Community question: How did younger Exhalers first become Britney stans when discovering her "post-prime"?

[Army1]

8 hours ago, 1inamillion said:

Personally, i was fascinated with her sassy attitude during 2007-2009. She became kinda "goals"  for me. I still remember watching the "3" music video on TV while having my mom criticizing her dancing.🤣

Good times!

Criticize it for the nature of the dancing or was your mom comparing her new dancing to her old dancing?

[wixie]

Omg it was so fast for me, I'm not that much of a young fan but i missed her prime so I'm gonna talk.

Before leaving the house for elementary school, i always saw Chris Cox Megamix on tv in the mornings and I was amazed how she merged so many different styles into one song lmao,  my 12 years old self was shook. Then I discovered it was just a remix and found the original songs so I was kinda digesting the prime Britney but at the same I was collecting all the newspapers that she is on, at the time she was pregnant to Jayden. And then came the breakdown and everyday there was a new story about her, but at the same time I was learning about her prime too from a turkish version of exhale, a fan forum, so it was mixed. Greatest Hits was my first CD then I made my parents buy her previous stuff but they were PISSED. They were like "she is probably releasing the same songs over and over again why are you into this, how can she release so many albums." Then again they literally have no clue about music industry let alone foreign music (I'm from Turkey). The 2007 VMAs was the first performance I witnessed and I was LIVING for it and didnt get the backlash, she was so badass, I mean I did saw her old performances here and there after becoming a stan but since I didn't watch them when they did happen, probably I couldn't see how "bad" VMAs was compared to that. Gimme More was her first single since I became a stan and probably why it's my fav song of hers.

[Army1]

2 minutes ago, hxpnxl said:

Omg it was so fast for me, I'm not that much of a young fan but i missed her prime so I'm gonna talk.

Before leaving the house for elementary school, i always saw Chris Cox Megamix on tv in the mornings and I was amazed how she merged so many different styles into one song lmao,  my 12 years old self was shook. Then I discovered it was just a remix and found the original songs so I was kinda digesting the prime Britney but at the same I was collecting all the newspapers that she is on, at the time she was pregnant to Jayden. And then came the breakdown and everyday there was a new story about her, but at the same time I was learning about her prime too from a turkish version of exhale, a fan forum, so it was mixed. Greatest Hits was my first CD then I made my parents buy her previous stuff but they were PISSED. They were like "she is probably releasing the same songs over and over again why are you into this, how can she release so many albums." Then again they literally have no clue about music industry let alone foreign music (I'm from Turkey). The 2007 VMAs was the first performance I witnessed and I was LIVING for it and didnt get the backlash, she was so badass, I mean I did saw her old performances here and there after becoming a stan but since I didn't watch them when they did happen, probably I couldn't see how bad VMAs was compared to that. Gimme More was her first single since I became a stan and probably why it's my fav song of hers.

Really interesting to see how you perceived the Gimme More performance without knowing too much or your outlook being to influenced by her prime! Cool story

[JackSProductions]

To be honest I’m not actually too sure lol The first Britney song I can remember properly and knew it was by Britney was Born To Make You Happy (this was probably 2008?) I was given it by a family member from the Now! (2000) Albums in the UK and the only song I liked was BTMYH. I can remember being little and watching the video on YouTube but that’s about it. It has a really special meaning to me which I don’t want to go into but that song has such a special place in my heart.

I remember bits of 2007 but not too much, like I remember the main event but was too young to understand. Scream and Shout obviously we knew was Britney and Work ***** was really popular! I came a Britney fan though by listening to the song Oops!...I Did It Again and wondered off to Glory to fall in love with Slumber Party which was played a lot in the UK along with Make Me and from then I went and listened to all of her songs and here we are now I guess 

[Urbanney]

For some reason, I was always interested in Britney as a kid to where I was begging my mom to buy me BOMT and Oops albums that we saw at garage sales. Even when my mom accidentally cracked my BOMT cd, she bought me a new one because I was so upset. I never realized the true power of her fame though, as I was born the year BOMT came out and was only 0-3 years old during her peak fame. But I just remember always liking her before I even knew why. I have home videos of me dancing and singing along to her performance with Michael Jackson at like age 3.

