Britney Spears continues to do what she does best: Bring people together.
The pop-star sensation was able to unite both political sides with her #FreeBritney campaign earlier this year. And now, she’s clearly won the hearts of TIME readers as well, snagging the top spot in its TIME100 reader poll for which readers cast votes for who should make its infamous list of most influential people. TIME reports that Spears received 4 percent of the votes. Nearly a 1.8million votes were cast in total.
While Britney’s has been America’s sweetheart since “…Baby One More Time” in 1999, her most recent surge in fan support comes in light of the #FreeBritney movement coming to a head when Britney personally delivered a passionate — and public — statement to a Los Angeles Court Judge this summer, detailing how “abusive” and restrictive her now 13-year-old conservatorship really is.
“This conservatorship is doing me way more harm than good,” Spears said. “I deserve to have a life. I’ve worked my whole life. I deserve to have a two to three-year break.”
“I feel ganged up on, I feel bullied, and I feel left out and alone,” She continued. “I’m tired of feeling alone.”
Spears also said that, per conservatorship, she is required by law to use an intrauterine device (IUD) to prevent pregnancy. Spears also stated that she was forbidden from marrying or procreating with Sam Asghari under the questionable arrangement. However, the couple has since become engaged.
Many people are understandably disturbed by the star’s allegations, and everyone from die-hard Britney fans to reproductive health advocates to disability activists has publicly condemned the prohibitive conservatorship. So really, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Spears’ public battle earned her the top spot in the TIME100 reader poll.
Spears continued to be a headliner throughout the week. First, because of her passionate engagement with Asghari, many fans were concerned that she deleted her Instagram.
Britney took to Twitter to address the situation, claiming she’s “just taking a little break from social media to celebrate my engagement” and will “be back soon.” Britney’s lawyer allegedly confirmed to Page Six that it was her choice to take a break from the platform.
Still, many fans aren’t buying it, expressing concern and suspicion about her unexpected absence from Instagram.
We’re wishing Britney a sincere congratulations on her engagement and winning TIME’s reader poll. She deserves it!