Known the world over as pop hitmakers, iconic stage performers and their
prolonged victimization of the tabloid press.
Michael Jackson's and Britney Spears's rocky road through stardom has many parallels.
Although their own personal interactions were fleeting,
they were still uniquely significant as these two pop powerhouses
celebrity intercepted each other on several occasions and their deeper
understanding of each other's unique struggles endured for many years to come.
Growing up during Jackson's Thriller Mega stardom, Britney Spears revealed
that the King of Pop has been a lifelong idol for her.
Recounting that as a young child, she was so mesmerized by Jackson's
performance of Billie Jean, she would repeat the song over and over again.
Later, Britney expanded on her musical
influences, citing the likes of Madonna, Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston as major
influences and to whom she would sing along to day and night in her living room.
Brought up as part of the MTV generation,
the impressionable young Britney Spears was able to internalize performance styles
from the era's most celebrated artists and create her own unique star appeal,
as reflected in her most celebrated early award show appearances.
Spears drew frequent comparisons to Madonna and Jackson in particular
in terms of vocals, choreography and performance.
However, unlike the larger than life music
icons that came before her, the teenagers girl next door image
in combination with a phenomenal bombshell stage presence proved a winning
combination and sky rocketed Spears to an international superstardom like no other.
By 2001, Britney had released three top
selling number one albums in as many years and undergone three international tours.
Spears even surpassed records previously set by her idols with the biggest one week
sales of an album by any female artist ever. By the age of 19,
Britney Spears was firmly at the center
of the burgeoning teen pop music scene and set the standard for all other female
performers that grew to prominence after her.
It was at this time that Michael Jackson was preparing for a much anticipated
comeback with his latest musical endeavor, 'Invincible'.
However, the pop music landscape had changed significantly in the six years
since the release of his last album of original work.
And unlike previous promotion,
which positioned Michael Jackson as the center of the pop universe as
a formidable music icon, Jackson's management decided to take
advantage of his significance as an originator and a major influence
for a new wave of artists that were now at the forefront.
Therefore, Jackson aligned himself with popular acts like
NSYNC, Aaron Carter, Usher, 98 Degrees and Destiny's Child,
who all paid tribute to the artist during a 30th anniversary celebration
at Madison Square Garden to mark Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist.
Sony Music hoped such a high-profile
televised special would attract an untapped legion of impressionable young
fans who may have not yet been familiar with Jackson's catalog in the same way
previous generations were. As part of this plan,
it was natural for the established King
of Pop to appear together with the newly crowned Princess of Pop during such
an event. Who was undeniably at the height of her commercial pop power and influence.
According to Wade Robson, longtime friend and more recently accuser
of Michael Jackson, as well as former choreographer
for Britney Spears, Jackson grew obsessed with Britney Spears.
He said, quote, Michael had some obsession
with Britney and he would call me and he would want to know what she was like.
And he would say, isn't she sexy?
Isn't she beautiful?
Wondering if I could set up a way for them to meet.
In no time, a call was arranged and Michael Jackson
personally contacted the pop princess out of the blue.
Britney Spears has on several occasions recounted this awestruck conversation,
expressing her initial disbelief and enduring admiration for the artist.
As part of the interaction, Spears agreed to perform with Jackson.
And on September 7th, 2001, Spears appeared on stage with Jackson as
part of a duet of one of her favorite songs ever.
The Way You Make Me Feel. Britney's confident struts across the stage
and sultry rendition had fans of both musical icons in rapture.
As the performance ended,
both thanked each other and expressed their mutual admiration.
However, the televised airing
of the performance was delayed and marred by contractual complications.
Spears reportedly dropped out of the Jackson performance because of her
exclusive deal with HBO that prohibited her from appearing anywhere else
on television within a month of her live HBO concert special.
However, she rejoined the star studded
line-up just days before the event, after reaching an agreement that her
performance would not be included in the CBS televised Jackson special.
The performance was later incorporated into a reairing once
Spears's contract with HBO had expired.
The legal brawl was indicative
of increasingly tough exclusivity agreements that networks were placing
on top music acts at the time and foreshadowed ongoing disputes
Michael Jackson will experience with his own record label, Sony Music,
during the release and promotion of his 'Invincible' album.
The next time the two pop powerhouses
would come into contact again was the following year when Britney Spears was
invited to introduce Michael Jackson on stage at the 2002 Video Music Awards.
Overwhelmed and honored to come in contact
with her childhood idol on stage once again, Britney gifted Jackson
a multi-tiered cake as the event actually took place on his birthday.
In her speech, she defined him as a true
innovator, breaking barriers and naming him as her 'Artist of the Millennium'.
Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, Michael Jackson accepted a statue
on the birthday cake, believing it to be an 'Artist
of the Millennium' award, an accolade that didn't actually exist.
The singer then continued to give a speech
thanking God, his parents and the magician David Blaine before Britney Spears stepped
in to introduce the nominees for 'best pop video'.
The next day, the mishap was splashed across tabloid headlines and contributed
to a series of public blunders Michael Jackson endured during 2002.
