Christina Aguilera (album)
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''Christina Aguilera'' is the debut
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...
by American singer
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 ...
. It was released on August 24, 1999, by
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also ...
. After recording "
Reflection Reflection or reflexion may refer to: Science and technology * Reflection (physics), a common wave phenomenon ** Specular reflection, reflection from a smooth surface *** Mirror image, a reflection in a mirror or in water ** Signal reflection, in ...
", the theme song for the 1998
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
film '' Mulan'', RCA laid the foundation for the album immediately and started presenting Aguilera with tracks for her debut album, which they originally decided would have a January 1999 release. Its music incorporates
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
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 ...
genres, with a few songs featuring strong elements from
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...
and
contemporary R&B 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 rhy ...
. Contributions to the album's production came from a wide range of producers, including David Frank,
Ron Fair Ronald Fair is an American A&R executive, record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several ar ...
,
Guy Roche Guy Roche is a record producer and songwriter who is best known for the hit singles he has co-written/co-produced for Christina Aguilera, which are " What a Girl Wants", " I Turn to You", and " Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)". He also co-w ...
,
Robin Thicke Robin Alan Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2013 hit single " Blurred Lines", which is one of the best-selling singles of all time. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, h ...
,
Matthew Wilder Matthew Wilder ( Weiner; January 24, 1953) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. In early 1984, his single " Break My Stride" hit No. 2 on the ''Cash Box'' chart and No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. He also wrote t ...
and
Aaron Zigman Aaron Zigman (born January 6, 1963) is a classically-trained American composer, producer, arranger, songwriter, and musician who has scored music for films including ''The Notebook'', ''The Company Men'', '' Bridge to Terabithia'', ''John Q.'', ...
. The album received mostly positive reviews, with critics praising Aguilera's vocal performance and technique It was later included on the
List of 200 Definitive Albums in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The 200 definitive albums in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a 2007 list of the best albums ever produced by artists or bands throughout the history of world music according to the criteria of ''Rock and Roll Hall of Fame'' and the ''National A ...
. It debuted at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 with first-week sales of 253,000 copies. The album was certified octuple platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America 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/ ...
(RIAA) and has sold over nine million copies in the US and is one of the best-selling female albums. It remains Aguilera's best-selling album, with sales of over 14 million copies worldwide. The album earned Aguilera the
Grammy Award for Best New Artist The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...
at the
42nd Annual Grammy Awards The 42nd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 23, 2000, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1999. Nominations were announced on January 4, 2000. Santana was the main ...
. The album spawned four
hit single A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply a hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record' ...
s; "
Genie in a Bottle "Genie in a Bottle" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her self-titled debut studio album (1999). It was written by Pam Sheyne, Steve Kipner and David Frank, and produced by Kipner and Frank. The song was released on May 11, 1 ...
" peaked atop the
record chart A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include ...
s in 21 countries, including the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, while two subsequent singles, " What a Girl Wants" and " Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)", also topped the chart and " I Turn to You" reached number three. Furthermore, Aguilera embarked on her debut headlining concert tour in 2000.


Background and development

Christina Aguilera approached record label
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also ...
, then having financial difficulties, and was told to contact Disney. After being given the opportunity to record the theme to the 1998 film '' Mulan'' named "
Reflection Reflection or reflexion may refer to: Science and technology * Reflection (physics), a common wave phenomenon ** Specular reflection, reflection from a smooth surface *** Mirror image, a reflection in a mirror or in water ** Signal reflection, in ...
" it was reported she had gained a record deal with RCA with Aguilera saying "I landed a record deal simultaneously as I landed the ''Mulan'' soundtrack. I had just turned seventeen years old, and during the same week, I just landed both. I recorded the ''Mulan'' soundtrack first and then a few months later I was out in L.A. recording the record for about six months". When asked about the song and Aguilera, RCA executive
Ron Fair Ronald Fair is an American A&R executive, record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several ar ...
commented,
She is a badass genius of singing. She was put on this earth to sing, and I've worked with a lot of singers. ... When Aguilera met with us, she didn't care that she was auditioning for a record deal; she got into a performance zone that you see in artist much more mature than she is.
After she was asked to hit a musical note required for "Reflection", she thought that the song could be the gateway into an album deal. Aguilera spent hours recording a cover of
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...
's " Run to You", which included the note she was asked to hit. After successfully hitting the note, which she called "the note that changed my life", she was given the opportunity to record the song. To record the song, she flew 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 ...
for roughly a week. Despite growing increasingly exhausted during the recording sessions, when she heard that a 90-piece orchestra would be arriving to record the instrumental she begged to stay and witness the event. She later called the experience "amazing". Due to the success around the recording of "Reflection", RCA wished for Aguilera to record and release an album by September 1998 to maintain the "hype" surrounding her at that time. The label laid the foundation for the album immediately and started presenting Aguilera with tracks for her debut album, which they later decided would have a January 1999 release. "Reflection" was written and produced by
Matthew Wilder Matthew Wilder ( Weiner; January 24, 1953) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. In early 1984, his single " Break My Stride" hit No. 2 on the ''Cash Box'' chart and No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. He also wrote t ...
and
David Zippel David Joel Zippel (born May 17, 1954) is an American musical theatre lyricist, director, and producer. Early life and education Zippel was born and raised in Easton, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Falling in lo ...
, whom later co-wrote with Aguilera "We're a Miracle".


