Christina Milian
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Christine Marie Flores (born September 26, 1981), better known as Christina Milian (), is an American actress and singer. Born in
Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, she signed a contract with
Murder Inc. Records Murder Inc. Records, LLC. (formerly The Inc. Records) is an American record label founded by brothers Chris and Irv Gotti in 1998. The label's flagship artist is Ja Rule. According to Chris Gotti, Murder Inc. had sold over 30 million units wo ...
at the age of 19. In 2001, Milian released her self-titled debut album, which featured the singles "
AM to PM "AM to PM" is the debut single of American singer Christina Milian. Written by Milian, Christian Karlsson, and Pontus Winnberg and produced by the latter, it served as the lead single from her self-titled 2001 debut album and found commercial su ...
" and "
When You Look at Me "When You Look at Me" is a song by American singer Christina Milian. It was written by Milian, Christin Karlsson, Nina Woodford, Fredrik Odesio and Henrik Jonback, and produced by Bloodshy & Avant for her self-titled debut album (2001). The song ...
"; the former charted within the Top 40 of the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and both peaked in the top three on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. In 2004, Milian released her second studio album '' It's About Time'', which provided her first major U.S. hit, "
Dip It Low "Dip It Low" is a song by American singer Christina Milian from her second studio album, ''It's About Time (Christina Milian album), It's About Time'' (2004). Written by Poli Paul and Teedra Moses and produced by Paul, the track was released as t ...
", which reached number five on the U.S. ''Billboard'' chart. "
Whatever U Want "Whatever U Want" is a song by American singer Christina Milian. It was written by Bradley Spalter, Lambert Waldrip II, Aleese Simmons, Andre Mortion, Khaleef Chiles, James Banks, and Henderson Thigpen and produced by Bradley & Stereo for Milia ...
" was released as the album's second single. Both singles charted within the Top 10 of the UK chart. In 2006, Milian released her third studio album '' So Amazin'''. The album produced one single, "
Say I "Say I" is a song by American singer Christina Milian. It was written by Jazmine Sullivan, Jay Jenkins (at the time Young Jeezy, now simply known as Jeezy), Andre Lyon, and Marcello Valenzano and produced by Lyon and Valenzano under their pro ...
", which peaked in the Top 30 of the US ''Billboard'' chart. A month after the release of ''So Amazin'', Milian's representative confirmed that she had left
Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...
due to creative differences. Milian signed with
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
in 2009. A single, ballad " Us Against the World", was released in October 2008. In 2012, Milian signed to
Young Money Entertainment Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republi ...
, which will release her fourth studio album. Milian originally wanted to be an actress. Her first lead role was in the 2003 film '' Love Don't Cost a Thing'', and she subsequently had lead roles in ''
Be Cool ''Be Cool'' is a 2005 American crime- comedy film based on Elmore Leonard's 1999 novel of the same name and the sequel to Leonard's 1990 novel ''Get Shorty'' (itself adapted into a 1995 film of the same name) about mobster Chili Palmer's entra ...
'' and the 2006 horror film ''
Pulse In medicine, a pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the cardiac cycle (heartbeat) by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surface of the body, such as at the nec ...
''. Milian had a minor role in ''
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past ''Ghosts of Girlfriends Past'' is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Mark Waters. The script was written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, based on Charles Dickens' 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol''. Filming spanned February 19, 2008 ...
'', and starred as the lead role in the straight-to-DVD film '' Bring It On: Fight to the Finish''. Milian has also starred in the 2010
ABC Family The American cable television, cable and satellite television network that is now known as Freeform (TV channel), Freeform was originally launched as the CBN Satellite Service on April 29, 1977, and has gone through several different owners (and s ...
Original Movie '' Christmas Cupid'', alongside
Ashley Benson Ashley Victoria Benson (born December 18, 1989) is an American actress, model, and singer. She is known for her role as Hanna Marin in the teen mystery-drama series ''Pretty Little Liars'' (2010–2017). Benson has starred in films, including ' ...
and
Chad Michael Murray Chad Michael Murray (born August 24, 1981) is an American actor and writer. He is best known for playing Lucas Scott in The WB/ CW drama series '' One Tree Hill'' (2003–09, 2012), a recurring role as Tristin DuGray on The WB/ CW series ''Gilm ...
. From 2015 to 2016, she starred in the sitcom ''
Grandfathered A grandfather clause, also known as grandfather policy, grandfathering, or grandfathered in, is a provision in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations while a new rule will apply to all future cases. Those exempt from t ...
''.


Early life

Milian was born in
Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Afro-Cuban Afro-Cubans or Black Cubans are Cubans of West African ancestry. The term ''Afro-Cuban'' can also refer to historical or cultural elements in Cuba thought to emanate from this community and the combining of native African and other cultural el ...
descent. Her parents are Don Flores and Carmen Milian. Flores changed her name and adopted her mother's maiden name (Milian) in the hopes of landing a wider range of acting roles. The oldest of three sisters, including Danielle and Elizabeth, she moved with her family to
Waldorf, Maryland Waldorf is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Charles County, Maryland, United States. Located south-southeast of Washington, D.C., Waldorf is part of the Southern Maryland region. It is an urban area, with a populat ...
, soon after her birth. Milian was four years old when she showed an interest in show business, and when her family realized that she was a talented actress, she became determined to pursue an entertainment career. As a child, Milian was "very imaginative and very creative", and watching television and listening to the radio became her life. They inspired her to have fun, and she convinced her parents that she "did not want to be inside the TV", although it took some time to convince them. By the time she was nine years old, Milian had begun auditioning with local talent agencies, shot commercials for
Wendy's Wendy's is an American international fast food restaurant chain founded by Dave Thomas (1932–2002) on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. Its headquarters moved to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. As of December 31, 2018, Wendy's was the ...
and
Honeycomb A honeycomb is a mass of Triangular prismatic honeycomb#Hexagonal prismatic honeycomb, hexagonal prismatic Beeswax, wax cells built by honey bees in their beehive, nests to contain their larvae and stores of honey and pollen. beekeeping, Beekee ...
, and played the lead role in the musical ''
Annie Annie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress * Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer The ...
''. Milian's mother noticed her daughter's potential and left her husband and moved to
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
with her three daughters when Milian was 13 years old. Her father had to stay in Maryland and divorced her mother soon after the move. When Milian moved to Los Angeles, her only desire was to be an actress. She always wanted to be in the record business, but did not know how to obtain a
recording contract A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist (or group), where the artist makes a record (or series of records) for the label to sell and promote. Artists ...
. During this time, she was a host for
Disney Channel Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Compan ...
's series ''
Movie Surfers A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
'', by the name of Tina. After living in Los Angeles for six months, Milian moved into the same apartment complex as songwriter and producer
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists. Jerkins has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among hi ...
. Jerkins heard about Milian from a boy band he was working with and once he heard her sing, they began working together. For a year and a half, Milian went into a studio every day and worked with Jerkins, which is where she started meeting people in the record business. She began writing songs at the age of 17 because she needed a
demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
to help her obtain a recording contract. According to Milian, every time she recorded a song, the producer would refuse to give her the demo, or would write lyrics that she did not agree with. She felt that she had to write a song, record a demo, and send it out on her own.