I became really interested in Britney during her breakdown. Her rebellious, badass, controversial attitude and sexualized music and visuals attracted me as a 9 year old (lol). She made me feel badass and I loved that she was shocking everyone. I got Blackout a few months after it came out and began stanning her in early 2008. I followed her throughout the entire Circus era, watching every performance and promotional thing. I’ve been stanning ever since. It’s honestly just part of my lifestyle now. Hard to break something that literally becomes a habit for you during your childhood. 

[WorkBishStan94]

ah I love these stories and I love the new generation of stans coming up! My sister is the one who got me into Britney when I was 4 in 98. It’s cool reading the fans discovering her in 08 etc with their older siblings etc. 

[MareuOli]

I know about her for most of my life, but I was just someone that would casually would listen to one of her songs or watch a videoclip. 

I became a stan in 2010 when it was anounce that Glee was going to make a tribute to Britney. I started to search everything about her and became a fan. Today, I still love her but cannot watch Glee anymore. lol

[ShatteredBoy]

On 5/22/2020 at 12:48 AM, Britneyarmy8 said:

exactly people never think that our generation grew up with britney but she was really popular in 2009-2013

 

On 5/22/2020 at 12:55 AM, MakeMeFweaky said:

oh definitely i think among teen/young adult generation, her peak was around FF/Scream and Shout era

Agree guys! I'll write my own story at the bottom of the post which also strengthens this

On 5/22/2020 at 12:58 AM, 10pm24 said:

Love the question! 

It first started with Zoey 101 when I, a clueless child, thought Jamie Lynn was Britney  Then I started to notice Britney whenever I saw her pictures somewhere and I was mesmerized by her beauty   I even tried to make my sims look like her by seperating their eyes in The Sims 2 

I remember one time I saw the umbrella photo on the newspaper and I got so upset seeing her upset and as a child, again, I thought she was sad because she didnt have hair and I drew hair on the photo with a yellow crayon 

Then after a few months the Circus era began and I started to see her music videos everywhere even on the news in school mornings  

Then the last step came in for me being a stan forever....If...U...Seek...Amy...doesn’t make any sense does it?

I worshipped the song for months without knowing the lyrics and I was so shocked when I looked up for the translation that I couldnt listen to it for a few years 

Then I started to get into her again at the end of the middle school and even more at highschool. I’m at college now and Britney will always have a special place in my heart especially after learning more about her about her and her being so relatable. Oh how I wish she could read this  

 

Haha the Sims story is sooo funny. And yeah I'm in college too and feel the exact same way, she'll always have a special place in my heart, as I get older I don't know if I'll still be able to keep up with everything about Brit but I'll always love her, check on her, buy her albums and stuff.

 

7 hours ago, Urbanney said:

For some reason, I was always interested in Britney as a kid to where I was begging my mom to buy me BOMT and Oops albums that we saw at garage sales. Even when my mom accidentally cracked my BOMT cd, she bought me a new one because I was so upset. I never realized the true power of her fame though, as I was born the year BOMT came out and was only 0-3 years old during her peak fame. But I just remember always liking her before I even knew why. I have home videos of me dancing and singing along to her performance with Michael Jackson at like age 3.

I became really interested in Britney during her breakdown. Her rebellious, badass, controversial attitude and sexualized music and visuals attracted me as a 9 year old (lol). She made me feel badass and I loved that she was shocking everyone. I got Blackout a few months after it came out and began stanning her in early 2008. I followed her throughout the entire Circus era, watching every performance and promotional thing. I’ve been stanning ever since. It’s honestly just part of my lifestyle now. Hard to break something that literally becomes a habit for you during your childhood. 