Recording and production

''Christina Aguilera'' was recorded between 1998 and 1999, with
Ron Fair Ronald Fair is an American A&R executive, record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several ar ...
serving as the album's
executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights ...
. The label reportedly spent $1 million on writers, producers and voice lessons. According to Fair, "She was very much a raw talent, so building a collection of songs that would become her first album was a time-consuming process. We wanted to find the ones that could knock the door down and put her up there." The album was built around
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...
songs, which was against Aguilera's will, since she wanted a more R&B album. She further explained during an interview for ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
'': "I was held back a lot from doing more R&B ad-libbing. They clearly wanted to make a fresh-sounding young pop record and that's not always the direction I wanted to go in. Sometimes they didn't get it, didn't want to hear me out because of my age, and that was a little bit frustrating. Since all the success, it's a little easier to get my opinions across." One of the first producers of the album was
Guy Roche Guy Roche is a record producer and songwriter who is best known for the hit singles he has co-written/co-produced for Christina Aguilera, which are " What a Girl Wants", " I Turn to You", and " Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)". He also co-w ...
, who produced two tracks ("What a Girl Wants" and "I Turn to You") and co-wrote one of them ("What a Girl Wants"), along with
Shelly Peiken Shelly Meg Peiken is an American songwriter who is best known for co-writing the US No. 1 hits " What a Girl Wants" and " Come On Over Baby" by Christina Aguilera the US No. 2 hit "Bitch" by Meredith Brooks, " Almost Doesn't Count" by Brandy, a ...
. "What a Girl Wants" was later re-recorded for its single release, replacing the "lighter" version for a more "funky" R&B version. Peiken also re-wrote with Roche the single version for the track "Come on Over", first produced by Johan Aberg, Paul Rein and Aaron Zigman. According to herself, "We're going to give it more of an edge, R&B it up a little, maybe rock it out a little, give it a lot of different new directions and get it out there." Peiken co-wrote "Don't Make Me Love You", "Too Beautiful for Words", and "Dreamy Eyes", but those songs—though recorded—were scrapped, as the album only had space for twelve tracks. Aguilera also recorded a cover of
All-4-One All-4-One is an American male R&B and pop group best known for their hit singles " I Swear", "So Much in Love" and "I Can Love You Like That". The group is composed of Jamie Jones, Delious Kennedy, Alfred Nevarez, and Tony Borowiak, all from t ...
's song " I Turn to You", written by
Diane Warren Diane Eve Warren (born September 7, 1956) is an American songwriter. She has received several awards including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, three ''Billboard'' Music Awards and an Honorary Academy Award. Wa ...
who also wrote "Somebody's Somebody".
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition ...
(who would eventually break into the scene as the producers who launched
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 th ...
's career) wrote and produced two tracks ("Love for All Seasons" and "Love Will Find a Way") Travon Potts & Brock Walsh wrote and produced "Blessed", while the then up-and-coming
Robin Thicke Robin Alan Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2013 hit single " Blurred Lines", which is one of the best-selling singles of all time. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, h ...
co-wrote and co-produced "When You Put Your Hands on Me".
Franne Golde Francine Vicki Golde, better known as Franne Golde or Frannie Golde, is an American songwriter, musician, singer and writer. Her songs have appeared on more than 100 million records sold worldwide. Golde has received BMI awards for singles with ...
(who previously worked with
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...
) also wrote a song for Aguilera titled "So Emotional" which was originally written for
Selena Selena Quintanilla Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995), known mononymously as Selena, was an American Tejano singer. Called the " Queen of Tejano music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mex ...
's album, but unfortunately she died at the age of 23. The track's producer, Ron Harris, revealed that Aguilera in-between recordings "was only listening to
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 w ...
and
Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
, putting on her walk man and practicing their riffs and runs, before she did her ad-libs. At the final stages, producer and songwriter David Frank presented a song called "Genie in a Bottle", which Aguilera almost didn't record, "because there were a lot of other artists out there that were after this song, so we had to fight a little bit to get it", she claimed. With Heather Holley, Aguilera also co-wrote along with producers Heather Holley and Rob Hoffman a track called "I Will Be", which she said was inspired by
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 w ...
's " Vanishing". The duo also wrote and produced the album's final track "Obvious", and "I Come Undone", which was ultimately not officially released.


