WHAT'S NEXT

Insiders reveal how Britney Spears is coping in the wake of her divorce from Sam Asghari and what the future holds

- JAIME HARKIN

There hasn’t been a dull moment for Britney Spears since the pop star confirmed her split from ex Sam Asghari. After chronicling a night out with pals on Aug. 20, Spears introduced fans to her brand-new puppy, Snow, three days later. That same afternoon, she was spotted driving a white Mercedes-Benz with a mystery man near her Thousand Oaks, Calif., home, prompting some to wonder whether she had already moved on.

For the first time in years, Spears is navigating life on her own. The star was still under her 13-year conservatorship when she and Asghari began dating in late 2016. “This is a new chapter for Britney in more way than one,” says a source. (Asghari, 29, filed for divorce on Aug. 16, citing irreconcilable differences.) The source tells Us Spears, 41, has been busy “focusing on herself” while she prepares for the fall release of her memoir, The Woman in Me, and is also working on new music. Adds the source: “The songs will be about freeing herself from negativity and unhealthy people.”

With newfound independence come fresh concerns about Spears’ mental health. “Some people are of the opinion that Britney’s on a dangerous downward spiral,” says a second source, “and the stuff she’s been [doing] hasn’t done much to dampen that worry.” According to reports, the man she was seen with on Aug. 23 was Paul Richard Soliz, a former employee with an alleged criminal background. Adds the first source: “She was finally getting to a positive place, and then Sam filed for divorce. People are worried how all of this will affect her.”

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