One of Britney Spears’ managers has opened up about 2007 and it’s heartbreaking
While 2007 might have been a golden year for pop culture references, it was also a tragic and terrible time for Britney Spears. However, the star made it through those troublesome times, and successfully revitalized her career.
Well, now one of Britney Spears’ managers has been talking about her comeback in 2008 and it’s making us emotional.
While we totally know now that Britney Spears is an actual goddess (seriously, have you seen her new sexy video with Tinashe?) who totally owns Las Vegas with her “Piece of Me” residency at Planet Hollywood, and just released her best album in, like, five years, the appropriately titled Glory, things weren’t always as smooth sailing as they are now.
Following a very public split with her ex-partner Kevin Federline, a knee injury, and the birth of TWO children in quick succession, things were a bit worrying for Ms. Spears in 2007. Exhibiting some erratic behaviour, the star was also subjected to unacceptable amounts of abuse at the hands of the paparazzi and press, who followed her relentlessly, documenting every moment. In fact, it would take Britney being admitted to hospital for things to finally calm down.
Now Adam Leber, one of Britney’s managers, has spoken about the 2008 comeback.
Opening up to Billboard, Leber said that he puts much of Britney’s return down to her family’s involvement and it’s kind of emotional.
"When her parents got involved, that changed everything. We spent so many years trying to get her back on track — from a health perspective, not just a business perspective. It was a tumultuous time," he said. "When her father got back into her life, I personally think it saved her life. With that structure in place, we were able to rehabilitate her health and her career."
Following Britney’s admission to hospital, her father took over her affairs in a conservatorship, something that still stands today. While people have questioned the need for the conservatorship today, we’re so glad that, at the time at least, there was someone there to look out for Britney and help her get her life back on track.
Leber also explained why Britney decided to make Las Vegas her second home.
"It was more of a lifestyle decision than a financial one," he revealed. "Larry [one of Britney's other managers], Britney, and I were in Australia when she told us she was getting a bit tired of touring for as long as she had, and coupled with the fact that she's a mother, she was getting wary but she still wanted to perform."
After cycling through a variety of different locations where Britney could take up a residency, Vegas seemed like the perfect fit.
"We wanted to build the ultimate pregame destination in Vegas, so we played with this idea of a hybrid nightclub and a theater," Leber said. "Planet Hollywood was the only one that had a venue they were planning to gut and renovate. Our audience, which is 21 to 45, they're not using Vegas to go to a show. Maybe they go to dinner but they're going out to party. We wanted to make a perfectly timed show where you can comem, get f---ed up, and then go out at night and it's working incredibly well."
Given that Britney’s three year run in Las Vegas has nearly taken in $100 million, it’s safe to say that the decision was the right one. In fact, Britney seems more engaged and into her career than she has in years and we couldn’t be happier for her!