Music and lyrics

''Christina Aguilera'' is a
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
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 ...
record; it mainly consists of teen pop songs. Beth Johnson of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...
'' compared the album's musical styles to those of Tiffany and
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...
. The record opens with "
Genie in a Bottle "Genie in a Bottle" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her self-titled debut studio album (1999). It was written by Pam Sheyne, Steve Kipner and David Frank, and produced by Kipner and Frank. The song was released on May 11, 1 ...
", which uses sexual references to talk about self-respect. ''
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 adverti ...
'' editor Kenneth Partridge wrote that the song features "32nd-note bass-drum pattern that mimics the heart palpitations of a teenager in lust." " What a Girl Wants" is a hybrid of teen pop and R&B which lyrically " evealsan independent, strong woman who knows what she wants from a relationship, both sexually and emotionally." The
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song relea ...
of
All-4-One All-4-One is an American male R&B and pop group best known for their hit singles " I Swear", "So Much in Love" and "I Can Love You Like That". The group is composed of Jamie Jones, Delious Kennedy, Alfred Nevarez, and Tony Borowiak, all from t ...
's ballad " I Turn to You" is a
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...
-influenced track. On the song, Aguilera thanks someone for their "faith, strength, support, commitment and tenderness". "So Emotional", "Love for All Seasons" and "Somebody's Somebody" incorporate strong elements of R&B and soul. "So Emotional" is a midtempo
gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...
-inspired number talking about a man who has got Aguilera "on the ropes". "Love for All Seasons" is a pop track which is musically similar to Carey's "
Always Be My Baby "Always Be My Baby" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey for her fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995). It was released by Columbia Records on March 9, 1996, as the third single in the United Sta ...
" (1996), while "Somebody's Somebody", in which Aguilera sings about being secure in one's arms, features
drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...
snap,
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...
pops, and a gospel
organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...
in the
bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually someth ...
. Aguilera sings about a woman longing to reveal her true self on "
Reflection Reflection or reflexion may refer to: Science and technology * Reflection (physics), a common wave phenomenon ** Specular reflection, reflection from a smooth surface *** Mirror image, a reflection in a mirror or in water ** Signal reflection, in ...
", which Partridge characterized it as the song that "sums up the album". " Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" is deemed the most "sexual" track on ''Christina Aguilera'', a hip hop-influenced song; the radio mix of the song, released in 2000 as a single, features a rap verse written by Aguilera herself. "When You Put Your Hands on Me", an R&B song co-written by
Robin Thicke Robin Alan Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2013 hit single " Blurred Lines", which is one of the best-selling singles of all time. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, h ...
, addresses the alchemy of sex: "I just know / when you put your hands on me / I feel sexy / and my body turns to gold." "Blessed" features elements of gospel, while "Love Will Find a Way" features an R&B
groove Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station ...
and was compared to Carey's songs "
Emotions Emotions are mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is currently no scientific consensus on a definition. ...
" (1991) and " Dreamlover" (1993). On the final song, "Obvious", Aguilera wonders whether her confusion about her life is apparent to everyone.


