One of the biggest names in entertainment has a chance to get even bigger tonight at the Grammy Awards.

Britney Spears, who is up for two nominations, is hard at work on her new album, “Oops … I Did It Again,” and has just announced the dates for her summer tour in support of the new album. But before that, the second leg of the “…Baby One More Time” tour kicks off March 8.

All this success at the tender age of 18. Not quite the normal life for someone that age.

“At times it’s a little bit overwhelming,” Spears says. “But I think by surrounding myself with really cool people that keep me humble and that I’ve been with for a really long time, I think it keeps me sane.”

Thoughts of college usually surface for 18-year-olds, and Spears has also begun thinking about her future plans, but she is set in her priorities.

“That’s something I definitely want to do in the future,” Spears says of college. “Right now I’m really focused on my music and everything, but I would really like to go to college to have some knowledge behind me. And actually it’d be probably good to get a, you know, have a break from the music industry for a while and just to rest, you know, for your mind.”

Though the majority of her fans have proved to be in the younger teen-ager range, always appearing on MTV with screaming requests for her videos, Spears’ new plan of action includes trying to appeal more to her own age group.

“I think they’ve definitely noticed my music, and I think some of them probably really dig it, but it’s really all in their opinion on how they feel about music,” Spears says. “Mostly the older crowd, they dig rock music. The high school kids listen to my music a little more than the college kids, but I hope that will change.

“I think that my material off the second album is a little bit more mature, and by doing that, I think I’ll capture a little bit of the older audience as well as keep with the younger audience, too,” she adds.

The new album has Spears optimistic and praying that it can live up to the success of “…Baby One More Time.” But she is confident.

“It’s not all about the sales, of course,” she explains. “In my heart, you know, just knowing so far, we’re at a good start with the material just being, you know, I think 50, 75 percent better. So it’s a good start right there.”

Fame has brought Spears to such heights that a doll has been made in her likeness, something that strikes her as weird.

“I have seen them,” Spears says. “My little sister has one, and I think it looks, you know, a little bit like me, but I don’t play with it.”

With this great fame also comes the negatives, and Spears has already experienced a handful of what rumors and the media can do. She says the biggest misconception people have about her is that she had breast implants.

“I get sad about it,” Spears admits. “When people I would work with or like some new person I would meet somewhere, they would start staring at my chest, it started really affecting me. And obviously they knew it was false because my breasts aren’t that big.

“I guess they just appear, you know, bigger on TV and everything. But I’m fine with it now,” she continues. “At first it was hard for me but now I’m over it.”

Spears has also been criticized because she doesn’t write any of her own music, but she intends to change that with her upcoming sophomore effort.

“I wrote a song and it’s called ‘Dear Diary,'” Spears says. “And it’s just a personal song and talks about a girl who she’s interested in this guy and she comes home every night and she writes about him”

Spears’ staying power will be put to the test tonight as she goes up against Christina Aguilera for best new artist, among others.

“I’m not worried about the competition,” Spears says. “I’m just worried about me and just being nominated. It’s such an honor, so I really don’t, you know, think that much about it.”

Also fighting Spears as a best new artist is rap-rocker Kid Rock.

“He’s a little weird,” she says. “I like his music; his music is really good.”

Spears will keep the strategy of not thinking about the competition and isn’t even thinking about winning.

“I haven’t even thought of an acceptance speech or anything because I’m going to go there not expecting anything,” Spears says. “So if something does happen, I’ll be really touched and, you know, really happy about it.”

With Grammy nominations, numerous tours, an album that has sold over 17 million copies and a new one on the way, Spears remains grounded and is constantly chasing her dream.

“My ultimate goal is probably just to be around for a really long time and just to be someone like Madonna or Janet Jackson, you know, something like that.” she says. “I would like that a lot.”