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Christina María Aguilera ( , ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Voice of a Generation", she is noted for her four-octave vocal range and signature use of melisma. She is recognized as an influential figure in popular music, having been credited with paving the way for pop artists who incorporate controversial themes such as feminism, Human sexuality, sexuality, and LGBT culture into their music.
Aguilera rose to fame in 1999 with her Christina Aguilera (album), self-titled debut album. Its singles "Genie in a Bottle", "What a Girl Wants (Christina Aguilera song), What a Girl Wants" and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" reached the top of the US Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and Aguilera won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. She found continued success with (2001), ''Stripped (Christina Aguilera album), Stripped'' (2002) and the critically acclaimed ''Back to Basics (Christina Aguilera album), Back to Basics'' (2006). The latter two constituted a departure from her teen idol image, with ''Stripped'' becoming one of the List of best-selling albums of the 21st century, best-selling albums of the 21st century. She also amassed numerous international hits, including the number-one single "Lady Marmalade#Moulin Rouge! version, Lady Marmalade", as well as "Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song), Beautiful", "Dirrty", "Can't Hold Us Down", "Fighter (Christina Aguilera song), Fighter", "Ain't No Other Man" and "Hurt (Christina Aguilera song), Hurt". Throughout the 2010s, Aguilera featured on the successful singles "Feel This Moment", "Say Something (A Great Big World song), Say Something", and "Moves like Jagger"; the latter reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making Aguilera one of the few artists to reach the top spot over three decades.
Aguilera was a cast member of the television show ''The Mickey Mouse Club#1989–1994 revival: The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, The All-New Mickey Mouse Club'' (1993–1994) as a child. She recorded "Reflection (song), Reflection", the theme music, theme for the 1998 animation, animated film ''Mulan (1998 film), Mulan'', and later re-recorded the track for its Mulan (2020 film), 2020 live-action remake. In 2019, for her contributions to the The Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney Company, Aguilera was honoured as a Disney Legends, Disney Legend. In 2010, she starred in ''Burlesque (2010 American film), Burlesque'' and contributed to Burlesque (soundtrack), its soundtrack. Her subsequent ventures included a role in the series ''Nashville (2012 TV series), Nashville'' (2015), roles in the films ''The Emoji Movie'' (2017) and ''Zoe (film), Zoe'' (2018), becoming an ambassador for the World Food Programme (WFP), performing a The Xperience, concert residency and serving as a coach on the reality competition show ''The Voice (American TV series), The Voice'' (2011–2016).
Aguilera is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 100 million records sold worldwide. Considered a Pop icon, pop culture icon and a wikt:triple threat, triple threat entertainer, she has been named one of the greatests vocalists of all time by publications such as ''Rolling Stone'' and ''Consequence of Sound''. In 2009, ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' named her the twentieth most successful artist of the 2000s, she and was ranked the eighth The Greatest (TV series), greatest woman in music by VH1. Aguilera is regarded as one of the most influential Latin artists in the Show business, entertainment industry. List of awards and nominations received by Christina Aguilera, Her accolades include five Grammy Awards, two Latin Grammy Awards, six ALMA Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards (VMA), one Billboard Music Awards, ''Billboard'' Music Award, one Guinness World Records, ''Guinness World Record'', and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The album's lead single, "Dirrty", peaked number 48 on Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Its accompanying music video generated controversy for depicting overtly sexual fetishes, attracting the attention of conservative organizations and moralists sought to have the video banned on MTV. The music video sparked protests in Thailand and eventually was banned in the country's local television. Aguilera's new persona was widely criticized by media outlets and it began to overshadow her music, while ''Entertainment Weekly'' described her image as "the world's skeeziest reptile woman". In spite of the backlash, "Dirrty" topped the charts in Ireland and the UK. The second single, "Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song), Beautiful", reached number two on the Hot 100. It received widespread acclaim for its empowering lyrics about embracing inner beauty, and became a LGBT anthem. At the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, the single won Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
The following singles of ''Stripped''—"Fighter (Christina Aguilera song), Fighter" and "Can't Hold Us Down"—also reached top twenty on Hot 100, while "The Voice Within" peaked at number thirty three there. In Summer 2003, Aguilera co-headlined The Justified & Stripped Tour alongside Justin Timberlake, whose supported also his solo debut album, ''Justified (album), Justified'' (2002). The joint tour visited North America only, attracting an audience of 546,483 and grossing over $31.8 million. It ranked sixteenth on ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard''s list of Top 25 Tours of 2003. Later that year, she also embarked on The Stripped Tour which went to Europe, Asia, and Australia. In early 2004, it was expected she would return to North America to perform in a second leg of the tour. However, the dates were canceled last-minute due to a vocal cord injury. Her performances at the Wembley Arena were taped, broadcast on WB Network and eventually sold as a video album under the name ''Stripped Live in the U.K.''
Aguilera received widespread media coverage due to her televised music performances. At the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, she joined Britney Spears to performing "Like a Virgin (song), Like a Virgin" and "Hollywood (Madonna song), Hollywood", where both ended up kissing Madonna. Various media outlets retrospectively considered it one of the "most iconic" VMAs performances of all time. During the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards—which was hosted by herself—she made a live presentation of "Dirrty". Wearing a nun's habit, Aguilera was accompanied by a choir and eventually undressed to reveal her underclothes while performing the ''slutdrop'' dance style. Late that year, she was named 2003 Top Female Pop Act by ''Billboard''. In 2004, she recorded "Car Wash (song), Car Wash" with Missy Elliott which was released as single from Shark Tale#Soundtrack, ''Shark Tale'' soundtrack, and contributed vocals to "Tilt Ya Head Back" with rapper Nelly.