Career


2000–02: ''Christina Milian'', record deal and acting debut

Milian made her first professional musical appearance on rapper
Ja Rule Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in New York City, he debuted in 1999 with ''Venni Vetti Vecci'' and its lead single "Holla Holla". Durin ...
's second studio album '' Rule 3:36'' (2000), performing vocals on the song "
Between Me and You "Between Me and You" is the first single from Ja Rule's second album, '' Rule 3:36.'' The single features Christina Milian and was released on June 16, 2000 to radio. The song was his first major crossover hit, peaking at #11 on the ''Billboard' ...
". The song was released as the album's lead single in 2000, peaking at number 11 on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
, and in the top 30 of the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. Milian co-wrote and performed backing vocals for the track "
Play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...
" for
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
's album '' J. Lo'' (2001), and co-wrote "Same Ol' Same Ol'", the second single from girl group PYT's debut album ''PYT (Down with Me)'' (2001). Milian's collaboration with Ja Rule led to a record deal with Def Soul Records, prompted by his affiliation with
Murder Inc. Records Murder Inc. Records, LLC. (formerly The Inc. Records) is an American record label founded by brothers Chris and Irv Gotti in 1998. The label's flagship artist is Ja Rule. According to Chris Gotti, Murder Inc. had sold over 30 million units wo ...
, an imprint that was distributed through
Def Jam Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The ...
, the parent label of Def Soul Records. She travelled to Sweden and recorded her self-titled debut album. The album was released on October 9, 2001 in the UK, peaking at number 23 and selling a total of 101,986 copies. Internationally, the album peaked at number 36 in the Netherlands, and number 98 in Sweden. The album's domestic release was postponed because of the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
, which occurred just two weeks before its release date. Her label opted to release it later that year, in the fourth quarter, but as Milian explained, new artists generally do not release their albums during that time. As a result, the album was again delayed until the first quarter of 2002; however, Milian eventually opted not to release it. Two singles were taken from the album, "
AM to PM "AM to PM" is the debut single of American singer Christina Milian. Written by Milian, Christian Karlsson, and Pontus Winnberg and produced by the latter, it served as the lead single from her self-titled 2001 debut album and found commercial su ...
" and "
When You Look at Me "When You Look at Me" is a song by American singer Christina Milian. It was written by Milian, Christin Karlsson, Nina Woodford, Fredrik Odesio and Henrik Jonback, and produced by Bloodshy & Avant for her self-titled debut album (2001). The song ...
", both of which charted worldwide. A music video for the track "Get Away" was filmed in Paris, although it was not officially released as a single. The critical response to the album was mixed to generally positive. Imran Ahmed of the ''
New Musical Express ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' predicted that based on the record, "genius can't be more than a few albums away". Contrastingly,
entertainment.ie ''Entertainment.ie'' is an Irish web company based in Dublin. The company provides news and reviews of programs and films for TV and the cinema. It also provides information on upcoming comedies, festivals, theater shows and music in Ireland, a ...
writer Andrew Lynch suggested that Milian needed original ideas. Milian believed that the public expected "a certain thing" from her when she first appeared with Ja Rule, however she wanted to record the type of music she was signed to do. She said that "AM to PM" was a "cool record," but it was not what the public expected. Milian approached the executives at her record company,
Island Def Jam The Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) was an American recording music unit, formed on New Year's Eve 1998 by the Universal Music Group. It consists of labels devised and consisted under the basic operations of Island Records and Def Jam Recordin ...
, and "cussed them all out", telling them that they were not listening to her. She felt that she had gained their respect by explaining that she was serious about her musical career. In the following years, she was featured on the track " It's All Gravy", a duet with British rapper
Romeo Romeo Montague () is the male protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. The son of Lord Montague and his wife, Lady Montague, he secretly loves and marries Juliet, a member of the rival House of Capulet, through a priest ...
, which was a UK top ten hit; provided the theme song for the hit
Disney Channel Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Compan ...
animated series ''
Kim Possible ''Kim Possible'' is an American animated action comedy-adventure television series created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle for Disney Channel. The title character is a teenage girl tasked with fighting crime on a regular basis while coping wi ...
'', "
Call Me, Beep Me! "Call Me, Beep Me!", or "The Kim Possible Song", is the theme song for the Disney Channel series '' Kim Possible''. The song was written by Cory Lerios and George Gabriel. In the song, Kim Possible (the main character of the series) tells li ...
"; and collaborated with
Hilary Duff Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including seven Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, four Teen Choice Awards and two Young Artist Awards. She began her act ...
on Duff's Christmas album '' Santa Claus Lane'' (2002), on the song "I Heard Santa on the Radio". Although Milian is best known for her singing career, she originally wanted to be an actress. When asked whether she prefers singing or acting, Milian said that "they're both my passion. But, honestly, if I had to choose, it would probably be my music. I love writing. I love listening. I love the challenge of it." Milian has also stated that she loves "performing live on the stage ... above all else. It's my favorite." Milian's first major acting role was offered by the
Disney Channel Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Compan ...
to join ''
The Mickey Mouse Club ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' is an American variety television show that aired intermittently from 1955 to 1996 and returned to social media in 2017. Created by Walt Disney and produced by Walt Disney Productions, the program was first televised fo ...
''; however, she did not accept and opted to star as a reporter on ''
Movie Surfers A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
''. During this time, she had minor roles in film and television, including '' Sister, Sister'', ''
Smart Guy ''Smart Guy'' is an American sitcom television series centering on the exploits of child prodigy T.J. Henderson (Tahj Mowry), who moves from being an elementary school student in the fourth grade to a high school student in the tenth grade, atte ...
'', ''
The Steve Harvey Show ''The Steve Harvey Show'' is an American television sitcom that aired on The WB from August 25, 1996, to February 17, 2002. It was created by Winifred Hervey and directed by Stan Lathan. Synopsis Steve Hightower (Steve Harvey) is a 1970s funk ...
'', '' Get Real'', ''
The Wood ''The Wood'' is a 1999 American coming-of-age comedy drama film directed by Rick Famuyiwa and starring Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones and Taye Diggs. It was written by Famuyiwa and Todd Boyd. Plot Roland is getting married and is currently missing. ...
'' and '' American Pie''. In 2002, Milian was appointed the host of the live competitive music series ''Becoming Presents: Wannabe'' on
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, where she met director
Joseph Kahn Joseph Kahn may refer to: *Joseph Kahn (director) (born 1972), a film and music video director *Joseph Kahn (journalist) (born 1964), American journalist * Joseph Kahn (shipping executive) (1916–1979), American businessman See also *Joseph Hahn ...
. Kahn suggested she audition for a lead role in the film ''
Torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of th ...
''. Her audition was successful and she played a minor role in the film. She was subsequently cast in her first lead role in '' Love Don't Cost a Thing''. Milian has been described as a role model to young girls; she has said that there are a lot of people who young girls look up to, but "at the end of the day you have to be your own person and love yourself." Milian worked with the Children Uniting Nations charity, in which she was a big sister to foster children, and says her favorite charity is the Penny Lane Foundation. Milian was awarded with a humanitarian award at The Reign fundraiser from the
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
Foundation for being a role model for young children. Milian said, "I've never been rewarded that way and never been acknowledged like that. That was really nice of them, and I was happy I was able to show up for the kids."


