Two years after Britney Spears laid bare her life in The Woman in Me, now ex-husband Kevin Federline is stepping into the spotlight with his own memoir.
You Thought You Knew is set to be published in October of this year, and will be the first time Federline has publicly shared his personal story.
Fans of Spears say the timing of the book’s release is suspect and that they presume it’s nothing more than a cash grab.
Kevin Federline says his new book is “intimate and transparent”
Image credits: J.Sciulli / Getty Images
Image credits: J.Sciulli / Getty Images
Kevin Federline, once known as the backup dancer-turned-husband of pop icon Britney Spears, is stepping forward to tell his story.
Roughly 20 years after becoming a household name thanks to his high-profile relationship and subsequent divorce from Spears, Federline is set to release his first memoir in October.
Image credits: Gregg DeGuirei / Getty Images
In a press release announcing the book, Federline, now 47, describes the memoir as “extremely intimate and transparent,” promising to provide answers to questions the public has had for years.
“If you’ve ever had questions, you’ll find answers here,” he says of the book.
Federline explains his story from his childhood until the present, including his relationship with Spears
Image credits: Gage Skidmore / Wikipedia
According to the release, the book will offer a raw, unfiltered look at the man behind the tabloid headlines—the father, partner, and human being heavily affected by life in the spotlight.
You Thought You Knew traces Federline’s journey from a working-class neighborhood in Fresno, California, to the dizzying heights of global celebrity.
He was just eight years old when his parents split, prompting a move to Nevada.
There he began pursuing dance, which would become his ticket to the entertainment industry with performances as a backup dancer for some of the biggest artists at the time, including Destiny’s Child, Pink, and Michael Jackson.
But his life would take another unexpected turn in the mid-2000s when he met and started a relationship with pop sensation, Britney Spears.
The Spears-Federline marriage seemed doomed from the start
Kevin and Britney’s relationship has been tumultuous since the moment they got together.
Federline says his book delves into this intense period of his life with honesty, and focuses on the price of fame, especially as a young father trying to be a parent in the public eye.
According to Rolling Stone: “During their two years together, Spears and Federline were under near-constant tabloid scrutiny.”
Image credits: J. Merritt / Getty Images
The article says, however, they also welcomed attention starring in a reality series called Britney & Kevin: Chaotic.
Over the course of their three-year marriage, they welcomed two sons, Sean Preston, now 19, and Jayden James, 18.
In total, Federline is the father of six children: two with Spears, two with former partner Shar Jackson—Kori, 23, and Kaleb, 21—and two with his current wife, Victoria Prince—Jordan, 13, and Peyton, 11.
In 2006, Spears filed for divorce.
Image credits: britneyspears / Instagram
In 2008, Spears was famously placed under the conservatorship of her father following a public breakdown and a standoff at her home where she refused to hand over the children to Kevin Federline’s representatives.
After being placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold, a court awarded sole physical and legal custody to Kevin Federline.
At the time, Spears retained visitation rights, which were gradually modified over the years depending on her health, behavior, and legal circumstances.
Most recently, the boys have been living with their father and his wife in Victoria Prince in Hawaii.
Most comments online about Federline’s new book assumed it’s just a cash grab
Image credits: britneyspears / Instagram
Federline’s You Thought You Knew is already stirring fresh conversation and reflection, especially from Britney’s fans.
For supporters, Federline’s book is yet another attempt of him trying to wrestle back the spotlight, and money, from Spears.
“Didn’t both the kids hit 18? No child support.. daddy’s running out of cash…” one person noted.
One person said that no one is interested in the so-called “answers” that will be revealed in his book: “Answers absolutely nobody is looking for…”
Yet another person used Spears’ song Hit Me Baby One More Time to quip: “The answer is he’d like to cash in off of her one more time”
Another person invoked the late Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek: “Desperately trying to be relevant for 200, Alex!” the person joked.
“That silence left scars”: Federline’s publisher says his book will give him closure after not speaking up for years
Image credits: britneyspears / Instagram
Ultimately, Federline says, his book will be a chance for him to break his silence.
According to People, Jaren Hayman, founder of Barracuda Baby Productions and the creative force behind Federline’s book deal, says Federline had been scarred by years of not telling his side of the story.
“He spent two years in every tabloid and two decades navigating a volatile, ever-changing reality — choosing silence to protect his kids. That silence left scars,” People quoted him as saying.
Hayman’s company, a new audio-first storytelling imprint called Listenin, will publish Federline’s book as their first work.
Image credits: Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images
Hayman told People: “Listenin was built for real voices telling real stories, and sharing Kevin’s after everything said about him means a lot to us. I am excited for the world to get to meet the real Kevin Federline.”
Federline’s book will be released on October 21, 2025.
Some netizens are calling out Kevin Federline for writing a book now that his kids no longer require child support
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