In 2009, at the end of the 2000s, Aguilera was named the twentieth best "Artist of the Decade" by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'', and was nominated for the List of MTV Europe Music Award categories#Main categories, MTV Europe Music Award for Best Act Ever. At the end of 2009, Aguilera stated that her then-forthcoming sixth studio album originally titled ''Light & Darkness'' would be released in March 2010. However, by February 2010, Aguilera stated that the album would be retitled and would be released in June. In April 2010, Aguilera released the lead single, "Not Myself Tonight" which peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. She performed the song live on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''. This was followed by the album's second single, "Woohoo (Christina Aguilera song), Woohoo" featuring rapper Nicki Minaj. A music video was planned but was eventually scrapped.
Aguilera released her sixth studio album, ''Bionic (Christina Aguilera album), Bionic'', on June 6, 2010 which debuted at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200, and topped the European and the UK charts. The album was inspired by electronic music, and was described by her as a project "about the future" noting that it was inspired her her son who "[motivated] her to want to play and have fun". It received generally mixed reviews by critics who called it "strong, but only in parts". It was later RIAA certification, certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and sold approximately over one million copies globally. "You Lost Me" and "I Hate Boys" were released as singles in the following month of June. A tour was planned for the album but was postponed and later cancelled due to prior commitments.
Aguilera landed her first starring role as a waitress turned American burlesque, burlesque performer in the Steven Antin film ''Burlesque (2010 American film), Burlesque'', released in theaters in November 2010. She received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame the same week in which the film premiered. While the film received generally mixed reviews from critics, Aguilera's portrayal of the main character garnered positive reviews, and the film grossed United States dollar, US$90 million in the box office. The film also received a nomination for Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 68th Golden Globe Awards.
In addition to starring in the film, Aguilera recorded eight tracks for the film's ten-track Burlesque: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, accompanying soundtrack, while Cher performed the remaining two. The soundtrack reached number 18 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA. Her song "Bound to You" received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song at the 68th Golden Globe Awards while the album itself was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. Aguilera performed "Express" on the finale of the The X Factor (UK series 7), seventh series of ''The X Factor (UK TV series), The X Factor UK'' which received criticism for its raunchy content.
In early 2011, Aguilera omitted a few lines while performing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XLV, which led to extensive media coverage. She apologized for the incident saying, "I got so caught up in the moment of the song that I lost my place [...] I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of its anthem still came through". That same month, Aguilera performed a tribute to Aretha Franklin at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. After the performance, Aguilera's heels got caught on her train and she nearly fell.
In April 2011, Aguilera became a coach on reality competition show ''The Voice (American TV series), The Voice'', which aired on National Broadcasting Company, NBC. Aguilera later returned to its The Voice (American season 2), second, The Voice (American season 3), third, The Voice (American season 5), fifth, The Voice (American season 8), eighth, and The Voice (American season 10), tenth season. For the show's The Voice (American season 1), first season, Aguilera's duet of her song "Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song), Beautiful" with her finalist, Beverly McClellan, debuted at number 74 on the US Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with first-week sales of 42,000 downloads on iTunes Store, iTunes. A year later, for the The Voice (American season 2), second season, Aguilera's duet of "The Prayer (Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli song), The Prayer" with her contestant, Chris Mann, also reached 85 on the chart.
In late 2011, she featured on the song "Moves like Jagger" by Maroon 5. They first performed the song during their time on ''The Voice'' and also performed it at the American Music Awards of 2011, 2011 American Music Awards. The song received positive reviews and topped the Hot 100 for four non-consecutive weeks making Aguilera the fourth female artist to top the chart over three decades (1990s, 2000s, and 2010s). In July 2021, the song was RIAA certification, certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
During the The Voice (American season 3), third season of ''The Voice'' in September 2012, Aguilera released "Your Body (Christina Aguilera song), Your Body" as the lead single from her then-upcoming seventh studio album. The song received critical acclaim and reached reached number one on the US Dance Club Songs, Dance Club Song chart and 34 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The album, titled ''Lotus (Christina Aguilera album), Lotus'', followed in November 2012, in which Aguilera described the record as a "rebirth" of herself after the personal struggles she overcame. Contemporary reviewers found the album generic and conventional, as opposed to Aguilera's previous experimental ventures. Despite this, ''Lotus'' peaked at number 7 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and has sold 303,000 copies in the US as of 2019. "Just a Fool" with Blake Shelton was released as the album's second single and received positive reviews. The two performed the song live on ''The Voice'' and on ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show''.
On January 9, 2023, Aguilera performed "Blank Page" at the 39th People's Choice Awards. A month later, on February 22, 2013, Aguilera featured on rapper Pitbull (rapper), Pitbull's "Feel This Moment", which became the first of various international top-ten singles she would achieve that year, peaking at number eight on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 becoming Aguilera's tenth top-ten hit, and was later certified platinum by the RIAA. The song garnered critical acclaim and was performed at the American Music Awards of 2012, 2012 American Music Awards, 2013 Kids' Choice Awards, ''The Voice'' and 2013 Billboard Music Awards. In May 2013, Aguilera appeared on Alejandro Fernández's cover of Miguel Gallardo (singer), Miguel Gallardo's 1976 "Hoy Tengo Ganas de Ti#Alejandro Fernández and Christina Aguilera version, Hoy Tengo Ganas de Ti" which also received critical acclaim and earned them a diamond certification in Mexico.