2003–04: ''It's About Time'' and continued acting

Milian felt that
Island Def Jam The Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) was an American recording music unit, formed on New Year's Eve 1998 by the Universal Music Group. It consists of labels devised and consisted under the basic operations of Island Records and Def Jam Recordin ...
was confused as to how they wanted her image to be portrayed; one second she was young and singing "AM to PM", and next she was a grown woman singing "Get Away". She realized that the change confused the audience, and that "nobody was buying it". In 2003, Milian's label
Def Soul Def Soul was an R&B-based division of American multinational record label Def Jam Recordings. It was formed in 1996 by Russell Simmons and Kevin Liles to expand R&B and soul music through Def Jam's said genre-related roster following the successe ...
was shut down and absorbed by its parent
Def Jam Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The ...
, although Milian was instead moved over to
Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...
. After the international release of her debut album, Milian went back into the recording studio. The singer felt that music trends had changed into
rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
,
hardcore hip hop Hardcore hip hop (also hardcore rap) is a genre of hip hop music that developed through the East Coast hip hop scene in the 1980s. Pioneered by such artists as Run-DMC, Schoolly D, Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy, it is generally cha ...
and tribute songs, and her music did not fall into those categories. Milian decided to stop recording and toured overseas for a year and a half. When she returned to the US, she decided not to release her previous album domestically, and started working on a new album. Milian traveled the world, working with the popular producers
Bloodshy & Avant Bloodshy & Avant are a Swedish songwriting and production duo consisting of Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson and Pontus "Avant" Winnberg. They have worked with many prominent artists, including Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Ms. Dynamite, Madonna, ...
, "Darkchild",
Cory Rooney Mark Cory Rooney (born 1968) is an American record producer. He has written, produced, and developed various successful records for artists including Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Thalia, Michael Ja ...
,
Warryn Campbell Warryn Stafford Campbell, Jr. (born August 21, 1975) is an American record producer. He has worked with a number of gospel, hip hop and R&B artists. Campbell originally got his start as a session musician and producer under the tutelage of DJ ...
,
Bryan-Michael Cox Bryan-Michael Paul Cox (born December 1, 1977) is an American record producer and songwriter who is notable for his work with artists such as Usher, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, and Toni Braxton. Among his most notable productions are "Be Wit ...
and Polli Paul. Milian's second studio album, '' It's About Time'', was released in the US on July 13, 2004. The critical response to the album was mixed; the club tracks, most notably lead single "
Dip It Low "Dip It Low" is a song by American singer Christina Milian from her second studio album, ''It's About Time (Christina Milian album), It's About Time'' (2004). Written by Poli Paul and Teedra Moses and produced by Paul, the track was released as t ...
", were praised while the ballads were said to be disappointing. The style and sound of the album was compared to that of
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
and
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
by several critics. Milian later admitted that her new sexy image for "Dip It Low" and the whole album was mainly for shock value. She had to make her way back into the US market, and by choosing a sexier image, she made a name for herself. "Dip It Low" was also meant to show that she was not the same 18-year-old girl in the "AM to PM" video. To create her new image, Milian also decided to change her appearance and lightened her hair. Taking inspiration from
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
who constantly changed her image, Milian thought to herself, "'When did I like Janet Jackson the most?' It was when she had her lightened hair." Milian believed that the album was more R&B when compared to her "bubble-gum" pop debut album. The change was reflected in the album's lead single, "Dip It Low", which was more of a club and R&B track than her previous pop release "AM to PM". Milian performed as an opening act on the Usher and
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
tour to promote her album. The album debuted and peaked at number 14 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart and number 21 in the UK, selling a total of 382,000 and 63,708 copies respectively, and received a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nomination for "
Best Contemporary R&B Album The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the contemporary ...
" in 2005. The album's first single, "Dip It Low", became Milian's biggest hit to date, reaching number two in the UK and number five in the US. The single was certified
Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
for digital sales, Type "Christina Milian" in the "Artist" field. and earned a Grammy Award nomination for "
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration The Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance (awarded as Best Rap/Sung Collaboration until 2017, and Best Rap/Sung Performance from 2018 to 2020) is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and original ...
". The album's second and final single, "
Whatever U Want "Whatever U Want" is a song by American singer Christina Milian. It was written by Bradley Spalter, Lambert Waldrip II, Aleese Simmons, Andre Mortion, Khaleef Chiles, James Banks, and Henderson Thigpen and produced by Bradley & Stereo for Milia ...
", featuring
Joe Budden Joseph Anthony Budden II (born August 31, 1980) is an American media personality and former rapper. He first gained recognition as a rapper with his 2003 top 40 single " Pump It Up" and as a member of the hip hop supergroup Slaughterhouse. In ...
, failed to reprise the success of the lead single but reached the top ten in the UK. Milian starred in ''
Be Cool ''Be Cool'' is a 2005 American crime- comedy film based on Elmore Leonard's 1999 novel of the same name and the sequel to Leonard's 1990 novel ''Get Shorty'' (itself adapted into a 1995 film of the same name) about mobster Chili Palmer's entra ...
'', the sequel to ''
Get Shorty ''Get Shorty'' is a 1990 novel by American novelist Elmore Leonard. In 1995, the novel was adapted into a film of the same name, and in 2017 it was adapted into a television series of the same name. Plot summary The story centers on Ernesto ...