 

Omg Urbanney I'm so jealous I was born in 2001 so we're basically the same age and while I've been a fan since 2011, the first era where I followed everything through was Glory ahhh. I really didn't understand what was going on during BJ, like I didn't even know she was on the internet till like the year after in 2012, and became a fan in the middle of the FF era so I missed most of that by default

You at least got to experience the super successful Circus era and the FF era which was also sucessful Did you get to attend any show?

 

On 5/22/2020 at 5:11 AM, AP4 said:

I’m old (30) so I know prime Britney, my kids listen to her and sing and dance because I play her. They aren’t old enough to be stans/fans like that though.

Aw that's super cute. I wished my mum had put me on to Britney's music right since I was kid, but at least she loves Britney too. And you're not old!

23 hours ago, puppylo16 said:

Don’t worry, someday they will understand her brilliance. She’s the Marilyn Monroe of our times 

Love this. I rly hope she becomes the cultural legend Marilyn went on to become, she's already one to but for the whole world too.

21 hours ago, privateclumsy said:

So back to early 2015, I was 11, I saw a lot of her old music video (Lucky, Oops) and Scream&Shout on tv. Of course I'd known who Britney Spears is before, but  I fell in LOVE with these songs, then I was watching Britney's old perfomances, I really didn't know eras, albums, I was just listening and watching and I was pretty upset that teenage magazines like BRAVO (I'm from Europe) don't write about her, because I really wanted to know what is she doing know (I didn't use Facebook or Instagram back then). So I went to go... gossip websites and read a lot of bull**** about Britney (but I felt so educated haha)

Back then I didn't know about Vegas, I ignored Pretty Girls premiere, I was just so impressed by old Britney and what she used to be. In autumn 2015 I started following Britney's current life, buying her albums (Blackout was my first<3) and then I was really excited for Glory premiere. I have really beautiful memories from Glory era and BBMAs 2016 performance cause it was her first performance I was watching live and I throught that old Britney came back to us. I fell in love with the new Britney too,  because she was and still is amazing.

Sorry for my English, but I really wanted to share my story. It's also my first post here, but I've visited you for few years almost everyday.

This is kind of how I became a fan, just in different eras (I'm 2 or 3 years older than you) but wow I really get you because when I became a fan initially, I didn't start following her life stricly but was more of a fan of her old work and only a few years later became a full on fan and started keeping up with her current life how you say haha

And your English is perfect, and welcome, I'm kinda new here too although I've also been following BH for a few years just like you, it's nice to see a lot of fellow teen fans

(I feel like I tagged 5000 people but I really liked the stories and wanted to add my 2 cents)

 

MY PERSONAL STORY

 

Really nice question @Army1, I enjoyed reading all these replies. I'm 18 (was born in 2001, funny cause right now I'm blasting the album Britney on Spotify which also came out on that year). For me, I became a fan in 2011, but I was kind of a casual fan, I was 10 and didn't know how the industry worked (I didn't know Britney would keep releasing albums and videos, etc) but I would watch her videos all the time on my Blackberry (they were the ish at least here in the UK in 2011-2013). And then probably around late 2014/early 2015 I became a stan and knew what was going on, I vividly remember being a stan when Pretty Girls came out and even remember the rumours leading up to it (there were rumours for a long time till the song came out). I'm pretty sure I got my mum to buy PG on iTunes haha. Glory was my first full on era stanning, I bought Glory at the store the morning it came out and got my mum to buy it for me on iTunes too. But for real, Femme Fatale deff had its advantages, that was the last era where a large chunk of kids/teenagers became her fans, me included, she was always on the radio or being played somewhere, it's funny cause the FF didn't do that well on the charts over here in the UK but I somehow heard them all the time and I'm sure in other countries like the US she was being played a lot more. I know a lot of teenager fans that became fans during the Femme Fatale era (well some have moved on to their early 20s like I will in two years) but yeah it got her a lot of younger fans, BJ and Glory unfortunately got her far less new fans.