On November 4, 2013, Aguilera featured on a duet version of "Say Something (A Great Big World song), Say Something" with A Great Big World. The song became an instant success receiving universal acclaim from critics who praised Aguilera's stripped back vocals. The song became Aguilera's second top-tenth hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 peaking at number 4 and also became the second time she achieved multiple top-ten songs in a calendar year since 2000. They performed the song live on the The Voice (American season 5), fifth season of ''The Voice'' and American Music Awards of 2013, 2013 American Music Awards. The song earned them various awards and nominations including a six-time platinum certification from the RIAA and won Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. In October of that year, Aguilera also lent her vocals to the The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, soundtrack for ''The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'' with the song "We Remain". She performed the song live with her contestant Jacquie Lee on ''The Voice''.
On January 1, 2014, Aguilera featured on the remix for "Do What U Want" by Lady Gaga to replace the original version with R. Kelly after his sexual abuse allegations. In May of that year, she performed a medley of hits at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In November, Aguilera performed at the Breakthrough Prize Award ceremony.
In February 2015, Aguilera opened the 2015 NBA All-Star Game alongside The Rockettes and Nas (rapper), Nas with a New York, New York, New York-themed medley. In April, Aguilera starred in the Nashville (season 3), third season of the musical drama series ''Nashville (2012 TV series), Nashville'', which aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. She also contributed to the series' soundtrack with "The Real Thing" and "Shotgun (Christina Aguilera song), Shotgun" — with the latter reaching number twenty-eight on Hot Country Songs chart. She also performed at the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards alongside the Rascal Flatts. At the end of the year she performed "Theme from New York, New York, New York, New York" with Seth MacFarlane at the ''Sinatra: Voice for a Century'' tribute concert.
In March 2018, Aguilera announced the completion of her then-upcoming eighth studio album alongside a ''Paper (magazine), Paper'' Magazine cover which received media coverage. In April, Aguilera starred in the romantic science fiction ''Zoe (film), Zoe'', which premiered at the Tribeca Film festival and was released in July of that year.
Aguilera released her eighth studio album ''Liberation (Christina Aguilera album), Liberation'' on June 15, 2018, to favorable reviews. The album had been in the works since the summer of 2015 and incorporated R&B and hip-hop elements. ''Liberation'' debuted at number six on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, becoming Aguilera's seventh US top-ten album. The album was promoted with multiple singles, including the preceding lead single, "Accelerate (Christina Aguilera song), Accelerate" featuring Ty Dolla Sign and 2 Chainz, which became Aguilera's tenth number one song on the US ''Billboard'' Dance Songs Chart. Two other singles from the album, "Fall in Line" (with Demi Lovato) and "Like I Do (Christina Aguilera song), Like I Do" were nominated at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Rap/Sung Performance respectively.
To further promote ''Liberation'', Aguilera embarked on her first tour in 10 years, The Liberation Tour (Christina Aguilera tour), The Liberation Tour, which ran from September to November 2018. This tour was followed by The X Tour (Christina Aguilera), The X Tour, which ran in Europe and Mexico from July to December 2019. She also headlined Christina Aguilera: The Xperience, a 25-date concert residency at the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, beginning in May 2019 and concluding in March 2020. In October 2019, Aguilera released the song "Haunted Heart" from the soundtrack of the computer-animated ''The Addams Family (2019 film), Addams Family'' film, and her second collaboration with A Great Big World, "Fall on Me (Andrea Bocelli and Matteo Bocelli song)#A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera version, Fall on Me", followed a month later.
In early 2020, Aguilera recorded two songs for Disney's Mulan (2020 film), live action remake of ''Mulan'' (2020): "Loyal Brave True" – released in March 2020 as a promotional single to positive reviews, eventually being shortlisted as one of the fifteen potential nominees for the Academy Award for Best Original Song – and a re-recording of "Reflection (song)#2020 version, Reflection", released in August. That year, she appeared on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television special, ''The Disney Family Singalong'' and its The Disney Family Singalong#Volume II, follow-up, where she perfomed "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and "Remember Me (Coco song), Remember Me" respectively. In November of that year, Aguilera signed a new management deal with Roc Nation.
In July 2021, Aguilera performed two sold-out shows at the Hollywood Bowl with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She also recorded "The Addams Family Theme, ''The Addams Family'' Theme", which was featured on ''The Addams Family 2'' soundtrack. In October, she performed "Reflection (Mulan song)#2020 live action version, Reflection", "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Loyal Brave True" in American Broadcasting Company, ABC's Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary special. On December 7, 2021, Aguilera was honoured with the People's Choice Awards#People's Music Icon, People's Music Icon honorific award at the 47th People's Choice Awards.
Aguilera released her ninth studio album, titled ''Aguilera (album), Aguilera'', originally as a double album on May 31, 2022. The album paid tribute to different genres of Latin music, and consisted of three separately released parts: ''La Fuerza'', ''La Tormenta (EP), La Tormenta'', and ''La Luz (EP), La Luz''. The full album was released in its complete form on September 30, 2022. The album was preceded with the singles "Pa Mis Muchachas", "Somos Nada", "Santo (song), Santo" and followed with "Suéltame" and "No Es Que Te Extrañe". ''Aguilera'' received widespread critical acclaim from music critics upon release, and was placed on several year-end lists by publications such as ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' and the ''Houston Chronicle''. The album was promoted through the EU / UK Summer Series promotional tour, which consisted of five festival shows throughout Europe and three arena concerts in the United Kingdom. The promotional tour received critical praise.
