.

With rehabilitation under her belt and new, fresh music on the horizon, Spears 3.0 is ready to make her debut. All we have to do is welcome her with open arms back to her arena.

–Sadie Sedlmayr, Staff Writer