'', with
John Travolta John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He came to public attention during the 1970s, appearing on the television sitcom ''Welcome Back, Kotter'' (1975–1979) and starring in the box office successes ''Carrie'' (19 ...
and
Uma Thurman Uma Karuna Thurman (born April 29, 1970) is an American actress and former model. She has performed in a variety of films, from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action films. Following her appearances on the December 1985 an ...
, and recorded two songs for its soundtrack. She was then cast in a lead role in the horror film ''
Pulse In medicine, a pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the cardiac cycle (heartbeat) by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surface of the body, such as at the nec ...
'', starring alongside
Kristen Bell Kristen Anne Bell (born July 18, 1980) is an American actress. Beginning her acting career by starring in stage productions while attending the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, she made her Broadway stage debut as Becky That ...
and Ian Somerhalder. The film was a remake of the Japanese film ''
Kairo Kairo may refer to: * Kairo (band), Mexican boy band from 1993 to 1999 with Eduardo Verástegui as member until 1996 * ''Kairo'' (video game), independently published exploration video game made by Richard Perrin * ''Kairo'' (film), A.K.A. ''Pul ...
'' (2001), and was adapted by
Wes Craven Wesley Earl Craven (August 2, 1939 – August 30, 2015) was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and editor. Craven has commonly been recognized as one of the greatest masters of the horror genre due to the cultural imp ...
and Ray Wright. Filming took place in Romania, a traumatic time for Milian, where she endured racial abuse and discovered that boyfriend Nick Cannon was cheating on her. Milian has also appeared in two video games: ''
Def Jam Vendetta ''Def Jam Vendetta'' is a 2003 professional wrestling video game that combines hip hop with pro wrestling. It was released for the PlayStation 2 & GameCube by Electronic Arts under the EA Sports BIG label in North America & Europe, and the E ...
'' (2003), where she plays Angel, a
mob boss A crime boss, also known as a crime lord, Don, gang lord, gang boss, mob boss, kingpin, godfather, crime mentor or criminal mastermind, is a person in charge of a criminal organization. Description A crime boss typically has absolute or near ...
' girlfriend, and as one of the female leads, Carmen Mendez, in the video game '' Need for Speed: Undercover'' (2008).


2005–06: ''So Amazin'' and record departure

Whereas Milian's previous albums had pop and R&B stylings, she was encouraged by
Island Def Jam The Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) was an American recording music unit, formed on New Year's Eve 1998 by the Universal Music Group. It consists of labels devised and consisted under the basic operations of Island Records and Def Jam Recordin ...
to target a new audience and release an urban record. Explaining the change, Milian said that one of her main problems was that previous releases would often find mainstream success, but would be relatively unsuccessful on urban radio. As an R&B artist, she wanted to build her core audience–a true fan base that would support her through time–to increase her career's longevity. The main purpose of her genre change was to go back to the streets and add to her core audience. To create a more urban record, Milian had a list of producers that she wanted to work with. L.A. Reid suggested to Milian that she should work with Cool & Dre, with whom she ended up working with as the first people to start off the album. Although Milian was originally supposed to work with several different music producers, she felt that the chemistry they had in the first week was so "instant and real" that she felt she could not get a better "vibe" with anybody else other than them. Milian ended up working with Cool & Dre on the majority of the production of the album, producing ten of the album's eleven tracks together. The album completed within a three-month period, whereas Milian's previous albums would take six months to a year. Milian's third studio album, '' So Amazin''', was released on May 16, 2006. The album's lead single, "
Say I "Say I" is a song by American singer Christina Milian. It was written by Jazmine Sullivan, Jay Jenkins (at the time Young Jeezy, now simply known as Jeezy), Andre Lyon, and Marcello Valenzano and produced by Lyon and Valenzano under their pro ...
", featured rapper
Young Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...
. The single saw peak positions of number four in the UK, and number twenty-one in the US. ''So Amazin'' debuted and peaked at number eleven on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart, selling 54,000 copies in its first week and 163,000 copies in total. Internationally, the album peaked at number 55 on the Swiss Albums Chart, 67 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
, and 139 on the France Albums Chart. Reviews of ''So Amazin'' were mixed; critics felt that while Milian claimed that she was displaying the various sides of her personality, the album could "only cratchthe surface of who she really is." "Say I" was praised by several critics, and was described as "instantly rousing" and "intoxicating". In June 2006, Milian's representative confirmed that she had been dropped by Island Def Jam. In an interview with ''
Rap-Up ''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
'', Milian revealed she was dropped a week after her album was released. The singer believed it was a "budget cut", and that Island Def Jam Music Group wanted to spend more money on label mate
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
. She said, "it was embarrassing. It was a week after my album got put out. I would be in my room a lot of the time crying by myself." After leaving Def Jam, Milian released her first compilation album, ''The Best of Christina Milian'' (2006). After the production of ''So Amazin'' in 2006, Milian began dating Andre Lyon from the production group Cool & Dre. The pair dated until February 2009, when they decided to go on a break. Milian said that they were still really close, and decided to break up because it was "hard to grow together when you live on two different coasts". The singer wanted to take more opportunities and learn more about herself, which she often let go when in a relationship, but felt that she was in a now-or-never situation. Milian described Lyon as an amazing guy, and said that although there was a chance for the couple in the future, she needed to focus on herself.