''Aguilera'' and its songs received seven nominations at the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards with the album winning for Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. The album also received another two nominations for Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album, Best Latin Pop Album and Grammy Award for Best Immersive Audio Album, Best Immersive Audio Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. "No Es Que Te Extrañe" was also nominated for Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year, Record of the Year at the 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
On June 11, 2022, Aguilera headlined the Los Angeles Pride festival with guests Mya (singer), Mýa, Kim Petras and Paris Hilton. The use of a strap-on dildo during the set was the subject of polarized reception. In October 2022, ''Stripped (Christina Aguilera album), Stripped'' was reissued for its 20-year anniversary, featuring "I Will Be" (the b-side to "Dirrty") and Benny Benassi's remix of "Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song), Beautiful". A new music video for "Beautiful" was also released. On November 10, 2022, Time (magazine), Time Studios announced a partnership with Roc Nation to produce an upcoming documentary about Aguilera.
On September 22, 2023, Aguilera released "Learning to Fly" as apart of the soundtrack for ''PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie''. The same month she performed at the EuroPride concert in Malta.
Critics have described Aguilera as a soprano, possessing a four-octave vocal range (from C (musical note), C3 to C♯ (musical note), C♯7). She is also able to perform the whistle register. Maura Johnston, a journalist with''Slate (magazine), Slate'', called Aguilera's voice "an instrument that despite its ability to leap octaves has a low-end grounding similar to that possessed by opera singers". ''The Boston Globe'' columnist Joan Anderman praised her vocal versatility, stating, "[She] is a real singer ... blessed with the sort of breathtaking elasticity, golden tones, and sheer power that separate the divas from the dabblers". In addition to sustain high notes, Aguilera is recognized for making use of the melismatic technique. Jon Pareles from ''The New York Times'' emphasized that "she can aim a note as directly as aa missile or turn its trajectory into an aerobatic spiral of leaping, quivering, and scalloping melismas". RCA Records music executive Ron Fair praised her "perfect intonation", and opined she has "pipes to be the next Barbra Streisand or Céline Dion".
Several critics have compared Aguilera's technique to that of other singers. Journalist David Browne (journalist), David Browne suggested that, alongside Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, she "forms the team of the main proponents" of the melismatic technique. Richard Harrington from ''The Washington Post'' also compared her to these artists, but suggested she sounds even better: "she has a genuinely powerful voice," he writes, "that's evoked comparisons [to] Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, though it for the most part avoids those singers' ornamental mannerisms". Sasha Frere-Jones, columnist of ''The New Yorker'', also credited the technique by making her become "a serious singer without needing to reincarnate the Sarah Vaughan", while songwriter Steve Kipner praised her vocal dexterity, including her ability to "internalize[d] all the riffs from Chaka Khan". ''Los Angeles Times'' music critic Ann Powers wrote that Aguilera possesses a "voice purely powerful as that of Etta James [...] and she's moving toward the expressiveness of Gladys Knight, if not Aretha Franklin". Powers also associated her vocal ability with Donna Summer when she performs records influenced by rhythm and blues.
Aguilera, however, has also been criticized for the excessive use of melisma, as well for oversinging during her concerts shows. ''The Huffington Post'' columnist John Eskow called her as "the main proponent of oversouling". Eskow recognizes Aguilera's voice as a "great instrument", although she "[doesn't] seem to know when to stop" with the use of "gratuitous and confected melisma". Lucy Davies, music critic from BBC Music, raved about her "stunning voice", but offered that "she could be more varied, simply by cutting out some of the 'ye-e-eeeh, woah' in her songs". Writing for ''Entertainment Weekly'', Chris Willman credits Aguilera's tendency to oversinging as an influence of Mariah Carey, noting "her slightly nasal tone that really only becomes obvious when she's overselling a song". Alexa Tietjen from VH1 acknowledged that Aguilera "does tend to take it to the extreme at times [...] but her vocal prowess is what's gotten her so far. Love them or hate them, the riffs are a part of who she is as performer".
Aguilera is noted for having reinvented her public image numerous times during her career. ''Stereogum'' writer Tom Breihan noted that she "thought of herself primarily as a [...] young Mariah Carey-type", but was instead marketed as a bubblegum pop teen idol due to the genre's popularity in the late 1990s, following the success of Britney Spears's ...Baby One More Time (album), debut album. David Browne (journalist), David Browne of ''Entertainment Weekly'' noted that Aguilera was "a good girl pretending to be bad" when compared to Spears' music and image. In contrast, Christopher J. Farley of ''Time (magazine), Time'' considered her a more impressive artist than Spears. Megan Turner from ''New York Post'' compared the "battle" between both artists in the media with the previous one between the Beatles and the Rolling Stones; however, she differentiated between Spears and Aguilera primary on the basis of image, suggesting that "while Britney has a va-va-voom sexuality [...] Aguilera had charm and a youthful appeal".
Aguilera departed from the teen idol image with the release of ''Stripped'' in 2002, by dyeing her hair black, getting body piercings, and posing nude for several publications. This was attributed to her provocative and extravagant alter ego named Xtina. Serving as the host of the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards, Aguilera opened the show dressed as a nun, accompanied by a choir singing the lead single from ''Stripped'', "Dirrty", before showing off a more revealing outfit. While analyzing her new visual, ''Vice (magazine), Vice'' and ''Rolling Stone'' magazines wrote that her new clothes echoed as if she were participating in the ''Girls Gone Wild (franchise), Girls Gone Wild'' Girls Gone Wild (franchise), franchise. In a review of her persona, author Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic opined that Aguilera reached "maturity with transparent sexuality and pounding sounds of nightclubs". Writing for ''The Daily Telegraph'', Adam White was more positive about her image and recognized that her "embracing of an overtly sexual image in the wake of adolescent stardom was a tried and tested route to adult success".
