Sam Asghari, the Iranian-American model, has expressed his admiration for his ex-wife Britney Spears' enduring career, referring to her as the "Princess of Pop."
In an exclusive interview with SiriusXM’s Page Six Radio, Asghari, 32, discussed his evolving understanding of Spears' musical legacy. He admitted that he was not initially familiar with her music before they met in 2016 on the set of her "Slumber Party" music video. "The second that I realized what these songs meant, and why people resonated with [them] and why they were icons — like Michael Jackson, Madonna and her: the King of Pop, the Queen of Pop and the Princess of Pop — then I understood," Asghari explained. "And it made me appreciate the music even more."
Asghari lauded Spears' ability to innovate as an artist, describing her as a singular pop icon who established a model for subsequent artists. "She sort of created a blueprint that nobody after that has ever really accomplished," he stated. "We see some artists now that are trying to do it, but it’s just not ever going to happen."
Spears and Asghari's relationship began when they went Instagram-official in 2017, followed by an engagement in September 2021. They married in June 2022, with their wedding attended by notable figures. However, after 14 months of marriage, Asghari filed for divorce in 2023, citing irreconcilable differences.
Despite the end of their marriage, Asghari maintained that he has "always been supportive" of Spears' career endeavors. "At the end of the day, the artist is supposed to express themselves in their own way," he said. "I think once you’re one of those people — you’re titled [as] the Princess of Pop — you can say [anything] and it’s gonna become iconic."