2007–10: ''Elope'' and hiatus

Following her departure from
Island Def Jam Music Group The Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) was an American recording music unit, formed on New Year's Eve 1998 by the Universal Music Group. It consists of labels devised and consisted under the basic operations of Island Records and Def Jam Recordin ...
, Milian signed with
MySpace Records MySpace Records was a record label founded in 2005 to sign artists who appeared on the social networking site Myspace. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Myspace, operating as a joint-venture between MySpace and Interscope Records. Distributio ...
in 2008. She began writing songs and recording in the studio with numerous different producers, including Cool & Dre,
J. R. Rotem Jonathan Reuven Rotem is a South African-born record producer, songwriter and music publisher. Biography Early life Rotem was born in South Africa to Jewish Israeli people, Israeli immigrant parents. He moved to Canada at the age of two an ...
, The Runners, Danja, Terry "MaddScientist" Thomas, T-Pain,
Jim Jonsin James Gregory Scheffer (born June 8, 1970), professionally known as Jim Jonsin, is an American record producer, songwriter, businessman and DJ from South Florida. Jonsin has collaborated with numerous artists, including Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, ...
and
Toby Gad Tobias "Toby" Gad (born 28 March 1968) is a Los Angeles-based German music producer/songwriter, best known for co-writing John Legend's biggest hit, " All of Me," the fifth-highest certified single in RIAA history, and for co-writing and producin ...
. Milian was featured on the cover of ''
Rap-Up ''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
''s 2008 Winter issue, in which she announced that the album's title was ''Dream in Color'' (later retitled as ''Elope''). A single was released in October 2008, ballad " Us Against the World". It was written by Milian and produced by Madd Scientist. The single, described by Milian as a "cinematic power ballad", premiered via MySpace on October 6, 2008, and was made available by digital download the next day. Milian felt that Madd Scientist "brought the best out of me" while producing " Us Against the World", and "was really able to do some amazing things with my vocals". After recording songs with the aforementioned producers, Milian took a break from music and started filming '' Bring It On: Fight to the Finish''. When Milian returned to music, she concentrated on promoting her single "Us Against the World", and shot its music video. Since then, Milian said that she became "a little bit more meticulous with what I feel deserved to be on the album", and resumed recording. Songs recorded for the album included the 1990s
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
-styled ballad "Stay", Euro-club record "Tug of War" and the feel-good song "Diamonds", which featured
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
. Other features included
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
on the Cool & Dre produced track "Blissful", and
Pitbull Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
. In early 2009, Milian began working with
The-Dream Terius Youngdell Nash (born September 20, 1977), better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His co-writing credits include songs with "Me Against the Music" (2003) for Britney Spears, "Ride ...
,
Tricky Stewart Christopher Alan "Tricky" Stewart (born January 4, 1974) is an American record producer, record executive, songwriter, and music publisher. In a career spanning over 30 years, Stewart has won 5 Grammys and is responsible for over 50 million rec ...
, and L.O.S. Da Maestro, which led to her signing a deal with Radio Killa Records. Milian revealed that aside from "Us Against the World", The-Dream and Tricky Stewart would be producing all the songs on her album. In March 2009, Milian changed the album's title to ''Elope''. Regarding the album's title change, Milian explained, "the definition of elope is to run away secretly with one's beloved. This next album is about taking responsibility for yourself and making your own decisions." In June 2009, The-Dream said that the album was finished. Upon completion of the album, Milian said it represented "independence, not having to answer to any type of 'authority', being a woman at her best and feeling very confident". She said that fans could expect an "edgy sound with lots of strong powerful anthems. Big up tempos, R&B and Pop at best and two big ballads". In August 2009, Milian confirmed that she had signed a deal to release ''Elope'' through Interscope Records, with a 2010 release date. Originally scheduled to be released in 2009, Tricky Stewart explained the delay, saying "we just got our label deals done, so the reason why some of these projects got delayed had to do with technicalities and things of that nature". The album has been furthered delayed because of Milian's marriage to The-Dream and her pregnancy. In January 2010, Milian said that she was going back into the studio in the summer to record more material. Although the album had already been finished when Milian took a break for her pregnancy, she wanted to "go back and re-do some of the music and make some new songs and find my new inspiration". In October 2009, Tricky Stewart said that another single had yet to be chosen, and that it would be the first single off ''Elope''. Reported choices for the first single include "Zipper", "I'm a Cheat", and "Supersonic". Milian starred as the main character in the Christmas television movie for the
ABC Family The American cable television, cable and satellite television network that is now known as Freeform (TV channel), Freeform was originally launched as the CBN Satellite Service on April 29, 1977, and has gone through several different owners (and s ...
channel entitled ''
Snowglobe A snow globe (also called a waterglobe, snowstorm, or snowdome) is a transparent sphere, traditionally made of glass, enclosing a miniaturized scene of some sort, often together with a model of a town, neighborhood, landscape or figure. The sphe ...
'', alongside
Lorraine Bracco Lorraine Bracco (born October 2, 1954) is an American actress. Known for her distinct husky voice and Brooklyn accent, she has been nominated for an Academy Award, four Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Award ...
. She was to be a leading character in
The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
's new show ''Eight Days a Week'' as Olivia, alongside
Mario Lopez Mario Lopez (born October 10, 1973) is an American actor and television host. He has appeared on several television series, in films, and on Broadway theatre, Broadway. He is known for his portrayal of A.C. Slater on ''Saved by the Bell'', ''Sa ...
, but
The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
decided not to pick up the series due to the Writers Guild of America strike. Milian had a minor role in ''
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past ''Ghosts of Girlfriends Past'' is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Mark Waters. The script was written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, based on Charles Dickens' 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol''. Filming spanned February 19, 2008 ...
'' alongside
Matthew McConaughey Matthew David McConaughey ( ; born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. He had his breakout role with a supporting performance in the coming-of-age comedy '' Dazed and Confused'' (1993). After a number of supporting roles, his first succes ...
, and starred as the lead role in the straight-to-DVD film '' Bring It On: Fight to the Finish''. and as one of the female leads, Carmen Mendez, in the video game '' Need for Speed: Undercover'' (2008).


