Amos defends Spears

Tori Amos has leaped to the defence of troubled pop star Britney Spears, insisting her recent rehab session was a revolt against her record label's unreasonable demands.

The 'Crucify' hitmaker abhors how today's music stars are encouraged to define themselves as a brand rather than stay true to their personality, and fears Spears' breakdown was a result of this pressure.

She says: "Whether they're selling perfume or a song, people have decided they're a brand. Hollywood did a good job of creating icons in the 30s and 40s, they understood a story. Now, give 'em a haircut and some clothes and they think they can pull off Aphrodite.

"Then you have situations like Britney shaving her head. I don't think her sweet, saccharine image was close to who she really was, and she rebelled."