For the release of ''Back to Basics'' in 2006, Aguilera adopted a new persona named Baby Jane, named after Bette Davis's character in ''What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (film), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' (1962). The image drew inspiration from actresses of the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood, such as Marilyn Monroe, to go with the album's 1920s–1950s musical direction. Starting in 2008, she adopted a futuristic image, which drew comparisons to the image of then-newcomer, Lady Gaga. In 2012, she drew Social stigma of obesity, criticism over her weight gain from several publications; the following year, she received favorable media attention after a significant weight loss. In March 2018, Aguilera appeared on the cover of the spring 2018 issue of ''Paper (magazine), Paper'', titled "Transformation". Photographed by Zoey Grossman, the images featured Aguilera with minimal Cosmetics, makeup and no Photograph manipulation, photographic manipulation, debuting her freckles. Her appearance in the pictures received significant media attention and widespread praise. This led to other celebrities who had posed similarly receiving attention. Starting in 2021, Aguilera began showing off a Red hair, red-haired look for the promotion of her ninth studio album, ''Aguilera (album), Aguilera'' (2022).
Upon launching her music career in the late 1990s, Aguilera was named as one of the artists who shaped the "Latin explosion", having contributed to the Latin American music in the United States#2000s Latin pop boom, Latin pop boom in American music in early of the century. Considered one of the greatest artists of the 2000s, she has been classified between the main references of the Millennials; writing for ''Vice (magazine), Vice'' magazine, Wanna Thompson analyzed her impact in the turn of the century, stating that alongside Britney Spears, "Aguilera dominated mainstream pop-related discussions. [Her] perfectly packaged music and looks appealed to tweens and teens who wanted to be like the pretty, chart-topping pop stars plastered everywhere". The commercial success of her first projects as a bubblegum pop singer caused an effect that influenced record labels to invest in new artists who attracted the same youthful appeal, catapulting names like Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore.
Critics also highlighted the impact of her work in popular culture; while ''Stripped (Christina Aguilera album), Stripped'' (2002) was called "the blueprint for divas making the transition from teen idol to adult pop star", Aguilera is credited for "paving the way for a generation of pop singers". Jeff Benjamin from ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' stated that the album explored a "process of self-identification and declaration still influencing today's mainstream scene", in addition to "how of today's biggest pop stars have followed a similar path, exploring and incorporating these strategies into their careers". In 2007, Christina Aguilera (album), her self-titled debut album was added to the definitive list from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, being recognized as one of the "history's most influential and popular albums". Since then, Aguilera and her work have influenced various recording artists including Ariana Grande, Ava Max, Becky G, Britney Spears, Camila Cabello, Charli XCX, Demi Lovato, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, Grimes (musician), Grimes, Halsey (singer), Halsey, Hayley Williams, Iggy Azalea, Karol G, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga, Lauren Jauregui, Meghan Trainor, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Nicole, Olivia Rodrigo, Rina Sawayama, Rosalía (singer), Rosalía, Sabrina Carpenter, Sam Smith, Selena Gomez, K. Michelle, and Tinashe, and athletes such as figure skater Johnny Weir, ice dancers Zachary Donohue and Madison Hubbell, and swimmer Dana Vollmer.
Aguilera has also been praised for emphasizing the importance of feminism in pop music; several journalists agree that her use of sexual imagery has helped catalyze public discourse on the topic. Lamar Dawson, columnist from ''The Huffington Post'', praised her feminist efforts in the music industry and recognized that "while Christina isn't the first pop star to place feminist rhetoric into pop culture, she led the charge at the beginning of the 21st century of influencing the next generation of impressionable teens who were too young for Janet Jackson, Janet [Jackson] and Madonna's curriculum". Gerrick D. Kennedy from ''Los Angeles Times'' shared the same point of view and stated that "for a generation who hit puberty during the great 2000 pop explosion, Aguilera was an essential voice with music that tackled self-empowerment, feminism, sex and domestic violence — subject matter her contemporaries were shying away from". Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett, co-founder of ''The Vagenda'', opined that the provocative dance routines in Aguilera's music videos were "empowering", as she has been referred to as the forerunner of the ''slutdrop'' dance style.
Aguilera's videography impact was also analysed by music critics. While "Dirrty" (2002) has been described as "one of the most controversial videos in pop music history", and one of the greatest music videos of all time, Issy Beech from ''i-D'' recognized that the audiovisual work "paved a path for videos like "Anaconda (Nicki Minaj song), Anaconda" and "Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus song), Wrecking Ball" [...] paved the way for open sexuality from women in pop". In the video for "Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song), Beautiful" (2002), the highlight scene of a gay kiss has been considered one of the most important moments for LGBT culture, in addition to start Aguilera's image as a gay icon. Both works was elected as one of the greatest music videos of the 21st century by editors from ''Billboard'', while she was named one of the greatest women of the video era according to VH1. In 2012, her videographic collection and some looks used throughout her career were part of an exhibition by the National Museum of Women in the Arts aimed at illustrating "the essential roles women have played in moving rock and roll and American culture forward".