2010–2014: Return to music, ''The Voice'' and ''Dancing with the Stars''

Milian was scheduled to resume recording in July 2010 to complete the album; however, Milian opted to focus on her acting career. Despite the separation, Milian and The-Dream continued to "work together and write together". At the 2010
Los Angeles Fashion Week Fashion Week in Los Angeles occurs biannually. Multiple show producers hold events throughout the Greater Los Angeles area each March and October. Traditionally, the City of Los Angeles identified the third weekend of those respective months as t ...
, Milian performed "Zipper" and "
Dip It Low "Dip It Low" is a song by American singer Christina Milian from her second studio album, ''It's About Time (Christina Milian album), It's About Time'' (2004). Written by Poli Paul and Teedra Moses and produced by Paul, the track was released as t ...
". Milian has worked on a fourth studio album since 2008, but its release has frequently been delayed. At the 2010
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produc ...
, she said it would be ready in 2011. In June 2011, her collaboration with
The Jackie Boyz The Jackie Boyz was an American multi-platinum singer-songwriter duo that consisted of two brothers, Carlos Battey and Steven Battey. The Jackie Boyz were acquired by Universal Music Publishing as songwriters in 2009. History The Jackie Boyz w ...
titled ''Memory'' was released in Japan. It is set to appear on their album ''Songs In My Blackberry''.
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
announced on October 27 that Milian would serve as the official Social Media Correspondent for ''
The Voice The Voice may refer to: Fictional entities * The Voice or Presence, a fictional representation of God in DC Comics * The Voice (''Dune''), a fictional ability in the ''Dune'' universe * The Voice, a character in the American TV series ''Cleo ...
''. The role, previously held by Alison Haislip, saw Milian make regular appearances during the live broadcasts. She will also interact with fans through Facebook, Twitter, NBC.com and NBC Live. She has since left the show. On February 12, 2012, Lil' Wayne said that Christina Milian had joined Young Money. The next day, a song titled "Mr. Valentine" leaked onto the internet. Milian told Carson Daly on 97.1 AMP Radio. "Yeah, I've signed with Young Money. It was pretty awesome. This weekend we had a big party, a big YMCMB party, and Drake was performing and we were all up on the stage and Wayne got up there and he announced it himself. And so I was kind of surprised and I was like, 'Oh my gosh, this is awesome!'" Milian is currently recording her fourth album. "We're just getting started on it," she said. "I've already halfway gotten there and when my mom and I went to Wayne and we played him some of the music, off the second song, he was like, 'I love it. Let's do this deal.' I have some music that's already going to be on it and the second half I'm working with them now. ..When they did a little background check, they saw even the songwriting, all that kind of stuff adds on top of, alright, she's an actress, she's a pretty face, she can actually sing, but not to mention she's a songwriter. I thought that was cool that they even saw that. ..They all get on each other's records, so all I have to do is be home with everybody and we'll just do lots of features." In October 2012 during an interview, Milian spoke of her Young Money debut: "Wayne just gets his artists, which is great, I have a very one-on-one business relationship with everybody from
Mack Maine Jermaine Anthony Preyan (born July 28, 1982), better known by his stage name Mack Maine, is an American record executive, songwriter, and rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. Mack Maine has been the president of Young Money Entertainment since 2 ...
to Wayne. They're just very involved in the project as far as bringing the music, playing songs, just giving their input. ..I really want to pick the perfect single though. It's been a second since I've been out musically, so I do not want to fail and I don't believe in failure, so I just try new things and figure out the pieces. That's one thing that's great about Wayne. He's like, 'Work with different producers, take your time, but at the same time, try new things. Don't be stuck on one thing.'" In July 2013, it was discovered that her contract with The Voice would be ended. In the summer, she collaborated with the Stafford Brothers and
Lil' Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
on the single "Hello" which reached the Top15 on the Billboard Dance charts. In September 2013, Milian became a contestant on ''
Dancing with the Stars ''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
'' (
season 17 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...
). She was partnered with professional dancer
Mark Ballas Mark Alexander Ballas Jr. (born May 24, 1986) is an American dancer, choreographer, singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. Ballas is a professional ballroom dancer on the ABC program ''Dancing with the Stars''. He began competing on the show ...
. She was eliminated in the fifth week, finishing in the ninth place. In July 2014, she announced she'd started work on a mixtape titled ''#TinaTurnUp''. In November 2014, she collaborated with
Lil' Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
on his single "Start a Fire" which they performed on the
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produc ...
.


