1997 - During this year, Britney joins the Lou Pearlman-funded girl group Innosense. The group is managed by Lou Pearlman and Lynn Harless (mother of Justin Timberlake).
Source: “How Lou Pearlman used Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC to lure people into massive Ponzi scheme,” Allie Yang, Ed Lopez, and Gwen Gowen, ABC News, December 13, 2019. Accessed July 16, 2022 from https://abcnews.go.com/US/lou-pearlman-backstreet-boys-nsync-lure-people-massive/story?id=67630954
Source: “Mad About The Boys,” Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair, November 2007. Accessed July 16, 2022 from https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/2007/11/mad-about-the-boys
Source: “Innosense,” Wikipedia, Accessed July 16, 2022 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innosense
Apr. 6, 1997 - By now, Lou Taylor, an executive with Tri-Star Accounting Group of Boca Raton, FA, is representing Florida Panthers players Rob Niedermayer, Paul Laus and Bill Lindsay.
Source: “Woman helps blend business, ethics,” The Palm Beach Post, April 6, 1997.
July 1997 - Lou Pearlman’s attorney Larry Rudolph arranges auditions for Britney with a number of record labels in New York, accompanied by promo pictures featuring her lounging around her back garden in denim hot pants. Mercury and Epic, unimpressed with her demeanour and vocal range, turn her down.
Source: “‘Oh Baby Baby!’ How Britney Spears survived 20 years of superstardom,” Jonathan Liew, The Independent, November 26, 2018. Accessed July 15, 2022 from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/britney-spears-baby-one-more-time-music-video-20-years-timberlake-a8597121.html
Sept. 10, 1997 - Britney signs a recording contract with Zomba Enterprises, Inc. The contract comes with a "get-out" clause, meaning the record label can drop her within 90 days.
Source: Petition for Judicial Approval of Contracts Affecting the Interests of a Minor, Re: “Zomba Recording Corporation and Brittany Spears, Dated as of August 4, 1997,” Administration of the Estate of Britney Spears, Minor, By Her Father, 21st Judicial District Court for the Parish of Tangipahoa, State of Louisiana, No. 9703154, October 10, 1997.
Oct. 10, 1997 - With Larry Rudolph acting as his legal representation, James Spears signs an affidavit and a “Petition for Judicial Approval” of Britney’s recording contract with Zomba. Lynne Spears also signs an Oath as “undertutrix ad hoc for the minor Britney Spears,” seeking judicial approval of the contract. A handwritten note to the Tangipahoa Clerk of Court on October 7, 1997 reads, “Judy, This is what Ruth Spears called about.” Once the contract is signed, Britney is immediately relocated to New York City, housed in a Jive Records penthouse, and groomed to become the American version of Robyn. In order to give Britney some direction, Jive’s A&R executive Steve Lunt shows her Robyn's music videos, to which Britney responds, "The record is really good, but the video is all wrong. It's in boring black-and-white and no one is dancing. If it were me I'd be wearing a miniskirt and I'd be dancing.”
Source: Petition for Judicial Approval of Contracts Affecting the Interests of a Minor, Re: “Zomba Recording Corporation and Brittany Spears, Dated as of August 4, 1997,” Administration of the Estate of Britney Spears, Minor, By Her Father, 21st Judicial District Court for the Parish of Tangipahoa, State of Louisiana, No. 9703154, October 10, 1997.
Source: “Here's the moment record-label executives knew 15-year-old Britney Spears would be a superstar,” Amanda Macias, Business Insider, February 2, 2016. Accessed July 16, 2022 from https://www.businessinsider.com/britney-spears-audition-2016-1
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