Will.i.am has spoken out in defence of Britney Spears amid mounting controversy surrounding her 13-year conservatorship.
The musician, 45, who worked with the singer, 39, on his 2013 hit Scream & Shout, said she has had some ‘pretty harsh treatment’ over the years.
Britney’s life has come under scrutiny after the documentary Framing Britney Spears aired last month and focused on her conservatorship, which was put into place in 2008 following a widely publicised public breakdown.
Supportive: Will.i.am has spoken out in defence of Britney Spears amid mounting controversy surrounding her 13-year conservatorship (pictured 2018)
Will.i.am told the Metro: ‘Britney has endured some pretty harsh treatment from her own and she’s an amazing person and her heart is pure, everyone’s had some downfalls and some choices that they’ve made personally but she’s awesome.
The rapper continued: ‘We’ve all had things that we’ve done in the past and because she’s such a machine, she was a machine to her family.’
Will.i.am recalled when he wanted to perform Scream And Shout with Britney on The X Factor and how she gave an incredible performance- despite warnings from people saying ‘she’s not all the way there’.
Debate: Britney’s life has come under scrutiny after the documentary Framing Britney Spears aired last month and focused on her conservatorship, which was put into place in 2008
Loyal: The musician, 45, who worked with the singer, 39, on his 2013 hit Scream & Shout, said she has had some ‘pretty harsh treatment’ over the years
Missing her voice: Framing Britney Spears examines much of the Toxic singer’s life in the spotlight, from her early days as a child performer to her current semi-retired status
He said: ‘There’s this weird cloud around her that doesn’t truly believe in her and when you trust that cloud maybe that’s part of the reason why Britney is the way she is, is because that cloud around her, she trusts the people that are responsible for that cloud.’
The I Gotta Feeling hitmaker said he ‘loved’ the Britney he saw in the studio and how her passion for music and dance was evident.
Britney, who is stuck in an ongoing 13-year conservatorship battle with her father Jamie Spears, 68, is set to face him in court again in September.
In a recent statement, Jamie, who has managed the singer’s finances since 2008, insisted he’s always done what’s best for his daughter, after the documentary Framing Britney Spears sparked calls from fans for his legal control to end.
As reported by The Mirror, Jamie’s lawyer Vivian Lee Thoreen said: ‘My client, Jamie Spears, has diligently and professionally carried out his duties as one of Britney’s conservators and his love for his daughter and dedication to protecting her is clearly apparent to the court.
Ongoing: Britney, who is stuck in an ongoing 13-year conservatorship battle with her father Jamie Spears, 68, is set to face him in court again in September
‘My client looks forward to working with Bessemer to continue an investment strategy in the best interests of his daughter.’
Since its release, the controversy surrounding the New York Times Presents documentary Framing Britney Spears has raged on.
The documentary examines much of the Toxic singer’s life in the spotlight, from her early days as a child performer to her current semi-retired status.
Some viewers of the documentary were furious after being reminded of how Britney was presented in the public eye.
Diane Sawyer was lambasted for a 2003 interview she conducted in which she seemed to blame the singer for her breakup with Justin Timberlake and alluded to rumours that she had cheated on the NYSNC member.
Other clips featured in the film showed Britney being asked invasive questions about her breasts and her virginity as well.
Development: A judge recently ruled that Britney’s father and the Bessemer Trust will maintain equal power over the star’s vast $60 million fortune