2015–present: "#TinaTurnUp, new ventures, and a music refocus

On January 18, 2015, Milian debuted her reality show ''Christina Milian Turned Up''. The series follows the day-to-day lives of Christina, her mother Carmen and her two sisters, Danielle and Liz Flores. It was renewed for a second season in April, which premiered in November 2015. In March, she released a pair of singles (which were previewed in her reality series), with "Rebel" and "We Ain't Worried", of which the latter was used to promote her "We Are Pop Culture" clothing line. In July, she announced she was going to release a 5-track EP and video set, and was working with director Mike Ho. Also that month, she performed the National Anthem at the 2015 Americafest and premiered a new single "Like Me" featuring Snoop Dogg. A few months later, she released another single "Do It" with Lil' Wayne and changed the EP's title to ''Like Me''. Her EP " 4U" was released on December 4, 2015 which includes four tracks and music videos packaged in one. In 2016, she collaborated with
So Solid Crew So Solid Crew are a British UK garage and hip hop collective originating from the area on and surrounding the Winstanley and York Road Estates in Battersea, London which achieved wide success in the early 2000s. The group consisted of many m ...
's
MC Harvey Michael Harvey Jr. (born 1 May 1979), better known as MC Harvey or simply Harvey, is a British rapper. He first came to fame in the early 2000s as a member of rap group So Solid Crew before then pursuing a solo career in 2008. In 2012, he was ...
on the dance track "We Own the Night" which premiered on August 12, 2016. In June 2017, she appeared as a judge/ panelist on the Fox television show,
Superhuman The term superhuman refers to humans or human-like beings with enhanced qualities and abilities that exceed those naturally found in humans. These qualities may be acquired through natural ability, self-actualization or technological aids. Th ...
. Superhuman features contestants who possess a distinct, nearly super-human ability in fields such as memory, hearing, taste, touch, smell, sight and more are challenged to push their extraordinary skills to win a $50,000 grand prize. Starred in the critically acclaimed Netflix romantic comedy ''Falling Inn Love'' (2019), costarring Adam Demos. ''Falling Inn Love'' was the first Netflix movie to be shot entirely in New Zealand.


Entrepreneurship

Milian also co-owns Viva Diva Wines with her mother and manager Carmen Milian, as well as her publicist Robyn Santiago.


Personal life

Milian has been faced with the challenges of being an
Afro-Latino Black Hispanic and Latino Americans, also called Afro-Hispanics ( es, Afrohispano, links=no), Afro-Latinos or Black Hispanics, or Black Latinos are classified by the United States Census Bureau, Office of Management and Budget, and other U.S. ...
, stating:
I'm Cuban but eopledidn't get it because I was also brown-skinned... Latinos come in all colors, all shades... You should see my mom and her brothers and sisters... We just vary in color, shapes and sizes. But we're still Latinos — that doesn't change a damn thing.
Milian met actor
Nick Cannon Nicholas Scott Cannon (born October 8, 1980) is an American television host, actor, rapper, and comedian. In television, Cannon began as a teenager on ''All That'' before going on to host ''The Nick Cannon Show'', ''Wild 'n Out'', ''America's G ...
on the set of their film, '' Love Don't Cost a Thing'', in 2003, and they began dating. After being together for two and a half years, Milian ended her relationship with Cannon in 2005 because of his
cheating Cheating generally describes various actions designed to subvert rules in order to obtain unfair advantages. This includes acts of bribery, cronyism and nepotism in any situation where individuals are given preference using inappropriate cr ...
. Cannon revealed that he refused to stay faithful to Milian because their relationship was becoming too much like a "Christian romance". When Cannon married
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
on April 30, 2008, Milian said, "regardless of what I felt in the past at the time, I actually forgive him and I'm very much over that." In February 2009, reports emerged that Milian was dating musician
The-Dream Terius Youngdell Nash (born September 20, 1977), better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His co-writing credits include songs with "Me Against the Music" (2003) for Britney Spears, "Ride ...
. In late May 2009, it was reported that Milian and The-Dream were getting married, and the couple celebrated their engagement party in Las Vegas in June. On September 4, 2009, Milian and The-Dream eloped at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
reported that Milian and The-Dream would get married again in Rome, Italy, and then renew their vows in the US in front of family and friends. On September 11, 2009, it was announced that Milian and The-Dream were expecting their first child together. On February 26, 2010, Milian gave birth to a daughter, who was said to have "a full head of hair." This was Milian's first child, and the fourth for The-Dream, who had three children with ex-wife
Nivea Nivea (, stylized as NIVEA) is a German personal care brand that specializes in skin and body care. It is owned by the Hamburg-based company Beiersdorf Global AG. The company was founded on 28 March 1882, by Paul Carl Beiersdorf. In 1890, it w ...
. Christina Milian keeps her daughter in touch with her Latina roots by practicing
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
with her and cooking Cuban food. The-Dream and Milian separated in late 2009, only three months after their wedding in September of that year. Their divorce was finalized on October 23, 2011. In September 2010, Christina began dating James ("Jas") Prince, Jr., son of Rap-A-lot Records CEO and impresario, James Prince. Christina and Jas were engaged in April 2013. Christina moved out of the couple's home on June 19, 2014 and the couple called off their engagement. In July 2014, it was rumored she was dating rapper
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
, with whom she attended the
ESPY Award An ESPY Award (short for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award) is an accolade currently presented by the American broadcast television network ABC, and previously ESPN (as of the 2017 ESPY Awards the latter still airs them in the form ...
s. They later confirmed their relationship in mid-2015 after which they received criticism from their interconnected exes, singer
Nivea Nivea (, stylized as NIVEA) is a German personal care brand that specializes in skin and body care. It is owned by the Hamburg-based company Beiersdorf Global AG. The company was founded on 28 March 1882, by Paul Carl Beiersdorf. In 1890, it w ...
and songwriter
The-Dream Terius Youngdell Nash (born September 20, 1977), better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His co-writing credits include songs with "Me Against the Music" (2003) for Britney Spears, "Ride ...
. They split at the end of 2015 after collaborating on various singles, videos, and concert dates. Milian has been in a relationship with French singer
M. Pokora Matthieu Tota (; born 26 September 1985), artistically known as Matt Pokora and later M. Pokora (), is a French pop and R&B singer. In 2016, he became a coach for ''The Voice Kids France'' and '' The Voice: la plus belle voix''. Early life ...
since August 2017. In July 2019, the couple announced they were expecting a baby boy together. Their first son was born in January 2020. In December 2020, the couple announced they were expecting their second child together, and a French magazine reported they were married that month. In April 2021, they welcomed their second son.