Referred to as a humanitarian, Aguilera has done philanthropic works during her career. In 2003, she visited the Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh and provided a donation over $200,000 in support for victims of domestic violence. In addition to starred in television advertsings on the Lifetime (TV network), Lifetime network calling for the end of violence against women in 2007, she partnered with Verizon in a campaign to awareness about violence domestic in 2015. She later destined proceeds from the Christina Aguilera: The Xperience (2019–2020) residency to The Shade Tree, a women and children's center in Las Vegas, Nevada. In October 2019, Aguilera efforts against domestic violence earned her the The Shade Tree#History, Bonnie Polley Community Hero Award.
In 2009, Aguilera became the global spokesperson for the World Food Program, a branch of the United Nations (UN). She visited countries with high rates of malnutrions, including Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti and Rwanda. As of 2013, it was reported she helped raise over $148 million to the organization and other hunger relief agencies in 45 countries. Aguilera's efforts eventually earned her the Muhammad Ali Center, Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards and World Hunger Relief#History, George McGovern Leadership Awards—which she received in the White House from the former United States Secretary of State, Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Her other philanthropy initiatives included donations of her wedding gifts to charities in support of families affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and concerts to urges donations to the American Red Cross due Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
In 2010, Aguilera auctioned tickets to her concerts through Christie's, earmaking the proceeds to non-profit environmental organizations, including Conservation International and the Natural Resources Defense Council. In response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, she auctioned off a Chrysler 300 and destined proceeds to support disaster victims and their families. Additionally, Aguilera appeared on the ''Hope for Haiti Now'' telethon, whose donations directly benefited Oxfam America, Partners In Health, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and UNICEF. She also was praised by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for signed an open letter destined to Government of South Korea appealing to the ban of consumption of dogs and cats, and for using fake fox fur in concerts costumes.
As a LGBT rights activist, Aguilera was lauded for called out myths around HIV/AIDS, in addition to awares about the virus and raising funds for the Mac AIDS Fund and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. In 2008, she advocated for same-sex marriage and spoke out against 2008 California Proposition 8, Proposition 8. During an interview with MTV News, she stated "Why would you put so much money behind something [aimed at] stopping people from loving each other? I just don't understand it". In June 2016, Aguilera release single "Change (Christina Aguilera song), Change", which was aimed to raise proceeds to the victim's families and survivors of the Orlando nightclub shooting. During The X Tour (Christina Aguilera), The X Tour (2019), Aguilera visited Russia and "blessed" a gay marriage proposal in the backstage, contraring the LGBT rights in Russia, country's laws against "gay propaganda".
Early life
Christina María Aguilera was born on December 18, 1980, in New York City, New York (state), New York, to Shelly Loraine (née Fidler) and Fausto Wagner Xavier Aguilera. Her father is an Ecuadorian emigrant from Guayaquil while her mother has German, Irish, Welsh, and Dutch ancestry. Fausto Aguilera was a United States Army sergeant, and Shelly Loraine was a violinist in the American Youth Symphony before becoming a Spanish translator. Due to Fausto's military service, the Aguilera family moved frequently, living in New Jersey and Texas. In 1983, they moved to Japan and lived in Sagamihara for at least two years. The family returned to the US and ultimately settled in Pennsylvania, where they welcomed her younger sister, Rachel, in 1986. Aguilera has spoken out about her father's physically and emotionally abusive behavior. She eventually used music to escape her turbulent household. In 1987, Shelly filed to divorce Fausto and moved with her children to her mother's home in Rochester, Pennsylvania, Rochester, a suburb of Pittsburgh. She later married James Kearns with whom she had a son named Michael. In 2012, following decades of estrangement, Aguilera expressed interest in reconciling with her biological father. During childhood, Aguilera explored her grandmother's personal records—which featured mostly soul and blues singers—which increased her interest in music. She also began to practice singing and competing in talent contests. Followed numerous contests, she earned reputation in the neighborhood as the "little girl with a big voice" and received attention from local television and radio programs. In 1990, she performed the popular song "A Sunday Kind of Love" on the reality competition show ''Star Search'', but was eliminated during the semi-final round. Aguilera eventually was invited to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, Pittsburgh Steelers football, and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games, as well during the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals. During her youth in Pittsburgh metropolitan area, she attended North Allegheny Intermediate High School before leaving there to be homeschooled to avoid bullying she experienced at school.Career
1993–1998: Career beginnings
In 1991, Aguilera auditioned for a position on ''The Mickey Mouse Club#1989–1994 revival: The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, The All-New Mickey Mouse Club'' (MMC), aired on the Disney Channel. She ran against 400 candidates, and while she made the shortlist she was ultimately rejected for not meeting the minimum age requirement. One year later, in 1992, Aguilera received a call from one of the show's producers asking if she was still interested in becoming a "Mouseketeer". She once again competed for a spot (this time, against 15,000 candidates) and was selected to join the variety program the following year. Her fellow cast members included Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake. During the show recordings—which included Aguilera performing musical numbers and comedy sketches—she moved with her family to Orlando, Florida. In 1994, it was reported the series would not return for a new season. Aiming to beginning a music career, Aguilera moved to Japan in 1997. She was selected to record a duet with Japanese singer Keizo Nakanishi, with whom she performed in concert shows around the country. Their song, "All I Wanna Do" was released as a single but failed to reach commercial success. In June 1997, Aguilera went on to Romania to represent the United States in a singers contest during the Golden Stag Festival, but she failed to win over the audience. Seeking a recording contract, Aguilera recorded numerous Demo (music), demo tapes directed to record labels, including Walt Disney Records, for which she send a cover version of "Run to You (Whitney Houston song), Run to You" by Whitney Houston. She eventually was given the opportunity to record "Reflection (Mulan song), Reflection", theme from animated film ''Mulan (1998 film), Mulan'' (1998), which charted on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart at number 15.1999–2001: Breakthrough with debut album
