Britney Spears

Drive meets unconventionality in the Astrology of this major pop icon

Britney Spears is not just some lucky Sagittarius who became a pop idol overnight. The strong work ethic of Capricorn in her chart got her started young, and will likely keep her pushing herself professionally for years to come.

Britney Spears crashed into the public's consciousness at age 16 with her hit song, 'Hit Me Baby One More Time.' The fresh-faced teen was a model of virginal sexuality, showing off her body as much as her voice. Born December 2, 1981 in McComb, Mississippi, she exudes the outgoing innocence of her Sagittarius Sun with a broad smile and easygoing attitude.

Young Britney began honing her act during her childhood, first by auditioning for The Mickey Mouse Club at the tender age of 8. Britney wasn't hired, but she quickly landed the lead in an off-Broadway show. Then, at the ripe old age of 11, she tried out again for The Mickey Mouse Club, and joined a cast that included Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Ryan Gosling.

Britney's professional precociousness is closely linked to Venus in her birth chart. The planet of art and approval is in serious Capricorn, which is a frequent indicator of children with grown-up ambitions. Individuals with Venus in this sign don't play for the fun of it -- they play to get ahead, to win and to achieve specific goals. These qualities are strongly reinforced in Britney's chart by several other key factors.

Saturn, Capricorn's demanding ruling planet, is in a tense square aspect with Britney's Venus in Capricorn, reinforcing the theme that she gets approval because she works for it, not just because she's cute or nice. And the Moon's South Node, a primary indicator of karmic patterns, is right next to Britney's Venus, further evidence of self-motivation and drive, perhaps even to her own detriment. This isn't to say that she can't have fun -- we've certainly see her go through some wild times over the years. Capricorn works hard and plays hard, but almost always with a specific purpose in mind.

Britney, in spite of all her hard work and dedication, is not a completely conventional girl (in 2004 she was married for a brief 55 hours; in 2007 she shaved her head during a public rampage...). She has the Moon -- planet of emotions -- in experimental Aquarius, revealing a quirky side to her personality. Her Moon may be more expressive of Aquarian coolness and detachment than brilliant originality, but Britney might just break out of her pop idol mode and show us her Aquarian inventiveness in the future.