[Army1]

1 hour ago, ShatteredBoy said:

 

Agree guys! I'll write my own story at the bottom of the post which also strengthens this

Haha the Sims story is sooo funny. And yeah I'm in college too and feel the exact same way, she'll always have a special place in my heart, as I get older I don't know if I'll still be able to keep up with everything about Brit but I'll always love her, check on her, buy her albums and stuff.

 

 

Omg Urbanney I'm so jealous I was born in 2001 so we're basically the same age and while I've been a fan since 2011, the first era where I followed everything through was Glory ahhh. I really didn't understand what was going on during BJ, like I didn't even know she was on the internet till like the year after in 2012, and became a fan in the middle of the FF era so I missed most of that by default

You at least got to experience the super successful Circus era and the FF era which was also sucessful Did you get to attend any show?

 

Aw that's super cute. I wished my mum had put me on to Britney's music right since I was kid, but at least she loves Britney too. And you're not old!

Love this. I rly hope she becomes the cultural legend Marilyn went on to become, she's already one to but for the whole world too.

This is kind of how I became a fan, just in different eras (I'm 2 or 3 years older than you) but wow I really get you because when I became a fan initially, I didn't start following her life stricly but was more of a fan of her old work and only a few years later became a full on fan and started keeping up with her current life how you say haha

And your English is perfect, and welcome, I'm kinda new here too although I've also been following BH for a few years just like you, it's nice to see a lot of fellow teen fans

(I feel like I tagged 5000 people but I really liked the stories and wanted to add my 2 cents)

 

MY PERSONAL STORY

 

Really nice question @Army1, I enjoyed reading all these replies. I'm 18 (was born in 2001, funny cause right now I'm blasting the album Britney on Spotify which also came out on that year). For me, I became a fan in 2011, but I was kind of a casual fan, I was 10 and didn't know how the industry worked (I didn't know Britney would keep releasing albums and videos, etc) but I would watch her videos all the time on my Blackberry (they were the ish at least here in the UK in 2011-2013). And then probably around late 2014/early 2015 I became a stan and knew what was going on, I vividly remember being a stan when Pretty Girls came out and even remember the rumours leading up to it (there were rumours for a long time till the song came out). I'm pretty sure I got my mum to buy PG on iTunes haha. Glory was my first full on era stanning, I bought Glory at the store the morning it came out and got my mum to buy it for me on iTunes too. But for real, Femme Fatale deff had its advantages, that was the last era where a large chunk of kids/teenagers became her fans, me included, she was always on the radio or being played somewhere, it's funny cause the FF didn't do that well on the charts over here in the UK but I somehow heard them all the time and I'm sure in other countries like the US she was being played a lot more. I know a lot of teenager fans that became fans during the Femme Fatale era (well some have moved on to their early 20s like I will in two years) but yeah it got her a lot of younger fans, BJ and Glory unfortunately got her far less new fans.

Awesome story! At what point did you start dipping back pre 2011? What did you think of the pre 2011 Britney compared to the 2011 Britney you had already fallen in love with?

[PokemonSpears]

3 hours ago, MareuOli said:

oday, I still love her but cannot watch Glee anymore. lol

I just re-watched Glee on Netflix a few weeks ago

[studlygeorge]

Don’t know how young you mean but I’m 23. My old sister and uncle were her target demographic at her debut so even though I was only like 2 when Britney started to get big I guess she was just a name and who’s songs I always recognized? I can’t say I recall her performances like the snake or the kiss. They were just things I knew? If that makes sense? Kinda like how everyone was just born knowing who Mickey Mouse is? Lol

I really got into her (despite kinda always being into her) during her Blackout days. I would read the tabloids at my grandma’s house (she practically collected them) and I just loved reading the drama happening in her life and others like Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Simpson, etc.

When Blackout came out I just remember being mesmerized by the music. It just sounded so futuristic and different and the different layers of vocals, synths, and bass on the album was so hypnotizing. I recall stuff like the head shaving and VMAs, but I was so entranced by the album it almost seemed like two different people if that makes sense.

