Tearful Spears convinced she was a live flop

Britney Spears used to come offstage in floods of tears after performing to thousands of adoring fans - because she was convinced she was a failure.

At the height of her initial success in 1999, following the release of smash debut single 'Hit Me Baby One More Time', Spears lacked confidence in her performing abilities.

Darrin Henson, a choreographer who worked with Spears on several of her early music videos, tells Rolling Stone magazine: "Britney would come offstage after performing in front of 15 to 16,000 people and start crying because she thought she was terrible.

"The girl doesn't know who she is."