Following the attention received with "Reflection", Ron Fair—A&R executive from RCA Records—offered to Aguilera a deal with the label. In late 1998, she started recording her debut studio album into which producers had reportedly invested $1 million worth of writers, producers and voice lessons. Although Aguilera's desire to create material directly inspired by R&B, the label opted for a teen pop production due the genre's high financial return in the late 1990s. Her self-titled debut album, ''Christina Aguilera (album), Christina Aguilera'', was released in August 1999, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200. It catapulted Aguilera into fame globally and sold over ten million copies in its first year of release. It was later RIAA certification, certified eight times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and sold over 17 million copies worldwide. "Genie in a Bottle" served as the album's lead single, and topped the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. It also rise Aguilera's popularity worldwide, leading charts in over 20 countries. The single attracted the attention of conservative people including celebrities such as Debbie Gibson that spoke out against its lyrical content, and was eventually considered "too provocative" to be sung by a teen idol. Due to the criticism, Radio Disney replaced the original version with a censored one. Other of the album's singles, "What a Girl Wants (Christina Aguilera song), What a Girl Wants" and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)", also topped the Hot 100 chart, while "I Turn to You (All-4-One song)#Christina Aguilera version, I Turn to You" reached number three there. At the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, Aguilera won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, Best New Artist category, which received wide media coverage. ''Time (magazine), Time'' credited the award for "[helping] certify her credentials as a real singer". In mid 2000, she embarked on Christina Aguilera in Concert—which toured North America, Latin America, Europe, and Japan. Aguilera's success continued to rise with the release of her second studio album, , in September 2000. It features Spanish-language songs and was produced as a Latin pop material. The album topped both the Billboard Top Latin Albums, ''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums and Billboard Latin Pop Albums, Latin Pop Albums for nineteen consecutive weeks and later was certified RIAA certification#Spanish, six times Latin platinum by the RIAA. ''Mi Reflejo'' also reached the platinum stats in Argentina, Mexico, and Spain. At the 2nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards, it won Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album, Best Female Pop Vocal Album. In October 2000, she also promoted a third record, ''My Kind of Christmas'', and later starred in a holiday special, ''My Reflection'', which aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. Aguilera's commercial success saw her being named the 2000 Top Female Pop Act by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard''. The same year, she filed a fiduciary duty against manager Steve Kurtz for "improper, undue, and inappropriate influence over her professional activities". She eventually hired Irving Azoff to manage her career, aiming for a new artistic direction and control of her own image. In early 2001, Aguilera reached commercial success with collaboration singles. While "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" with Ricky Martin peaked number thirteen on Hot 100, "Lady Marmalade#Moulin Rouge! version, Lady Marmalade" with Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink (singer), Pink topped the chart for five consecutive weeks. The later, included on Moulin Rouge! Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film, ''Moulin Rouge!'' soundtrack, earned her the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year, as well the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, for which she was also nominated with "Nobody's Want to Be Lonely". In August 2001, Warlock Records released ''Just Be Free'', a demo (music), demo album recorded by Aguilera between 1994 and 1995 while she was looking for a recording deal following the end of ''The All-New Mickey Mouse Club'' (MMC). She filed a suit against the label and the album's producers aiming to stop the release of the album. Both parties came to a confidential settlement to release the album, in which Aguilera lent out her name, likeness, and image for an unspecified amount of damages.2002–2004: New image with ''Stripped''
With a new management, Aguilera started moving away from her teen pop niche and began working on a new project. She cultivated a new image by adopting the alter ego Xtina, dyeing her hair black, and sporting several tattoos and body piercings. Her fourth studio album, ''Stripped (Christina Aguilera album), Stripped'', was released in October 2002. Containing numerous musical genres, including R&B, hip-hop, flamenco, and rock music, rock, it was described by her as "a new beginning, a re-introduction of [herself] as a new artist", for which she also contributed as executive producer and co-wrote most of the songs. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200, and eventually was RIAA certification, certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In the UK, ''Stripped'' sold over two million copies and became the second highest-selling album by an American female artists in the 2000s. Since then, it was reported the album sold 12 million copies globally.
The album's lead single, "Dirrty", peaked number 48 on Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Its accompanying music video generated controversy for depicting overtly sexual fetishes, attracting the attention of conservative organizations and moralists sought to have the video banned on MTV. The music video sparked protests in Thailand and eventually was banned in the country's local television. Aguilera's new persona was widely criticized by media outlets and it began to overshadow her music, while ''Entertainment Weekly'' described her image as "the world's skeeziest reptile woman". In spite of the backlash, "Dirrty" topped the charts in Ireland and the UK. The second single, "Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song), Beautiful", reached number two on the Hot 100. It received widespread acclaim for its empowering lyrics about embracing inner beauty, and became a LGBT anthem. At the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, the single won Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
The following singles of ''Stripped''—"Fighter (Christina Aguilera song), Fighter" and "Can't Hold Us Down"—also reached top twenty on Hot 100, while "The Voice Within" peaked at number thirty three there. In Summer 2003, Aguilera co-headlined The Justified & Stripped Tour alongside Justin Timberlake, whose supported also his solo debut album, ''Justified (album), Justified'' (2002). The joint tour visited North America only, attracting an audience of 546,483 and grossing over $31.8 million. It ranked sixteenth on ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard''s list of Top 25 Tours of 2003. Later that year, she also embarked on The Stripped Tour which went to Europe, Asia, and Australia. In early 2004, it was expected she would return to North America to perform in a second leg of the tour. However, the dates were canceled last-minute due to a vocal cord injury. Her performances at the Wembley Arena were taped, broadcast on WB Network and eventually sold as a video album under the name ''Stripped Live in the U.K.''
