Britney Finally Speaks ‘Give Me My Life Back'

The singer shares her anguish over the conservatorship that’s held her captive for 13 years

- Sara Tapia

For 13 years, Britney Spears has been held under a strict conservatorship that’s dictated everything, from business deals and medical decisions, to who she can marry and how she spends her money. But after many years of silence, the singer has finally opened up, giving a lengthy and impassioned testimony to a Los Angeles court on June 23 about why she wants the controversial legal arrangement to end. “I have a lot to say, so bear with me,” Britney began.

In her 24-minute statement, the star painted an alarming picture of her deteriorating quality of life in recent years. Britney made a series of shocking claims, including that she was drugged, forced to perform and denied many basic human rights. “I shouldn’t be in a conservatorship,” the 39-year-old told the judge. “If I can work and provide money and work for myself and pay other people — it makes no sense. The laws need to change … I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive. I don’t feel like I can live a full life.”

Under the conservatorship, Britney’s father James had power over her life choices from 2008 until 2019, and he and lawyer Andrew Wallet controlled her money. Currently, the 68-year-old only has control over his daughter’s financial decisions, a role he shares with the estate management firm Bessemer Trust. But the singer has been fighting his involvement for some time now. “He loved the control to hurt his own daughter 100,000 per cent,” she admitted. “He loved it.”