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Britney Spears spent her 18th birthday celebrating with friends and family and getting particularly cozy with then-boyfriend Justin Timberlake, seen here in rare pictures of the pop star obtained by DailyMail.com.
At the time it seemed that life couldn’t get better for the newly-crowned princess of pop after a whirlwind year which had seen her debut single Baby One More Time skyrocket to number one on music charts across the world.
But looking back in the wake of the documentary Framing Britney Spears, these newly-unearthed pictures at a trendy bar in New York in 1999 are tinged with sadness.
Britney is seen celebrating with ex Justin and posing with her father Jamie – men who’ve both come to be seen as villains in the story of her downfall.
Rare photos show Britney Spears celebrating her 18th birthday party with Justin Timberlake and her family at a bar in New York City, DailyMail.com can reveal
She’s seen getting cozy with then-boyfriend Justin Timberlake. A source at the party said, ‘She didn’t dance with anyone else that night and you can see the chemistry between them in the pictures I took’
The source says it was evident even back then that Britney’s dad Jamie (pictured behind Britney) was all about business and had his ‘eyes on the prize’
At one point Justin took a cherry from a drink and he fed it to her. A source from the party said you could tell they were in love with each other
Photographer and music writer Selma Fonseca, 54, was a witness to Britney’s big night on December 1, 1999 and says that it is sobering to see the pictures in the wake of documentary Framing Britney Spears
Jamie, 68, now stands accused in the court of public opinion of using the mental health conservatorship Britney has been under since 2008 to control her and her finances for his own benefit.
Meanwhile Justin, 40, is widely believed to have fueled rumors that Britney cheated on him and was forced to openly acknowledge that he had ‘failed’ in an apology issued after the documentary aired.
Photographer and music writer Selma Fonseca, 54, was a witness to Britney’s big night on December 1, 1999 and says that it is sobering to see the pictures now because of the superstar’s relationship with Justin ended in 2002.
Selma also claims it was evident even back then that Britney’s dad was all about business and had his ‘eyes on the prize.’
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, she said: ‘Britney was celebrating her 18th birthday at a basement bar in Greenwich Village called Halo with a group of about 50 people.
‘Halo was the hot place to go in New York at the time and Britney’s parents and her brother Bryan were there and so were Justin and Britney’s cousin and best friend from Louisiana, Laura Lynne Covington.
‘Justin’s bandmate JC Chasez from NSYNC was there too. It was a good vibe at the party, they were all having a really great time.
‘There was a cake with a picture of Britney’s face on it and they also gave her a Britney doll wearing the same schoolgirl outfit she had worn in the Baby One More Time video.
‘Music executives Barry Weiss and Clive Calder also gave Britney a necklace commemorating Baby One More Time going platinum.
‘It was a really cute celebration and Britney just seemed so happy with all the attention that she was getting.’
Britney was gifted a Barbie doll wearing the same schoolgirl outfit she had worn in the Baby One More Time video
Britney poses with her mother Lynne, father Jamie and brother Bryan at the 1999 party. ‘When it came to her family, Britney’s mom Lynne was clearly very caring, you could just see that in her eyes and the way she looked at her daughter,’ the source said
There were already rumors circulating at the time that Britney was dating Justin and they had been very careful not to show it or show any affection for each other – but at the party they were inseparable
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Selma said: ‘Britney was celebrating her 18th birthday at a basement bar in Greenwich Village called Halo with a group of about 50 people’. She’s pictured talking with her father Jamie
Britney cut into a cake with her face on it at the 1999 party. She turned 18 after the success of her hit song Baby One More Time
‘It’s sad because in the pictures they look so sweet and innocent but then it was an ugly ending to what had been a very cute teenage love story,’ she says. After Framing Britney Spears was released on February 5, Justin Timberlake offered apologies to both Britney and Janet Jackson, whose breast he exposed during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004
Framing Britney Spears examines the #FreeBritney campaign and the star’s rise and fall
Selma says there was one person’s attention that Britney seemed to be enjoying the most.
She said: ‘There were already rumors circulating at the time that Britney was going out with Justin but they had been very careful not to show it or show any affection for each.
‘But when they started dancing and passionately French kissing each other that night in full view of her parents, I thought to myself ”Ok, these two are 100% going out together.”
‘She didn’t dance with anyone else that night and you can see the chemistry between them in the pictures I took.
‘At one point Justin took a cherry from a drink and he fed it to her. You could just tell they were super in love with eachother.
‘No one ran with these pictures at the time because there was no photo of them kissing and if I remember correctly the relationship wasn’t confirmed until a couple of months later.
‘It’s sad because in the pictures they look so sweet and innocent but then it was an ugly ending to what had been a very cute teenage love story.’
After watching the New York Times documentary, Selma said she sees the pictures of Britney posing happily with her parents and brother in a different light too.
She said: ‘When it came to her family, Britney’s mom Lynne was clearly very caring, you could just see that in her eyes and the way she looked at her daughter.
‘Jamie was much more about business – he was nice but he didn’t make small talk and seemed to have his eyes on the prize.
‘I saw the documentary and I guess Jamie is still mainly thinking about business.’
After watching the New York Times documentary, Selma said she sees the pictures of Britney posing happily with her parents and brother in a different light
A young Britney appeared to be having the time of her life at the ripe age of 18. There were about 50 people at the exclusive New York City party
Britney is seen holding the necklace gifted to her by Barry Weiss and Clive Calder commemorating her song going Platinum
‘Music executives Barry Weiss and Clive Calder also gave Britney a necklace commemorating Baby One More Time going platinum,’ Selma said. ‘It was a really cute celebration and Britney just seemed so happy with all the attention that she was getting’
After Framing Britney Spears was released on February 5, Justin Timberlake offered apologies to both Britney and Janet Jackson, whose breast he exposed during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004.
He wrote on Instagram: ‘I have seen the messages, tags, comments, and concerns and I want to respond.
‘I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right.
‘I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed.’
Britney’s dad has not commented publicly on the documentary but was confirmed as his daughter’s co-conservator at the Los Angeles Superior Court last week.
In the past he has lashed out at those in the #FreeBritney movement who have criticized him for his role in the conservatorship.
Labeling #FreeBritney ‘a joke’, he said in August last year: ‘All these conspiracy theorists don’t know anything. The world don’t have a clue.
‘It’s up to the court of California to decide what’s best for my daughter. It’s no one else’s business.’
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