Release and promotion

''Christina Aguilera'' was released on August 24, 1999, in the United States by
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also ...
. Aguilera made many appearances on television shows in order to promote the album, such as ''
The Rosie O'Donnell Show ''The Rosie O'Donnell Show'' is an American daytime variety television talk show created, hosted, and produced by actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell. It premiered on June 10, 1996, and concluded after six seasons on May 22, 2002. This talk ...
'' and '' TRL''. Additionally, she performed "Genie in a Bottle" at the 1999
Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards is an annual awards show that airs on the Fox television network. The awards honor the year's biggest achievements in music, film, sports, television, fashion, social media, and more, voted by viewers living in the United ...
. In December 1999, a full-length home video titled ''
Genie Gets Her Wish ''Genie Gets Her Wish'' is the first VHS/DVD by Christina Aguilera. It was released on December 14, 1999 through RCA Records. It features performances of her #1 single, "Genie in a Bottle", studio footage, live concert performances, and exclusive ...
'' was released. The video includes interviews with her from backstage, in the studio and on the road, also featuring Aguilera's rendition of
Mel Torme Mel, Mels or MEL may refer to: Biology * Mouse erythroleukemia cell line (MEL) * National Herbarium of Victoria, a herbarium with the Index Herbariorum code MEL People * Mel (given name), the abbreviated version of several given names (including ...
's
Yuletide Yule, actually Yuletide ("Yule time") is a festival observed by the historical Germanic peoples, later undergoing Christianised reformulation resulting in the now better-known Christmastide. The earliest references to Yule are by way of indig ...
classic "
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) "The Christmas Song" (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You") is a classic Christmas song written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé. The Nat King Cole Trio fir ...
". Later on, in 2000, Aguilera performed at the
Super Bowl XXXIV Super Bowl XXXIV was an American football game played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on January 30, 2000, to determine the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1999 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion St. Louis ...
as a halftime performer. Aguilera also attended the
2000 MTV Video Music Awards The 2000 MTV Video Music Awards (stylized as MTV Video Music Awards vma.00) aired live on September 7, 2000, honoring the best music videos from June 12, 1999, to June 9, 2000. The show was hosted by Marlon and Shawn Wayans at Radio City Music Ha ...
, where she and
Fred Durst William Frederick Durst (born August 20, 1970) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and director. He is the frontman and lyricist of the nu metal band Limp Bizkit, formed in 1994, with whom he has released seven studio albums. He ap ...
performed together. Aguilera performed "Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You)", wearing a tight ruby red outfit with black and red streaks in her hair, and near the end, Durst walked onstage and performed part of his band
Limp Bizkit Limp Bizkit is an American rap rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Its lineup consists of lead vocalist Fred Durst, drummer John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, turntablist DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers. The band's music is marked by D ...
's song "Livin' It Up" with Aguilera. After eliciting charged reactions from his fans, Durst stated: "I already told you guys before, I did it all for the nookie, man." Aguilera denied Durst's statement, saying Durst "got no nookie". During late 2000, Aguilera traveled to Brazil to promote the album, where she did many interviews and performances on Brazilian television, including ''
Domingão do Faustão ''Domingão do Faustão'' (literally ''Big Fausto's Big Sunday'') was a Brazilian TV show aired every Sunday from 1989 to 2021. Produced by Rede Globo and hosted by Fausto Silva (also known as Faustão), it featured live music performances (usual ...
'', ''
Programa Raul Gil Programa Raul Gil is a musical and varieties TV show hosted by Raul Gil broadcast in SBT since 1981 to 1984, was also previously broadcast in the channels Excelsior (1967-1970), Tupi (1978-1980), Record (1973-1978; 1980-1981; 1984-1996 and 1998 ...
'' and ''
Planeta Xuxa ''Planeta Xuxa'' ( en, Planet Xuxa, italic=yes) was a Brazilian television program directed by Marlene Mattos and hosted by Xuxa Meneghel. It was aired by TV Globo from 5 April 1997 to 28 July 2002. Aimed at the family and teenagers, it was initia ...
''. On April 28, 2000, Aguilera announced her first tour, titled
Christina Aguilera in Concert Christina Aguilera in Concert was the debut concert tour by American singer Christina Aguilera. It supported her two studio albums, ''Christina Aguilera'' (1999) and ''Mi Reflejo'' (2000). Beginning in May 2000 with appearances at radio festival ...
, which commenced on July 31, 2000, and went on to visit 37 cities, with a total of 81 shows. The tour was sponsored by
Sears Sears, Roebuck and Co. ( ), commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald, with what began a ...
and
Levi's Levi Strauss & Co. () is an American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's () brand of denim jeans. It was founded in May 1853 when German-Jewish immigrant Levi Strauss moved from Buttenheim, Bavaria, to San Francisco, California, t ...
. Aguilera released a statement about the tour, saying: "Headlining my own tour means creative control and a high-energy, let-loose show. It's designed with my band and dancers to be a visually exciting mix of my big hits and some special surprises", adding: "Plus, my sponsors, Sears and Levi's, are giving fans lots of ways to get involved with the tour, like exclusive CDs and posters, a chance to win a backstage pass to hang with me and a cause-related program called 'Come On Over and Do Something' that was created specifically for the tour." About the tour's setlist, she claimed: "I'll be doing songs from my debut album. But I've changed so much from doing that at 17, so we'll put a whole new twist on things from my album. ... There will be a lot of blues and soul inflections, which is what I've wanted to do more of for a long time." One feature of the shows she described involved getting the crowd excited with her hit "What a Girl Wants" and then switching to a piano-and-vocal-only song by her idol, blues legend
Etta James Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and soul. Starting her career in 1954, sh ...
. In August 2019, Aguilera announced the re-release of ''Christina Aguilera'' in order to commemorate its 20th anniversary. The album was reissued on cassette and
picture disc Picture discs are gramophone (phonograph) records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or colored vinyl. Collectors traditionally reserve the term picture disc for records with graphics that extend at lea ...
on October 4, while its double-disc special edition (originally released in October 2000) had been made available for digital download and
streaming Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content i ...
on August 23. Furthermore, the orange-colored
vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...
edition was released exclusively at
Urban Outfitters Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN) is a multinational lifestyle retail corporation headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Operating in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, select Western European countries, Poland the United Arab Emirates, K ...
on August 23.