Britney Spears also wasn't left without criticism as her leather clad outfit was
roasted in the press and as a presumed role model for her many young fans,
she was condemned for her provocative public image.
During a 2003 interview
on ABC's Primetime, Diane Sawyer held up photographs
in an attempt to shame Britney Spears for her outfit choices.
But when her look from the previous year's VMAs was mentioned, Britney couldn't help
but exclaim her excitement over meeting Michael Jackson.
Sawyer proceeded to ask her questions
about the King of Pop and whether she stands by the Michael Jackson of today.
Britney Spears was uncharacteristic
of many public figures at the time and chose to demonstrate compassion
for a star that has experienced a level of celebrity
she in many ways could relate to. Having been a child star herself,
Britney had a personal understanding
of the pressure and public criticism that level of superstardom brought
with it. Relating firsthand how lonely one might
feel and how destructive that could be for a star's own internal wellbeing.
Although Britney Spears continuously expressed admiration and compassion
for Michael Jackson, it was later revealed that Jackson didn't always feel the same
for Spears. As he expressed privately as part of the Rabbi Shmuley tapes
when the then meteoric Britney Spears was
mentioned, quote, 'I don't believe that she'll have any great
longevity in the public eye because she doesn't understand the power of mystery.
Although on the surface this could be seen as a clear diss directed towards Spears,
some may argue that it was more of a criticism towards those who are
managing her career rather than the artist herself.
Unlike Jackson, who took several years
between album and tour cycles, Britney Spears initial pursuit to pop
prominence consisted of a continual stream of recording, touring and promoting
in order to fully capitalize on her immense popularity.
One could argue that such an intense level
of musical output doesn't enable the performer to evolve artistically
or allow time away from public life to recoup,
and therefore, artist burnout is inevitable.
Not only for the artist's own personal
development, but too much time in the public eye runs the risk of overexposure.
That can be a real threat for an artist's career longevity.
As Michael Jackson experienced himself.
No matter how popular you are as
an artist, the public eye can easily grow tired of you,
and intensifying criticism is therefore
inescapable. Like Michael Jackson did concerning rumors
of his sexuality and plastic surgery, for example, Britney Spears was encouraged
to counteract slanderous press about her provocative image by proclaiming her
virginity and desires to abstain from intimate relations before marriage.
However, this decision ultimately backfired on the star, as it encouraged
the slurry of tabloid intrusion that as a result felt it was fair game
to speculate over the intimate details of her personal life.
In 2007, during the dark days of Britney Spears very public meltdown,
Michael Jackson's own spiritual adviser, Rabbi Shmuley, expressed how Britney's
downfall was becoming tragically reminiscent of the King of Pop himself.
Quote, Michael came very close to death.
And I fear for Britney in the same way.
Both of them seem to be spitting in the face of the talent they are blessed
with and are showing us that they don't really want to be helped.
What concerns me is that it took Jackson a good 20 years to deteriorate,
but Britney has done it in just three or four.
Unlike Michael Jackson predicted, Britney Spears proved her longevity as she
continued to stay in the headlines throughout the 2000s,
but more for her court case appearances and rehab admissions rather than any
musical breakthroughs. In both 2007 and 2008,
Britney topped the chart for the world's most searched celebrity and was only
bumped off the number one spot by Michael Jackson himself after his death in 2009.
Upon hearing the singer's passing,
Spears paid tribute to her musical muse with the statement, quote,
He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I'm devastated he's gone.
Since Michael Jackson's death,
Britney Spears has consistently honored the life of the late pop music legend,
like on Twitter when marking the four year anniversary of his death.
Quote, My thoughts are with the Jackson family
today, honored to have shared a stage with him.
Miss you, Michael.
During Britney Spears's
a much celebrated Las Vegas show, she also paid tribute to the King of Pop
while performing the track 'Me Against the Music', as the singer donned a fedora
hat and struck poses resembling MJ's signature moves.
In recent years, as Britney Spears has chosen to remain outside the public
spotlight amid mental health struggles and a messy legal battle regarding her
conservatorship. Britney shared with her fans on Instagram some energetic freestyle
moves to Michael and Janet Jackson's 1995 hit 'Scream'.
Captioning the clip, 'Me and Michael'. The post may have offered
some insight into Britney's state of mind as the song was written by Jackson about
his frustration at the media coverage during the 1993 child sexual abuse
allegations and features the lyrics, 'with such confusions
don't it make you want to scream. Stop pressuring me?
I can't take it much longer.
I think I might go insane.
Some fans speculated the video was a clap-back
to her longtime manager, Larry Rudolph, telling TMZ the day before
that Britney was not fit to return to her Vegas show following mental health
troubles, stating that the singer may never perform again.
The lesser known Michael Jackson track may
have been a way for Spears to express her ongoing frustration over her current
circumstance and also expresses a deeper affinity she now feels with her musical
idol. Who, like Michael, struggles to regain her personal freedom
and continues feeling victimized and misrepresented by the tabloid press.
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