Britney Spears knows she has all eyes on her in the center of the ring, and she's not shying away from it.
On Monday, Aug. 16, the 39-year-old "Circus" singer shared a carousel of photos to Instagram showing herself topless as she covered her breasts with her hands. In the images, she's wearing a white bikini bottom, red boots, a necklace and not much else, and her lengthy caption addressed apparent speculation about her body.
"No guys," Britney wrote. "I didn't get a boob job in just a week ... nor am I pregnant ... I have boobs in these pics cause I devoured food [savoring emoji] !!!! Before I show you more pics of my body … I want you to understand my thoughts on exposing my skin !!!! In my opinion it's quite twisted the immediate response of when any woman is hot and they want to shed a layer … no … I'm not talking in a strip club or a performance … just on a practical scale of being in your car and realizing you're wearing a stupid long sleeve shirt in the summer !!!!"
She continued, "The immediate reaction to any woman who does this after shedding a layer is DAMN I FEEL BETTER … therefore you think you look better !!! I've had a billion shows where I've done that and to my horror uhhh [well] … sometimes I didn't look so great … TOO MANY TIMES and it's embarrassing as f--k but in my imagination it felt great !!!!"
Britney went on to explain that she feels liberated by sharing photos of herself in a more natural state, particularly given the scrutiny that has continued to surround her. The latest court hearing amid the embattled singer's ongoing conservatorship battle is set for Sept. 29, which follows father Jamie Spears saying in a court filing from earlier this month that he's willing to step down as conservator of her estate.
In her new Instagram post, Britney wrote that for anyone "wondering why I'd expose my body NOW … well it's because I was born into this world naked and I honestly feel like the weight of the [world] has been on my shoulders and it's made me view myself that way !!!! I wanted to see myself in a lighter way … naked … like the way I was born and to me looking back at my pictures when I shoot it's insane the psychology in seeing myself in my purest form gives evidence that pain … hurt … tears … and heavy burdens aren't who I am."
The star added, "I am a woman …. a beautiful … sensitive woman who needs to look at myself in my purest form !!! No … I'm not going to do topless pics for the rest of my life cause that would get boring but it sure as hell helps when you need to be enlightened [shrug emojis] !!!! And I will admit the FREE BRITNEY comments after I took my shirt off were actually really f--king funny !!!"