Last month, it was rumored that Britney Spears’ recent stay in a mental health treatment facility was mandated by her father, who has been her conservator since 2008, meaning that he has the legal authority to make decisions about her life and finances. This spawned the #FreeBritney hashtag, and even though Spears has since checked herself out of the facility, there are some who believe Spears shouldn’t be under a conservatorship at all, so the hashtag lives on. Over the weekend, the movement got support from Miley Cyrus, who famously referenced Spears in her hit song, “Party In The USA.”
Cyrus made a surprise appearance at the Beale Street Festival in Memphis this weekend, and while performing the song, during the part where she mentions Spears, Cyrus shouted, “Free Britney!”
THANK YOU @MILEYCYRUS #FREEBRITNEY pic.twitter.com/AZDE0vEwZB
— Toxic: The Podcast (@BritneysGram) May 5, 2019
Not long after the hashtag took off, Spears responded to the rumors about her stay at the facility, writing on Instagram, “I wanted to say hi, because things that are being said have just gotten out of control!!! Wow!!! […] My situation is unique, but I promise I’m doing what’s best at this moment. You may not know this about me, but I am strong, and stand up for what I want! Your love and dedication is amazing, but what I need right now is a little bit of privacy to deal with all the hard things that life is throwing my way. If you could do that, I would be forever grateful. Love you.”
Spears has been relatively inactive on social media in 2019, although she started posting more frequently around the time she first responded to the rumors: Over the weekend, she shared a video of herself doing yoga in a bikini, as well as pictures from a photoshoot.