When Circus came out I was in the sixth grade. I definitely recall other kids being really into her music at that time too. Maybe Circus, being the pop comeback album, was in a way being marketed to kids of my generation? That’s how I viewed it. Because I remember kids loving 3 and even the Femme Fatale album which came out my freshman year of high school. They were played at lunch, dances, etc. she was just a household name.

I joined BreatheHeavy community during Britney Jean, which I feel was definitely only marketed towards the Britney fanbase and the gay community. It wasn’t marketed as broadly as Britney’s previous albums and I could tell because that’s when I noticed no one my age was talking about her anymore. Even though I joined Exhale at that time, I don’t consider that’s when I became a “stan”. I just always inherently knew who she was and what she was up to. I love being her fan 💖

[Tiago]

I clearly remember my sister having the baby one more time album but never cared for her much until I hit the age of 12 in 2007. I knew a few songs and had seen her live on RIR Lisbon on tv but never cared much as I was too young. I remember my mum telling me to switch the channel when she started performing breathe on me lol. 

In 2007 a friend from school introduced me to everytime, piece of me  and a couple of other songs that he had on a pen drive and that's when my obcession started growing.  I remember seeing all that was happening with her at the time in the media and feeling deeply sorry and sad about it. I didn't even know her work so well but something told me it was not right. And from there one thing led to another and by the time the circus era started I was all in. I don't regret not having been a stan during her prime. I love her for who she is and don't expect a return from primeney and that's ok

[DollyParton]

On 5/22/2020 at 1:58 AM, 10pm24 said:

Love the question! 

It first started with Zoey 101 when I, a clueless child, thought Jamie Lynn was Britney  

 

sooo cute

[Urbanney]

5 hours ago, ShatteredBoy said:

Omg Urbanney I'm so jealous I was born in 2001 so we're basically the same age and while I've been a fan since 2011, the first era where I followed everything through was Glory ahhh. I really didn't understand what was going on during BJ, like I didn't even know she was on the internet till like the year after in 2012, and became a fan in the middle of the FF era so I missed most of that by default

 

MY PERSONAL STORY

 

Really nice question @Army1, I enjoyed reading all these replies. I'm 18 (was born in 2001, funny cause right now I'm blasting the album Britney on Spotify which also came out on that year). For me, I became a fan in 2011, but I was kind of a casual fan, I was 10 and didn't know how the industry worked (I didn't know Britney would keep releasing albums and videos, etc) but I would watch her videos all the time on my Blackberry (they were the ish at least here in the UK in 2011-2013). And then probably around late 2014/early 2015 I became a stan and knew what was going on, I vividly remember being a stan when Pretty Girls came out and even remember the rumours leading up to it (there were rumours for a long time till the song came out). I'm pretty sure I got my mum to buy PG on iTunes haha. Glory was my first full on era stanning, I bought Glory at the store the morning it came out and got my mum to buy it for me on iTunes too. But for real, Femme Fatale deff had its advantages, that was the last era where a large chunk of kids/teenagers became her fans, me included, she was always on the radio or being played somewhere, it's funny cause the FF didn't do that well on the charts over here in the UK but I somehow heard them all the time and I'm sure in other countries like the US she was being played a lot more. I know a lot of teenager fans that became fans during the Femme Fatale era (well some have moved on to their early 20s like I will in two years) but yeah it got her a lot of younger fans, BJ and Glory unfortunately got her far less new fans.

Don't feel too jealous! Britney's heart was not in the FF or BJ eras and both were low-key very problematic lol. Britney just seemed out of it most of the FF era and on BJ, we got her arguably worst album and another ruined music video, like Make Me in the Glory era. That's not to say that I'm not thankful for going through both eras, cuz I am, but Glory was a great era to become a fan even despite its shortcomings imo. To answer your question, I did get to see her live during the FFT. It was my first concert I ever attended.  

[MareuOli]

4 hours ago, PokemonSpears said:

I just re-watched Glee on Netflix a few weeks ago

I wish I could finish it, but besides losing interest after season 3, all the dark stuff w/ the cast pulled me away even more. 

