Music, for decades, has been one of the most influential aspects of American popular culture. Famous singers such as Elvis and Britney Spears, have played major roles in the entertainment industry, as their music and management teams work to control the reception of popular culture. Whether in a studio or while performing on tour, the job of performers like Elvis and Spears is to provide listeners with influential songs, projects, and records. However, these two singers, and unfortunately, many others, faced a lot obstacles and tragedies in their careers. While Elvis faced abuse from his manager, the Colonel, Britney faced assault and oppressive control from her own father, Jamie Spears.
Both Britney Spears and Elvis Presley maintained a close relationship with their families while initially rising to fame, as they trusted them the most. However, as their careers continued to sky-rocket, they both faced different forms of pressure from money-hungry management. While the Colonel convinced Elvis to work with him through invoking fear related to finances, Jamie kept poor Britney Spears under his control by threatening her own family members and with punishment. Britney and Elvis both were influenced by controlling pimp-like men, which took a toll on them mentally and physically. The overwhelming control of the Colonel and Jamie Spears prevented the two singers from producing the projects or music they genuinely desired to. The Colonel cared more for the money he could use in slot machines than the wellbeing of young Elvis Presley. Similarly, Jamie Spears, even with the sole job of caring for his daughter in desperation, cared more for the profits he could make off of her than improving her sanity.
In the summer of 2021, famous singer Britney Spears requested that the Superior Court of Los Angeles, California end her long-lasting conservatorship. During the conservatorship, Britney toured the world, was featured on television, performed at multiple concerts and events, released beloved albums and singles. Due to her clear success and smiles on stage, fans perceived her to be more than satisfied with her career and personal life. However, fans were unable to detect the inhumane demands sourcing from her management. They could not do so, as all manipulation coming from her conservator was kept away from the spotlight. Britney may have appeared perfectly healthy and happy in interviews, on stage, or on television, but her reality was an exact opposite reflection.
Britney’s father, Jamie Spears, acted as his daughter’s conservator since 2008, despite the singer wanting otherwise. For context, a conservator is an individual tasked to care for another person deemed unfit to provide for themselves (physically or mentally) or to manage their own finances. Jamie stepped in after Britney had a public breakdown in 2008 and needed outside help. While many would expect that a father would want only the best for his daughter, especially in pop culture, Jamie was nothing but cruel to Britney Spears. From 2008 and 2021, he dictated how much time she spent with her partner, her children, rehearsing, and performing. This conservatorship lasted 13 years and ultimately stripped Spears of the right to make her own decisions regarding her reproductive ability, career pathways, and finances. He additionally rejected her desire to raise a family, meaning Jamie openly deprived her of the right to bodily autonomy.
Britney, when finally speaking up about her conservatorship, claimed that Jamie and his team would frequently threaten and punish her for having opinions that opposed their own. These actions led her to believe that her place of residence felt more like a rehab facility than an actual home. Once fans finally began hearing that her management stripped Britney of her reproductive rights, profited off of performances they did nothing but schedule, and mentally abused her, they began the #FreeBritney movement. Fans of Britney Spears came together on social media, online websites, and in physical protests to bring awareness to the negative aspects of Britney’s conservatorship, stating that she is fully capable of taking care of herself. After many protests, trials, and interviews, Britney’s conservatorship ended in June 2021. With the end of the conservatorship, Britney, for the past 17 months, has been free to make her own decisions regarding her reproductive ability, medical preferences, contracts, finances, and family.
By analyzing the careers of Britney Spears and Elvis Presley, one can conclude that management contributes greatly to the mental and physical health of famous singers. When these singers attempted to stand up to their management, such as Elvis while singing at the Christmas special or Spears with her bodily autonomy, they experienced consequences they simply did not deserve. Both singers were strapped to the higher power of their “superiors,” but made a difference in pop culture through their powerful music. The music of Elvis Presley and Britney Spears will continue to impact individuals around the world, as they proved to be more than their horrid management teams.