Artistry

Milian is a light-lyric
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
who has not displayed her voice all the way in terms of upper register. She has only showcased a full voice vocal range from Eb3 to F5. The tessitura and tone of her voice are naturally light in their quality but she has shown in her belts that she can create strong tones. Her vocal style has been compared to
Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreograph ...
and
Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
by critics. David Peisner of ''
Maxim Maxim or Maksim may refer to: Entertainment * ''Maxim'' (magazine), an international men's magazine ** ''Maxim'' (Australia), the Australian edition ** ''Maxim'' (India), the Indian edition *Maxim Radio, ''Maxim'' magazine's radio channel on Sir ...
'' commented on her talent and described her voice as being "silky and sassy." Earlier in her career, Milian was mainly an
urban pop Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music. The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhythm ...
and
teen pop Teen pop is a subgenre of pop music that is created, marketed and oriented towards preteens and teenagers.Lamb, Bill"Teen Pop" About.com. Retrieved January 28, 2007. Teen pop incorporates different subgenres of pop music, as well as elements o ...
singer but as she matured and grew her sound later grew to branch out into a more
hip-hop soul Hip hop soul is a subgenre of contemporary R&B music, most popular during the early and mid 1990s, which fuses R&B or soul singing with hip hop musical production. The subgenre had evolved from a previous R&B subgenre, new jack swing, which ha ...
and straight forward R&B sound on her later two releases It's About Time and So Amazin'. Milian described the sound of the album as "hip hop under-toned with nice, pop melodies", and later said the genre of the album was "bubble-gum pop". She described lead single "AM to PM" as a "very pop" and "fun, party/club song". The genre of the album was described by one critic as "light-hearted, energetic R&B pop tunes". Sonically, the album was said to stick "rigidly to the sherbert-snorting pop formula of
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
and
Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
". One reviewer compared Milian to other singers of her generation, and found that "while Spears has gone raunchy with '
I Love Rock 'n' Roll "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" is a rock song written by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker and first recorded by the Arrows, a British rock band, in 1975. A 1981 cover version by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, released as the first single from her album of ...
', Christina Aguilera down and dirty on ''
Stripped Stripped may refer to: Music * "Stripped" (song), by Depeche Mode, 1986 * ''Stripped'' (Christina Aguilera album) or the title song, 2002 * ''Stripped'' (Daniel Ash album), 2014 * ''Stripped'' (Macy Gray album), 2016 * ''Stripped'' (Pretty Ma ...
'', and even clean-cut
Mandy Moore Amanda Leigh Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame with her debut single, "Candy", which peaked at number 41 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Her debut studio album, '' So Real'' (1999), recei ...
has brashly cut her hair Felicity-style, Milian still seems young and real." The critic also compared Milian to
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
, "while Beyonce is shaking her bootylicious body like crazy on '
Crazy In Love "Crazy in Love" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé, featuring a rap verse and ad-libs from her future husband Jay-Z from her debut solo studio album '' Dangerously in Love'' (2003). The song was released as her official debut single ...
', Milian is simply enjoying becoming a young star." "It's About Time" Compared to her "bubble-gum pop" debut album, Milian described the genre of ''It's About Time'' as more R&B. Discussing the change of genre between her lead singles, Milian said that the "first single off my last album, 'AM to PM', was more of a kiddie kind of thing, very pop. ip It Lowis more R&B, kind of a club/party kind of vibe." An issue Milian had with the album was that it did not flow. The various pop and urban influences in that album, she found, confused the audience. For her next studio album, Milian said that she wanted a more consistent feel.


Other ventures

In 2010, Milian signed an Australian music duo, Kasey Osborne and Kelsey-Maree, as their manager. Milian said, "the girls have everything it takes to be the biggest international pop duo out there. The world is definitely ready for these beautiful girls to hit the stage and kill it on screen." She said that the duo were the "most exciting project" she had worked on.


Discography

* ''
Christina Milian Christine Marie Flores (born September 26, 1981), better known as Christina Milian (), is an American actress and singer. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, but raised in Maryland, she signed a contract with Murder Inc. Records at the age of 19. ...
'' (2001) * '' It's About Time'' (2004) * '' So Amazin''' (2006) * ''4U (EP)'' (2015)


Filmography


Film


Television


Video games


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* *
Christina Milian Artist InformationChristina Milian
a
MySpace Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Milian, Christina 1981 births 21st-century American singers Actresses from Jersey City, New Jersey Actresses from Maryland Actresses from New York (state) African-American women African-American musicians African-American child actresses American dancers American female dancers American child actresses American dance musicians American entertainers of Cuban descent Dancers from New Jersey American women pop singers American women rappers American women singer-songwriters American hip hop singers American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters American sopranos American writers of Cuban descent Cash Money Records artists Hispanic and Latino American actresses Hispanic and Latino American dancers Hispanic and Latino American women singers Interscope Records artists Island Records artists Los Angeles County High School for the Arts alumni Musicians from Jersey City, New Jersey Participants in American reality television series People from Waldorf, Maryland Singer-songwriters from Maryland Singer-songwriters from New York (state) Singer-songwriters from New Jersey Murder Inc. Records artists Young Money Entertainment artists 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American actresses American women in business Living people 21st-century American rappers 21st-century women rappers