[1inamillion]

15 hours ago, Army1 said:

Criticize it for the nature of the dancing or was your mom comparing her new dancing to her old dancing?

The nature I guess. But i was obsessed and dancing along.

[AmorProhibido]

I was born in 2002, but I have 2 millennial half sisters so I've always just sort of known about her. My mom loves BOMT and was constantly playing it in the car from before I was born to even now. My mom also likes late 90s/early 2000s movies, so in like 2013, we were watching Drive Me Crazy and I heard (You Drive Me) Crazy for what I thought was the first time. I could not believe how good it sounded. I sat up instantly and I was like who is that?! And she just said oh that's Britney, don't you remember this song? I googled the music video right after that and became a stan. 

Spoiler

I didn't know Britney Jean existed until 2014 though, so I consider that one of my few blessings. 

Plus, it was kind of hard to miss anything Britney related from 2006 to 2011. I remember how they were always talking about her on the news in 2007, and then I also remember seeing Circus related promos on TV. In 2011, I saw MTV for the first time as my sister had put it on and I would watch the HIAM music video 24/7. I also remember my sister showing my dad Criminal that year and I went to show my mom and she said "that's a sad song".  I grew up watching the Austin Powers movies too, so until I was like 6, I thought she was an actual Femme Bot. 

[Roxxy]

1 minute ago, AmorProhibido said:

millennial half sisters

Sounds like a modern day soap opera. 

2 minutes ago, AmorProhibido said:

My mom also likes late 90s/early 2000s movies, so in like 2013, we were watching Drive Me Crazy and I heard (You Drive Me) Crazy for what I thought was the first time. I could not believe how good it sounded. I sat up instantly and I was like who is that?! And she just said oh that's Britney, don't you remember this song? I googled the music video right after that and became a stan. 

Ooh not only is she an Overprotected stan but also a Crazy stan. Taste. 

CC: @CrazyButItFeelsAllright

[Poutsos]

I love this question and topic. I always wondered myself, when and how did the younger generation connect with Britney post 2007. As for me, been a supporter since 1999 Baby One  More Time. Although, funny story, the first time the video came on MTV, I called my friend and was like "Who does this girl think she is, Madonna or something?" And yes, she was The next day I bought the album, and the rest is history. Britney has been an inspiration to me for ever.  I can't even believe even for 5 minutes I was shading her. Shame on me Love you Brit.
***

[RadicalOptimism]

4 hours ago, studlygeorge said:

Don’t know how young you mean but I’m 23. My old sister and uncle were her target demographic at her debut so even though I was only like 2 when Britney started to get big I guess she was just a name and who’s songs I always recognized? I can’t say I recall her performances like the snake or the kiss. They were just things I knew? If that makes sense? Kinda like how everyone was just born knowing who Mickey Mouse is? Lol

I really got into her (despite kinda always being into her) during her Blackout days. I would read the tabloids at my grandma’s house (she practically collected them) and I just loved reading the drama happening in her life and others like Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Simpson, etc.

When Blackout came out I just remember being mesmerized by the music. It just sounded so futuristic and different and the different layers of vocals, synths, and bass on the album was so hypnotizing. I recall stuff like the head shaving and VMAs, but I was so entranced by the album it almost seemed like two different people if that makes sense.

When Circus came out I was in the sixth grade. I definitely recall other kids being really into her music at that time too. Maybe Circus, being the pop comeback album, was in a way being marketed to kids of my generation? That’s how I viewed it. Because I remember kids loving 3 and even the Femme Fatale album which came out my freshman year of high school. They were played at lunch, dances, etc. she was just a household name.

I joined BreatheHeavy community during Britney Jean, which I feel was definitely only marketed towards the Britney fanbase and the gay community. It wasn’t marketed as broadly as Britney’s previous albums and I could tell because that’s when I noticed no one my age was talking about her anymore. Even though I joined Exhale at that time, I don’t consider that’s when I became a “stan”. I just always inherently knew who she was and what she was up to. I love being her fan 💖

You on Exhale sis. You is a stan