Why Britney Spears 'Seems Much Happier' With Sons, Love Life, Career Plans

12/18/2024 08:00 AM

It was a birthday to remember for Britney Spears. On December 2 — the same day her divorce from Sam Asghari was finalized — the pop star ushered in 43 with a trip to Mexico. In an Instagram post from her vacay, she filmed a video of a "very, very cute" small strawberry cake a friend got for her; in another, she wrote, "I'm so blessed!"

Spears has had a lot to celebrate lately, most notably her recent reunion with her younger son, Jayden, 18. (The "Toxic" singer and ex-husband Kevin Federline also share Preston, 19.) The mother-son duo became estranged in the summer of 2022, and Jayden and Preston moved with Federline to Hawaii the following year. Sources say Spears is overjoyed to reconnect with Jayden while continuing to work on her relationship with Preston and her mom, Lynne. (The mother and daughter reunited for the singer's birthday last year, and Lynne, 69, wished her a "Happy Birthday" on Facebook on December 2.) Overall, Spears appears to be on an upswing. A source tells Us Weekly in the latest cover story: "In many ways, Britney seems much happier than she was last year."

Olive Branch

According to a second source, Jayden initiated contact in November. "He's open to mending the relationship with his mom and seeing where things go. Britney was very excited to hear from him; [it] means everything to her." A third source tells Us Jayden plans to go to school in California and has been staying with Spears. "They've been getting along great," says the source, noting that things have also started to improve with Preston. "Britney's convinced they'll have a flourishing relationship in the near future. It's all she ever talks about," adds the second source. "She would love a second chance with them."

Britney Spears Wants to 'Spend More Time' With Her 2 Sons: Sources

News of their estrangement made headlines after Preston and Jayden declined to attend her June 2022 wedding to Asghari. Jayden addressed their strained relationship that September in an interview with ITV, in which he said he wanted her to "get better mentally" and called her out for having an overzealous social media presence. "It's almost as if she has to post something on Instagram to get attention," he said, adding, "This has gone on for years and years and years. There's a high chance this is never really gonna stop." In response, Spears hit back in a later-deleted Instagram post, saying, "It deeply saddens me to know … I wasn't up to his expectations of a mother" and suggested Jayden "pick up a book and read one" before discussing her mental health.

By June of this year, they appeared to be on better terms. Federline's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, told outlets the boys had called their mom for Mother's Day, adding, "The phone call was a good sign and a step in the right direction." Now it's a work in progress. Says the second source: "It'll take time. Britney hopes to continue spending time with Jayden and that Preston comes around. She cares deeply about her sons."

Family Ties

It's not the only reunion she's thinking about. The second source says Spears also hopes to continue mending things with her mom. "Things with Lynne have been rocky [recently], but Britney wants to improve [their relationship]," says the source, noting that Spears is feeling extra anxious around the holidays. "She misses her and gets sad about her family dynamic."  Spears remains tight with her brother, Bryan, 47. "Britney talks to him often," says the second source. Spears and her father, Jamie, ended their legal dispute — over claims he misused his authority as his conservator by paying himself $6 million — in April. While they have reportedly not spoken since her 13-year conservatorship ended in late 2021, a fourth source says Jamie, 72, has still been reaching out to her: "He's not bitter about how they ended things." Last June, Spears said via Instagram that she had visited her sister, Jamie Lynn, 33, on a set, and a source told Us that they were hoping to make a fresh start.

Friends and Lovers

At home in Los Angeles, she has a small circle of friends. "Britney is close with her hairstylist and her assistant, but I don't see her hanging out day-to-day with anyone else," says the first source. "She [can be] all over the place, and very hot and cold — [she's either] on top of the world happy or crying because of a paparazzi photo." In a December 3 post, Spears blasted the paps, saying they have always been "incredibly cruel" to her and said she had moved to Mexico; in a video shared three days later, she told fans she was house-hunting there. "She wants to leave Los Angeles because she hates how paps take photos of her," says the source. "It's a big source of tension in her life."

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The second source says Spears "has a few close friends that check in on her daily," noting that she's in regular contact with Paris Hilton. "They text often and see each other every once in a while. Britney loves babies, so meeting Paris' kids was very exciting for her." (In August, Hilton, 43, said Spears "loves visiting" her children with husband Carter Reum, Phoenix, who turns 2 in January, and London, 13 months.) Adds the source: "Britney is a happy person, but she does spend a lot of time alone."

She's open to dating. Spears was last connected to her former housekeeper, Paul Richard Soliz, who sources told Us she had been on and off with since around September 2023. (They haven't been seen together since August.) As for Asghari, sources say the exes — who split after 13 months of marriage in August 2023 — no longer talk. (The actor, 30, is now dating real estate agentBrooke Irvine. "This is his first relationship post-divorce," says a fifth source. "He's really happy.") "Britney will always be a hopeless romantic," adds the first source. "She loves having a partner, so she's looking to date."

Taking It Easy

She's keeping busy in the meantime. A source told Us in May that Spears considers her dancing Instagram videos "work," adding that they "keep her entertained." She has a jewelry line in the works as well as a biopic based on her bestselling memoir, The Woman in Me. "She's been getting excited about a lot of different projects," says the first source. She's especially passionate about teaching dance and wants to open a dance studio. "That is truly a dream of hers," explains the source, "and she talks about it often." The second source says Spears isn't rushing to do anything professionally. "Britney lives a very low-key life. She's not career-focused — she only wants to do things that bring her happiness right now."

For more on Britney, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly— on newsstands now.

With reporting by Travis Cronin and Amanda Williams