Britney Spears performing during the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. Photo / Getty Images
It's been a year of mounting concern for Britney Spears, who over the course of her career has gone from pigtailed Mickey Mouse club member, to global pop sensation, to 39-year-old mum-of-two unable to so much as buy a coffee without permission from her father.
Britney's legal conservatorship woes have been under the spotlight throughout 2020 as the star battles to have her father Jamie Spears removed as her guardian, a position he's held for 12 years.
Meanwhile, the singer's Instagram page – a collection of dishevelled selfies posted several times, bizarre dancing videos in her pyjamas, and frantic video messages to fans – has sparked a surge in the #FreeBritney online phenomenon, a movement which posits her father as a cruel and opportunistic man exploiting her for financial gain.
Despite it all, Britney insists she's "fine".
Here's everything we know about her situation:
In the US, a conservatorship is a legal guardianship typically enacted for those incapable of making their own decisions. As Britney's legal team recently put, it is often used for comatose patients.
In Britney's case, the arrangement was approved by the court in 2008 after her public mental health breakdown, which included her being spotted driving with her son Sean on her lap, famously shaving her head and hitting a photographer's car with an umbrella.
Spears made several trips to rehab that year, and was committed twice to a psychiatric hospital.
Her father, Jamie Spears, petitioned for an emergency "temporary conservatorship", which put her estate, financial assets, and some personal assets under the control of her father and a lawyer.
Jamie was granted oversight of her estate and health, which involves everything from negotiating business opportunities to restricting visitors, while lawyer Andrew Wallet was assigned to help manage her financial assets.
It is still in place 12 years later, with Jamie stepping down briefly due to health problems in 2019.
Through it all, Britney has managed to continue working fairly regularly until January 2019, when she abruptly cancelled her "Britney: Domination" residency in Las Vegas and checked into a mental health facility again. She has not performed live since 2018.
In October, court documents obtained by The Sun claimed Spears' $US59 million ($A80 million) fortune was at risk by her "refusal to perform" and a "burn rate" of lawyer fees.
Her most recent financial documents showed that as of 2018, she had a net worth of $US59 million. That year, she spent $US400,000 on living expenses and $US66,000 on household supplies.
In November 2020, a Los Angeles courtroom heard Britney is allegedly "afraid" of her father, and that the two barely speak.
It comes after the star's mum Lynne claimed he once told her Britney is "like a racehorse and needed to be handled like one" – which would support some of the concerns voiced by supporters of the #FreeBritney movement.
Samuel D. Ingham, the lawyer representing the Toxic singer, referred to Britney as "a high functioning conservatee," and said she has told him on several occasions that "she is afraid of her father".
He added that Britney and Jamie having no "viable working relationship".
A representative for Britney's mum, Lynne, who was present at the hearing in November, agreed that Jamie should be dismissed.
The lawyer stated that while Lynne wishes her ex-husband no ill will, his relationship with their daughter had deteriorated over the years and led to Britney having "dark days".
Jamie's lawyer replied that it is all hearsay, adding that no one loves Britney more than her father.
Spears' conservatorship had already been extended twice in 2020, with her younger sister Jamie Lynn ordered take a more active role in her trust.
In November, a judge upheld Jamie's role as head conservator, but didn't close the door on ousting him at a future date.
Per the singer's request, the judge also appointed a financial fiduciary as a co-conservator, according to court documents reviewed by The LA Times.
Amid the court case, Britney's mental wellbeing has come into question in response to her unusual social media activity.
Among several bizarre posts this year, the star posted a clip on Instagram in October enthusiastically telling fans how much she enjoyed her summer in what many have described as a frenzied state.
The video sees the star rocking back and forth while delivering a message that many thought seemed scripted.
Fronting the camera in a white shirt, her long blonde hair dishevelled and makeup slightly smudged, she said: "OK so yesterday I felt like it was the beginning of fall (autumn). I pulled out all of my jackets and then the next day it was really hot. It was very confusing."
She continued: "Anyhow this summer has been so much fun for me. I learned so much, I laughed so much, I swam so much.
"But the most important thing that I did learn was that life has so many spontaneous gifts at each moment. Sometimes we need to slow down and learn how to embrace them all."
Followers – who have been leading the #FreeBritney campaign amid the star's ongoing legal troubles – flocked to the comments worried the shakiness in her voice may be a sign that things are not going well for the pop star.
"The way she rocks herself back and forth is a self-soothing tactic. Something isn't right," one posted.
Another wrote: "Brit you look like you haven't slept for days but trying to look and sound like you are in good spirits and full of energy."
