Britney takes Hollywood walk of fame LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pop star Britney Spears had her star added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, capping a whirlwind of publicity on the eve of her first album release in two years.
Surrounded by throngs of cheering fans, the 21-year-old recording star, whose album is released on Tuesday, became the 2,242nd performer honoured with a bronze star embedded in Tinseltown's famed sidewalk.
"I'm seriously speechless right now," the giddy singer told onlookers on Monday. "This is something I've dreamed about since I was a little girl. ... Thank you so much for even coming out today and sharing this memory with me that I'll never forget."
Forsaking the provocative, midriff-bearing outfits that have become her trademark, Spears opted for a casually modest look, dressing in bluejeans, a pink top and pink jacket for the occasion.
Spears' Hollywood honour, which cost $15,000, followed a flurry of talk show appearances to promote her latest album, "In the Zone".
Industry watchers regard the album as a key test of Spears' commercial viability as she seeks to make the transition from pop princess to pop diva following a two-year recording hiatus.
The buildup to her comeback effort included her sensational open-mouthed kiss with Madonna on the MTV Video Music Awards show in September. The two also appear together on the first single off Spears' new album, "Me Against the Music," and a steamy video accompanying the track.
Spears has sold some 60 million albums since she shot to fame with her 1999 debut, "... Baby One More Time." With the subsequent release of "Oops! ... I Did It Again" and "Britney," Spears became the first female performer in the history of Billboard magazine to have her first three albums open at No. 1 on the pop album chart.