Singles

"
Genie in a Bottle "Genie in a Bottle" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her self-titled debut studio album (1999). It was written by Pam Sheyne, Steve Kipner and David Frank, and produced by Kipner and Frank. The song was released on May 11, 1 ...
" was the
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...
of the album, released on May 11, 1999. The song received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who commended the song for being pleasant, sweet, the album's best moment and her signature track. It became one of Aguilera's highest-charting singles, getting certified
platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America 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/ ...
(RIAA). The song became an overnight hit and Aguilera's first number-one single. It topped the charts for five consecutive weeks on ''Billboard'' Hot 100 due to strong physical CD sales and airplay, having the longest stay at number one of 1999. The single made airplay history, becoming one of the most successful airplay-only singles and topped the charts weeks before its accompanying
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devic ...
was made. It also topped the charts in eight countries, while it charted within the top five in every country it was released in. Its music video was a success, becoming a staple 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 ...
's
Total Request Live ''Total Request Live'' (known commonly as ''TRL'') was an American television program broadcast on MTV that premiered on September 14, 1998. TRL featured popular music videos played during its countdown, and was also used as a promotion tool by ...
and featuring Aguilera enjoying some fun and sexual tension at a beach bonfire. The song 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 pr ...
nomination for
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
. A version of the song in Spanish, entitled "Genio Atrapado", was recorded and included in some editions of ''Christina Aguilera'' and later on her Spanish-language album ''
Mi Reflejo ''Mi Reflejo'' (English: ''My Reflection'') is the second studio album and first Spanish-language album by American singer Christina Aguilera. It was released on September 12, 2000, as a joint effort between RCA Records and BMG U.S. Latin. After ...
''. It peaked at number 13 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs chart, and received a
Latin Grammy Award The Latin Grammy Awards are an award by The Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has been ...
nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 1st Latin Grammy Awards. " What a Girl Wants" was released as the second single. Instead of the slower version, Aguilera insisted that a more upbeat mix, with an R&B edge, needed to be created to be released as a single. Released on October 29, 1999, to radio stations, the song received positive reviews from critics, with most praising her vocals on the track, comparing them to those of
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 w ...
and
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...
. "What a Girl Wants" peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on January 15, 2000, staying atop the chart for two weeks. It ended the chart reign of Santana's " Smooth" and became Aguilera's second number-one single. The single also topped the charts in New Zealand and Spain, while peaking at number three in the United Kingdom, at number five in Australia and reaching the top 20 in most countries it charted in. The song was nominated for
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards held on February 21, 2001. A Spanish version entitled "Una Mujer" was also recorded and included on ''Mi Reflejo''. " I Turn to You" was serviced to US radio on March 28, 2000, as the third single. It received mixed reviews from critics, who recognized that the track allowed Aguilera's vocals to soar and shine, but called it a cliché ballad. However, the single peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for four weeks, becoming Aguilera's third consecutive top-three hit. The single also reached the top ten in Canada, the top 20 in other three countries, including the UK, and the top 40 elsewhere. The music video was directed by Joseph Kahn, and features Aguilera singing in front of a microphone before walking in the rain with an umbrella, and on a rooftop. The video's storyline follows a young woman getting into an accident, with her mother worriedly waiting for word on where she is at the late hour. A Spanish version entitled "Por Siempre Tu" was released and included on ''Mi Reflejo''. It peaked at number six on the Hot Latin Songs chart, becoming Aguilera's first top-ten Spanish single. On May 27, 2000, during an interview with ''
Jam! Canoe Jam! was a Canadian website which covers entertainment news. It was part of the Canoe.com online portal, formerly owned and operated by Quebecor through its Sun Media division, and now owned by Postmedia Network. Jam! was the only media outlet ...
'' Stephanie McGrath, Aguilera revealed plans to release at least two more singles from her debut–"Come On Over (All I Want Is You)" as soon as "I Turn to You" "runs its toll", and "So Emotional" that fall. "So Emotional" indeed had a simple music video, which was made available through Aguilera's
Vevo Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, ...
account in 2009, showing her in a casual outfit recording the song in the studio. However, the song was never released as a single. "Come On Over (All I Want Is You)" was, indeed, chosen as the fourth single. For the song's release, Aguilera claimed: "We're going to head back in the studio, give it more of an edge, R&B it up a little, maybe rock it out a little, give it a lot of different new directions and get it out there." The reworked version, entitled " Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)", features more hip hop and
dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...
elements as well as "edgy" and "sexual" lyrics, even a rap by Aguilera. It was released on July 11, 2000, as the album's fourth and final single. The song's new version received mixed reviews, with some criticizing the fact that the track "was more like an album track than a hit", but praised the catchy chorus. However, the song was a success on the charts, becoming Aguilera's third number-one hit on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, spending four weeks at the top, from October 8 to November 4, 2000. It spent 21 weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, was ranked at number 38 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 year-end chart of 2000, and was eventually certified gold by the RIAA. It was also a success internationally, reaching the top ten in countries including Australia, Canada and the UK. Its music video was considered "bright and colorful", with green, white, and gold backgrounds juxtaposed against a dance choreography. Its Spanish version, entitled "Ven Conmigo (Solamente Tú)", became a number-one hit on the Hot Latin Songs chart, becoming her first Spanish chart-topper.


Critical reception

''Christina Aguilera'' received generally positive reviews from music critics.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, oc ...
of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...
praised the songwriting and the "clean and uncluttered" production on the project. He eventually commended on Aguilera's vocals, writing that "she not only has charisma, she can actually sing, bringing conviction to these love and heartbreak songs." Although calling it "a frustratingly erratic album", Beth Johnson wrote that "Christina still makes a credible bid to be the late-summer soundtrack to romantic rebound."
Sputnikmusic Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur ...
editor Amanda Murray wrote that ''Christina Aguilera'' "is an album that is highly representative of the better aspects of the teen pop movement of the late 90s." A reviewer writing for '' Q'' said the album "shows off her pretty, but powerful vocals to surprisingly impressive effect." Ann Powers on behalf of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' agreed, writing "Beyond its sleek design, this album hints at a real singer's emergence. She has striking vocal power and range, if not a clue about expressing individuality." Barry Walters from ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' criticized the album's theme, calling it "bubble-brained", writing that they "give Aguilera little substance to spin into gold."
Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...
said, "like LeAnn and unlike Britney, Christina already has 'adult' grit and phrasing down pat, and so threatens to join
Gloria Gloria may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Christian liturgy and music * Gloria in excelsis Deo, the Greater Doxology, a hymn of praise * Gloria Patri, the Lesser Doxology, a short hymn of praise ** Gloria (Handel) ** Gloria (Jenkins) ...
, Mariah, Celine, and LeAnn herself in the endless parade of Diane Warren-fueled divas-by-fiat hitting high notes and signifying less than nothing." Julene Snyder of Sonicnet wrote that "Aguilera has an instinctive grasp of the insipid state of the pop/dance music scene, especially as it relates to her peers." On behalf of ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television ...
'', Nikki Tranter said "there are lots of 'oohs' and plenty of 'ahhs' and just enough 'I wants' and 'you likes' to keep the kids happy." Partridge deemed the project "quite listenable"; however, he said the lyrics "tell us precious little about the girl on the cover."


