The release of 'Baby One More Time' transformed Britney Spears from a teenager from small-town Louisiana into one of the most famous women on the planet almost overnight. According to her former make-up artist Julianne Kaye, that rapid rise quickly became overwhelming, leaving Spears in dangerous situations and unable to cope. Multiple reports indicate she went from being able to walk around a mall where people didn't really know who she was to not being able to leave her hotel room.
Julianne Kaye, who was just in her twenties when she landed the job of accompanying Spears on tours from Europe to Asia, followed the pop star across the world. According to Daily Mirror - 3am Showbiz, Kaye described Spears as a bright, warm, bubbly, fun, energetic, sweet, and super down-to-earth young woman who was really excited about everything in life. Kaye remembers Spears as always thoughtful, such as buying her a whole cart of stuff during a shopping spree just because she thought of her, and says the star had that Southern quality of taking care of people.
I just want to be normal.
Management would always make Britney Spears work more than she wanted to, which started getting her pretty depressed, according to Kaye. As time went on, things got more jaded and exhausting for Spears, who was crying a lot. According to Daily Mirror - 3am Showbiz, Spears described wanting to be normal, expressing frustration with the pressures she faced. The specific management team that enforced this demanding schedule has not been identified.
The toll of fame extended beyond professional pressures into physical dangers and intrusions. Fans would rock the van when Britney Spears was in it, which felt very crazy, Kaye said. According to Daily Mirror - 3am Showbiz, Kaye described the paparazzi as really brutal back then, with a sea of them climbing over fences to get pictures in a relentless pursuit. The exact dangerous situations Spears faced due to her overwhelming rise to fame have not been detailed.
I want to be normal.
More than two decades later, it is painful for Julianne Kaye to watch events unfold for Britney Spears. Kaye hopes Spears gets the help she needs, though what specific help she believes is required remains unclear. The current legal status and details of Spears' arrest for suspected DUI in California have not been confirmed by authorities. What specific events Kaye finds painful to watch unfold also has not been specified.
I want to be normal.