Born in a small Louisiana town in 1981, Spears gravitated towards singing and dancing at an early age. Performing at county fairs and competing in numerous talent shows (including an appearance on 'Star Search'), she eventually became a cast member on the Disney Channel's 'The New Mickey Mouse Club' along with fellow future stars Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez and Christina Aguilera.

Spears eventually got a contract with Jive Records and teamed up with established pop svengalis Eric Foster White (Whitney Houston, Backstreet Boys) and Max Martin (Ace of Base, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC) to craft her debut album. Her provocative turn as a Catholic school-girl for the video of "...Baby One More Time" rocketed Spears to stardom and marked the first in a parade of controversies regarding her allegedly unintentional jailbait image.

Spears follow-up effort also stormed the charts as 'Oops!...I Did It Again' gave fans the same formula of sappy ballads and suggestive dance pop. The singer's road to fame has been far rockier since her initial blockbuster success. Spears went from feature film failure (her debut 'Crossroads,' was roundly panned) and occasionally titillating tabloid fodder to become the center of a full-blown career and personal meltdown.

After her marriage to onetime back-up dancer Kevin Federline crumbled, Spears embarked on a self-destructive path that included erratic public behavior (her attack on a paparazzo's car with an umbrella and shaving her own head bald in front of cameras stand out), hospitalization, custody battles over her two children and numerous trips to rehab that eventually ended with the successful intervention of her parents.

Though the singer's career seemed doomed after her subpar performance on the 2007 MTV Video Awards, her last two albums -- 'Blackout' that year and her latest effort 'Circus' -- have lifted Spears to a surprising comeback. Expect ample hits, costume changes from one barely there outfit to the next, intricate dance moves and an audible vocal backing track when Britney's current tour stops at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Wednesday. Suitably scantily clad opening act the Pussycat Dolls warms up the crowd.

Britney Spears with Pussycat Dolls
Wednesday, April 22, 8 p.m. $37.75-$500
Oracle Arena