Accolades

''Christina Aguilera'' has also been noted as Aguilera's launch into stardom and has earned her numerous awards and achievements. Aguilera was nominated for two
Grammy Awards 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 pre ...
in 2000 for
Best New Artist The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...
and
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
, the latter being for "
Genie in a Bottle "Genie in a Bottle" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her self-titled debut studio album (1999). It was written by Pam Sheyne, Steve Kipner and David Frank, and produced by Kipner and Frank. The song was released on May 11, 1 ...
". She won the former. Jason Lipshutz of ''Billboard'' cited her Grammy win as one of her "10 Biggest Career Moments", describing it as "the battle for teen pop supremacy" as
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 producti ...
and Christina Aguilera were both nominated for the Best New Artist prize. Aguilera told the audience at the ceremony that she did not have a speech prepared for the event because she didn't think she would win. Aguilera has since taken home four more Grammys, for the songs "
Lady Marmalade "Lady Marmalade" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan, originally for Nolan's disco group. The song is famous for the repeated refrain of " ''Voulez-vous coucher avec moi''?" in French as part of the chorus, a sexually suggestive line t ...
", " Beautiful", "
Ain't No Other Man "Ain't No Other Man" is a song by the American singer Christina Aguilera from her fifth studio album '' Back to Basics'' (2006). Aguilera co-wrote the song with Kara DioGuardi, Charles Martin Roane, Harold Beatty and the producer DJ Premier. "Ain ...
", and "
Say Something (A Great Big World song) "Say Something" is a song by American pop duo A Great Big World from their debut album, ''Is There Anybody Out There?'' (2013). Written by the duo members—Ian Axel and Chad King—alongside Mike Campbell, the song was originally recorded by Ax ...
" respectively. Aguilera also received a Grammy nomination in 2001 for " What a Girl Wants" in the "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" category, and according to ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'' magazine, "both of which helped catapult the album to the top of the charts". Aguilera's Grammy Award nominations, two back to back number-one singles, magazine gossip, and merchandise released under her name made her the "It girl", according to ''People''. "
Genie in a Bottle "Genie in a Bottle" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her self-titled debut studio album (1999). It was written by Pam Sheyne, Steve Kipner and David Frank, and produced by Kipner and Frank. The song was released on May 11, 1 ...
", the album's lead single, reached number one and Aguilera became the third female artist in 1999 to top the Hot 100 chart with her debut single, behind Britney Spears' " ...Baby One More Time" 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 re ...
's "
If You Had My Love "If You Had My Love" is the debut single by American actress and singer Jennifer Lopez. It was released on May 4, 1999, as the lead single from her debut studio album, '' On the 6'' (1999). The song was written by LaShawn Daniels, Cory Rooney, ...
". The success of the follow-up single, " What a Girl Wants" solidified Aguilera as a strong musical force and earned her several accolades, including five
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
nominations. With the album's fourth single, " Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)", Aguilera managed to have three number-one singles for the same album and four top-ten singles, an achievement she only did with her first album.


Commercial performance

In the United States, ''Christina Aguilera'' debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 with first-week sales of 252,800 copies, beating
Puff Daddy Puff may refer to: Science and technology * Puff, a small quantity of gas or smoke in the air ** Puff, a light gust of wind ** Exhalation ** Inhalation * Puff model, volcanic ash tracking model developed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks * ...
's ''
Forever Forever or 4ever may refer to: Film and television Films * ''Forever'' (1921 film), an American silent film by George Fitzmaurice * ''Forever'' (1978 film), an American made-for-television romantic drama * ''Forever'' (1992 film), an American ...
''. In its second week, it fell to number two, selling 218,000 copies. The album was certified octuple platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America 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/ ...
(RIAA) for exceeding shipments of eight million copies. According to
Nielsen SoundScan Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
, the album has sold 8,300,000 copies in the US as of August 2019 and, according to the RIAA, is among the most certified albums of all time. Meanwhile,
BMG Music Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) was a division of a German media company Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Sony Corporation of America on 1 October 2008. Although it was established in 1987, the music co ...
calculated that ''Christina Aguilera'' has sold an additional 935,000 units through BMG Music Clubs. The album also peaked atop the
Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Oce ...
. In July 2001,
Music Canada Music Canada (formerly Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA)) is a non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, manufacture, produce, and distribute music in Canada. It ...
certified it sextuple platinum for exceeding sales of over 600,000 units in Canada. In the United Kingdom, ''Christina Aguilera'' debuted at number 21 on October 30, 1999, falling to number 31 the following week. Initially, it stayed inside the top 40 for only two weeks. However, it re-entered the top 40 on February 26, 2000, at number 33, before climbing to number 14 the following week, which became its peak position. The album stayed 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 ...
for a total of 26 weeks. It was certified platinum by the
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 1 ...
(IFPI) for sales of one million copies in Europe. In Australia, the album debuted at number 31 on February 20, 2000, initially peaking at number 26 two weeks later and exiting the ARIA album chart after 15 weeks. However, it re-entered the chart at number 25 on October 29, and two weeks later reached a new peak of number 21, spending 13 further weeks on the chart, bringing a total to 28. It was later certified platinum by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replac ...
(ARIA) for 70,000 sales in 2000. In New Zealand, the album debuted at number 38 on October 31, 1999, and later climbed to number 27, before re-entering twice: on November 28 and February 13, 2000. After the latter re-entry, the album peaked at number five on March 26. It re-entered six additional times and was certified platinum by the
Recorded Music NZ Recorded Music NZ (formerly the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ)) is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell recorded music in New Zealand. Membership of Recorded ...
(RMNZ), selling over 15,000 copies. In Brazil, ''Christina Aguilera'' has sold 80,000 copies. It remains Aguilera's best-selling album with sales of over 14 million copies worldwide.


