Britney Spears is the best thing about the new season of
The X Factor by far. She's proven to be super judge and mentor and she's also revealed so much about herself - mostly unintentionally I think.
I've never seen anyone who has as many varied expressions as she's had since the start. During the audition phase you could pause the footage every five seconds and catch her in a different expression.
Sometimes her expressions are new but at other times they're variations of one particular expression that's the most revealing:
It's a difficult one to describe because it's so complicated but simply put, in a nutshell, it seems to be the expression that she protects herself with. A response to everything she's experienced almost, as if she's trying to make sense of the madness surrounding her.
You could imagine her wearing it during her very troubled days, when people turned against her as they did. One moment she was the world's darling and the next people suddenly attacked her for no reason whatsoever. It's as if she's flinching and still expressing the feeling of: "WTF!!!? Why have they turned and gone so mad?!!"
At the time of all the controversy surrounding her she must have constantly thought: "Why are people being so awful when I haven't done anything to deserve it?!" She also often wears an expression that suggests she's recoiling in the fear, as if she's thinking: "Are you going to hurt or slap me with nastiness? Please don't!"
It's all obviously what drove her to shave her hair and bite her nails - which it seems she still does.
During the auditions I couldn't help noticing that her nails kept changing. One day they were short and the next episode they were long, and then the next episode they were short again as if she can't keep fake nails on.
Also very noticeable: that grey haired guy we've seen following her around. He's Jason Trawick, her fiancé who very conveniently shares legal control over Britney. He's her "handler", her husband-to-be and her co-conservator so he has control over her finances too.
Just this week
the tabloids have been abuzz with claims that their relationship's strained and that they've called off their engagement. Of course everyone involved denies it but I hope it's true because I don't trust him at all. Anyone who wants control over someone else is a problem
especially when they're as wealthy as she is.
I've really found myself feeling worried for her on the show, and sad for her. How can she ever trust anyone? The fact that other people have control over her life and fortune ... it's like something out of a
60's horror asylum.
Those around her claim her psychological meltdown means she can't run her affairs herself and yet she's so cool and accomplished on the show so is it the truth or is it what they want her to believe about herself? I can't help feeling that she's being used and always has been.
I reckon the X Factor's been a Very Good Thing for her to do - I've been pleased to see people gushing about her again, waiting for her when she arrives, wanting autographs etc. It must be rad for her to see - she obviously thought that everyone had turned on her and yet it's very clear that they haven't.
I'm holding thumbs that the show's making her see the light and that she'll decide to break free from anyone who controls and traps her.