Britney Spears Is Finally Finding Her Voice

IN A RARE INTERVIEW AND REVEALING NEW MEMOIR, THE POP SUPERSTAR BREAKS HER SILENCE ON EVERYTHING: 'NO MORE LIES'

- ELIZABETH LEONARD, JEFF NELSON

It's a sun-kissed afternoon in late September, and Britney Spears pirouettes in powdery white sands on a beach in Tahiti. Tousled blonde hair falls over her shoulders as she goes barefoot at the surf's edge. The 41-year-old pop icon, capturing photos for the cover of People while on a tropical getaway, smooths her Anthropologie sundress, fixes her bangs and moves into the shallows in search of a good shot. Working the camera as only she can, Spears looks up and smiles.

Yet until Nov. 12, 2021-the day a Los Angeles County judge terminated the conservatorship that had governed Spears's life for nearly 14 years-she had few respites like this. The legal victory, following fervent testimony in which Spears accused her father, Jamie, 71, and others of exploitation and abuse, set the stage for a second act that is both exhilarating and tricky. "Learning this new freedom, I'll admit, is challenging at times," she tells People in an exclusive interview, done via email.

There have been setbacks as she's navigated her new normal, including her split from model-actor Sam Asghari, 29, in August after just 14 months of marriage. She also has a complicated relationship with her family, including her dad, mom Lynne, 68, and sister Jamie Lynn, 32. But there have also been high notes for the mother of two: Her collaboration with Elton John, "Hold Me Closer," marked her first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 11 years. Mostly, though, Spears says she finds joy in everyday moments, whether "I'm playing with my dogs... [or] watching episodes of Friends and belly-laughing. I love, love to travel and explore," she says. "I am a simple girl."