Legacy and influence

''Christina Aguilera'' has played an important role on Aguilera's legacy and the entertainment industry. In March 2000,
Lori Majewski Lori Majewski is a U.S.-based entertainment writer. She is the author (with Jonathan Bernstein) of ''Mad World: An Oral History of New Wave Artists and Songs that Defined the 1980s''. Since 2016 she has been an on-air personality at the SiriusXM mus ...
, entertainment director at ''
Teen People ''People'' is an American weekly magazine that specializes in celebrity news and human-interest stories. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC. With a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, ''People'' had the l ...
'' magazine, stated that "If people want to know why Christina is going to be around a decade from now, the answer is very clear: It's pure talent", Majewski said. "When you hear this girl open her mouth, everyone is astounded. I've seen her sing many times, and every time, I'm impressed, but the people who are hearing it for the first time can't even believe it." In an article about the "2013 Most Influential People in the World", in which Aguilera appeared, Canadian singer
Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...
stated: "I remember she broke onto the scene at the turn of the millennium, ... so I got to watch a lot of her TV appearances, especially on the award shows. I remember thinking, this girl's got it all and then some! Unbelievable voice, great dancer and so very beautiful." The album was included on the
List of 200 Definitive Albums in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The 200 definitive albums in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a 2007 list of the best albums ever produced by artists or bands throughout the history of world music according to the criteria of ''Rock and Roll Hall of Fame'' and the ''National A ...
. The album has been noted to have a "powerful legacy". In 2014, ''Billboard'' writer Kenneth Partridge called Aguilera a "soul diva working within record-label constraints" and that while he found that the "teen-queen sold truckloads of records (''Christina Aguilera'' yielded an astounding three number-one singles), in those early years, she struggled to assert her personality". He added that Aguilera would later do this in her follow-up album '' Stripped''. He went on to praise the album saying that it is "a solid set of Top 40 pop songs, and even its deep cuts remain quite listenable". In an interview with
Kelly Clarkson Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of '' American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her de ...
, Aguilera herself has stated that "Authenticity is very important to erwith ermusic". She went on to say that she "always wanted to a be a truth-seeker, and hefound that that was really important to my fans too".
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...
noted that "
Genie in a Bottle "Genie in a Bottle" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her self-titled debut studio album (1999). It was written by Pam Sheyne, Steve Kipner and David Frank, and produced by Kipner and Frank. The song was released on May 11, 1 ...
" incredibly hit number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 before a music video was even released. "Genie in a Bottle" was listed at number 38 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s,
About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...
placed it at number two on her "Top 10 Songs", while
AOL Radio AOL Radio powered by Slacker (formerly AOL Radio powered by CBS Radio, and prior AOL Radio featuring XM) was an online radio service available in the United States only. It had over 200 free internet radio stations. History Roots AOL Radio ...
ranked it at number one, calling it her "
signature song A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. The writer of a ...
". While listing the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time", ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' placed Aguilera at number 52, picking "Genie in a Bottle" as one of her "key tracks", writing that "Even in her teen-pop days, she was modeling her dramatic, melismatic technique on old-school soul heroines like Etta James". The song was also covered by contestants of many popular talent shows such as ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to ...
'', ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'' and ''
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 ...
''. " What a Girl Wants" inspired the title of the 2000 romantic comedy film ''
What Women Want ''What Women Want'' is a 2000 American romantic fantasy comedy film written by Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa, and Diane Drake, directed by Nancy Meyers, and starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. The film earned mixed reviews from critics but wa ...
'', having the track on its soundtrack and on a scene. It also inspired the title of the 2003 comedy film of the same name. American singer
Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
has called Aguilera's cover of " I Turn to You" an inspiration, as she stated: "When I was 15, I was singing 'I Turn to You' at the top of my lungs trying to hit all her notes. So she was an inspiration to me to have a wider vocal range."


Track listing

Note: Pressings after the single release of "What a Girl Wants" replace the original 3:52 album version with the 3:35 remix from the music video. The insert does not reflect these changes, with the original lyrics and 3:52 track time still listed. When the album was officially re-released in 2000 to include the new radio version of "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)", the "What a Girl Wants" lyrics and track time remained unchanged in the booklet, despite still using the newer video mix.


Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Christina Aguilera''. ;Musicians * Christina Aguilera – vocals * Rick Baptiste – horn * Ali Boudris – guitar * Sue Ann Carwell – background vocals * ChakDaddy – horn * E. Dawk – horn * David Frank – drums, keyboards * John Glaser –
Moog synthesizer The Moog synthesizer is a modular synthesizer developed by the American engineer Robert Moog. Moog debuted it in 1964, and Moog's company R. A. Moog Co. (later known as Moog Music) produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 20 ...
* John Goux – guitar * Gary Grant – horn * Robert Hoffman – bass, keyboards * Heather Holley – piano * Khris Kellow – keyboards *
Steve Kipner Stephen Alan Kipner (born 1950) is an American-born Australian songwriter and record producer, with hits spanning a 40-year period, including chart-topping songs such as Olivia Newton-John's "Physical", Natasha Bedingfield's "These Words", an ...
– drums, keyboards *
Michael Landau Michael Christopher Landau (born June 1, 1958) is an American musician, audio engineer, and record producer. He is a session musician and guitarist who has played on many albums since the early 1980s with Boz Scaggs, Minoru Niihara, Joni Mit ...
– guitar * Anthony Mazza – guitar * Shelly Peiken – background vocals * Joel Peskin – horn * Tim Pierce – guitar * Travon Potts – multiple instruments *
Evan Rogers Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
– background vocals *
Carl Sturken Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
– multiple instruments *
Robin Thicke Robin Alan Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2013 hit single " Blurred Lines", which is one of the best-selling singles of all time. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, h ...
synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...
, drums, bass, keyboards * Michael Thompson – guitar * Bruce Watson – guitar *
Jerry Goldsmith Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929July 21, 2004) was an American composer and conductor known for his work in film and television scoring. He composed scores for five films in the ''Star Trek'' franchise and three in the ''Rambo'' franc ...
– conductor ;Production * Producers: Johan Aberg, David Frank, Ron Harris, Robert Hoffman, Khris Kellow, Steve Kipner, Travon Potts, Paul Rein, Guy Roche, Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Robin Thicke, Diane Warren, Matthew Wilder, Aaron Zigman * Executive producer: Ron Fair, Diane Warren * Associate producer: Doreen Dorian * Engineers: Johan Aberg, Paul Arnold, Ali Boudris, David Frank, Dan Garcia, Ron Harris, Mike Hatzinger, Al Hemberger, Phil Kaffel, Steve Kipner, Doc Little, Mario Lucy, Michael C. Ross, Robin Thicke, Aaron Zigman, * Assistant engineers: Tom Bender, Joe Brown, Terri Wong, Christina Aguilera * Mixing: Rob Chiarelli, Jeff Griffin,
Mick Guzauski Nathan "Mick" Guzauski is an American multi-platinum mixing engineer and sound engineer. His work spans a wide range of styles, including jazz, R&B, Latin, rock, pop, easy listening, funk and hip hop. He won a 2002 Latin Grammy for Thalí ...
, Tim Lauber,
Peter Mokran Peter Mokran is an American mixer, producer, engineer and musician. Early life Mokran was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up, he studied classical guitar, while also learning engineering and programming as a teen.Paul Tingen“Secr ...
, Dave Pensado, Robin Thicke, Tommy Vicari, Dave Way * Mixing assistants: Tony Flores, Jeff Griffin, Michael Huff, Tim Lauber * Digital editing: Jeff Griffin, Bill Malina * Mastering: Eddy Schreyer * A&R: Ron Fair, Elisa Yastic * Creative director: Jack Rovner * Programming: Johan Aberg, Airiq Anest, Ron Harris, Khris Kellow, Paul Rein, Guy Roche * Drum programming: Airiq Anest, Robert Hoffman, Khris Kellow * Synthesizer programming: Steve Porcaro * Arrangers: Ron Fair, Sherree Ford-Payne, David Frank, Khris Kellow, Steve Kipner, Travon Potts, Guy Roche, Brock Walsh, Matthew Wilder, Aaron Zigman * Vocal arrangements: Christina Aguilera, David Frank, Steve Kipner, Brock Walsh * Orchestral arrangements: Aaron Zigman


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Decade-end charts


All-time charts


Certifications and sales


Release history


See also

*
Album era The album era was a period in English-language popular music from the mid-1960s to the mid-2000s in which the album was the dominant form of recorded music expression and consumption. It was primarily driven by three successive music recording ...
*
List of best-selling albums by women The following albums, recorded by female solo artists and all-female groups, have sold at least 10 million copies. This list can contain any types of album, including studio albums, extended plays, greatest hits, compilations, soundtracks, an ...
* List of ''Billboard'' 200 number-one albums of 1999 * List of number-one albums of 1999 (Canada) *
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 ...


Notes


References


Bibliography

*


External links


Aguilera's official website
{{Authority control Christina Aguilera albums 1999 debut albums RCA Records albums Albums produced by Guy Roche Albums produced by Matthew Wilder Albums produced by Robin Thicke Albums produced by Ron Fair Albums produced by Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers Teen pop albums