"This is very unsettling for some reason," one fan commented.
"I love Britney so much, but something isn't right," said another.
In another clip, she's seen dancing to Rihanna's Never Ending in an elaborate routine full of wild hand gestures.
And in another, she models several different bikinis to the camera, strutting back and forth as though she's on a catwalk.
The singer even responded to those who have criticised her for posting several versions of the same selfie back in March, accusing them of "bullying" her.
"For me I get really excited about my posts … and I like to share them with you all!" she wrote, adding: "I've never owned a white bathing suit before and I simply liked the red background."
The Womaniser singer has been the subject of several conspiracy theories during her conservatorship battle, her situation having prompted a resurgence of the #FreeBritney movement (which dates back to 2009) in 2017 via an anonymous call to podcast Britney's Gram.
Some even think she's been sending coded messages sprinkled throughout her posts this year.
It comes after fans grew suspicious about her father's intentions given over the past 12 years, Britney has released four albums, held a four-year, $140 million Las Vegas performance residency, launched fashion and fragrance products, made cameos on TV shows and judged on The X Factor, all while being unable to drive, hire a lawyer, or control her own finances.
In response, fans have even created a petition in hopes of helping the singer.
"Her father doesn't allow her to drive, all of her calls & messages are monitored, she's not allowed to vote, hang with anyone or spend her money without permission. And if she breaks a 'rule' he threatens to have her kids taken away," claims one Change.org petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures lobbying for Britney's freedom.
Jamie has slammed the movement in the past and defended his role as Britney's conservator.
"All these conspiracy theorists don't know anything. The world don't have a clue," Jamie told Page Six in August.
"It's up to the court of California to decide what's best for my daughter. It's no one else's business."
Britney's lawyer responded to Jamie's comments: "Britney herself is vehemently opposed to this effort by her father to keep her legal struggle hidden away in the closet as a family secret," TMZ quoted Mr Ingham.
"Far from being a conspiracy theory or a 'joke' as James (Jamie) reportedly told the media, in large part this scrutiny is a reasonable and even predictable result of James' aggressive use of the sealing procedure over the years to minimise the amount of meaningful information made available to the public."
He said Britney "welcomes and appreciates the informed support of her many fans".
A number of sources close to Britney have also spoken out in recent months, including her former makeup artist, who said there is a Handmaid's Tale-style plot to keep her from having a baby with boyfriend Sam Asghari.
Speaking on the podcast Calababes in October, celebrity cosmetician Maxi said the pop star's strict conservatorship is preventing her from marrying Asghari, who she's been dating since 2016.
"I can tell you what they're still controlling to this day is whether she has a baby or not, whether she gets married or not, who her friends are, and those are some big things," Maxi said, according to US Magazine.
"We're talking about some Handmaid's Tale-type things to keep her from having a baby. Like, we're talking … I can't detail it and I'm not gonna specifically say, but I will say for sure, she would've had a baby by now.
"She would've probably been married to (boyfriend) Sam (Asghari) by now. She would have groups of friends around her."
Though Maxi called the situation "sad," the makeup artist said it's improving, noting that Spears has gained more control over her social media.
The makeup man also said dad Jamie put the Circus performer's boyfriend, who works as a personal trainer, "through hell".
"I can't detail all the things that (Asghari) went through, but he went through a lot of hell to even be with her," he said. When the pair started dating, "she was under the conservatorship basically controlled by the father".
Spears' mother Lynne is also reportedly engaged with the #FreeBritney movement, with fans noticing she has "liked" several posts referring to it.
In November, Britney took to Instagram to assure her followers she is "fine" and "the happiest I've ever been in my life".
"Hi, so I know that there have been a lot of comments and a lot of people saying a lot of different things about me. But I just want to let you guys know that I am fine," she said.
She continued, "I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life and I'm sending all of you guys a lot of prayers and wishes and a lot of love."
It's not the first time she's addressed the #FreeBritney movement and concern about her mental wellbeing.
In July, she wrote in response to critics of her Instagram page: "I get how some people might not like my posts or even understand them, but this is Me being happy …. this is Me being authentic and as real as it gets !!!!! I want to inspire people to do the same and just be themselves without pleasing others …. that's the key to happiness."
Much to the devastation of Britney's biggest fans, the result of her court case may mean she never performs again.
In November, her lawyer revealed she has vowed not to perform on stage again until Jamie no longer has control over her life.
Another hearing reviewing Jamie's conservatorship has been set for December 16.
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