Aguilera received widespread media coverage due to her televised music performances. At the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, she joined Britney Spears to performing "Like a Virgin (song), Like a Virgin" and "Hollywood (Madonna song), Hollywood", where both ended up kissing Madonna. Various media outlets retrospectively considered it one of the "most iconic" VMAs performances of all time. During the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards—which was hosted by herself—she made a live presentation of "Dirrty". Wearing a nun's habit, Aguilera was accompanied by a choir and eventually undressed to reveal her underclothes while performing the ''slutdrop'' dance style. Late that year, she was named 2003 Top Female Pop Act by ''Billboard''. In 2004, she recorded "Car Wash (song), Car Wash" with Missy Elliott which was released as single from Shark Tale#Soundtrack, ''Shark Tale'' soundtrack, and contributed vocals to "Tilt Ya Head Back" with rapper Nelly.
2005–2008: ''Back to Basics''
In early 2005, Aguilera embraced a new image inspired by Old Hollywood figures, debuting burlesque-style curly blonde hair and makeup. Her new persona was eventually adopted to promote her subsequent music project. Described as a "throwback with elements of old-school [music] combined with a modern-day twist", ''Back to Basics (Christina Aguilera album), Back to Basics'', was released as a double album in August 2006. Lyrically inspired by Aguilera's husband, Jordan Bratman, it received generally positive reviews by critics due its retro-oriented production. AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine called it "catchy, exciting, and unique ... an album to build a career upon". It debuted at number one in numerous countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK. In the U.S, it scored the top on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200, becoming her second material to lead the chart. ''Back to Basics'' was later RIAA certification, certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and sold over 5 million units worldwide. "Ain't No Other Man" served as the album's lead single and was praised by music critics. ''The Morning Call'' opined that "it put [Aguilera] at Aretha Franklin's doorstep". The single peaked number six on Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and has sold 1.7 million digital copies in the U.S. Its accompanying video featured Aguilera under the alter ego Baby Jane—which was also adopted during the ''Back to Basics'' promotion campaign. The single eventually earned her the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Other of the album's singles, "Hurt (Christina Aguilera song), Hurt" and "Candyman (Christina Aguilera song), Candyman", became top-ten hits on international charts, and peaked top-thirty on Hot 100. In 2006, Aguilera also contributed vocals to singles "Somos Novios (It's Impossible)" with Andrea Bocelli and "Tell Me (Diddy song), Tell Me" with rapper Sean Combs, Diddy, which reached number eight in the UK. In November 2006, Aguilera embarked on the Back to Basics Tour—which visited North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania—and ran until October 2008. Being divided in acts such as juke joint and circus, ''Rolling Stone'' highlighted its "numerous sets and costumes changes" emphasizing Aguilera's "evolution from bubblegum starlet to dirrty vixen to her current incarnation as retro-styled soul siren". With earnings around 48.1 million in 2007, it eventually became the highest-grossing concert tour by a female of the year. Aguilera's image and "overtly sexual themes" on tour demanded the concert show in Shanghai was submitted for prior approval by the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China. Her performances at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre were taped, broadcast on VH1 and sold as a video album under the title ''Back to Basics: Live and Down Under''. In February 2007, Aguilera performed "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards which received critical acclaim and has been noted as one of the most memorable Grammy performances of all time. That same month she performed at the halftime show for the 2007 NBA All-Star Game. In April 2008, Aguilera appeared in Martin Scorsese's documentary, ''Shine a Light (film), Shine a Light'' (which chronicled a two-day concert by The Rolling Stones at the Beacon Theatre (New York City), Beacon Theatre), where she performed "Live with Me" with Mick Jagger. In September, she released "Keeps Gettin' Better" set to feature on her first then-upcoming greatest hits album of the same name. The song received mixed reviews but found commercial success debuting at number seven on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 making it her highest debut on the chart at the time, and has since sold 1.156 million digital copies in the US. She performed the song live at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards alongside a medley. ''Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits'' was released in November 2008 to positive reviews, debuting at number nine on ''Billboard'' 200 and was later certified gold by the RIAA. The compilation added two original songs (its title track and "Dynamite") and also featured remakes of "Genie in a Bottle" and "Beautiful". By late 2008, Aguilera stated that she had begun working on a new music album.2009–2011: ''Bionic'', ''Burlesque'' and ''The Voice''
In 2009, at the end of the 2000s, Aguilera was named the twentieth best "Artist of the Decade" by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'', and was nominated for the List of MTV Europe Music Award categories#Main categories, MTV Europe Music Award for Best Act Ever. At the end of 2009, Aguilera stated that her then-forthcoming sixth studio album originally titled ''Light & Darkness'' would be released in March 2010. However, by February 2010, Aguilera stated that the album would be retitled and would be released in June. In April 2010, Aguilera released the lead single, "Not Myself Tonight" which peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. She performed the song live on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''. This was followed by the album's second single, "Woohoo (Christina Aguilera song), Woohoo" featuring rapper Nicki Minaj. A music video was planned but was eventually scrapped.
Aguilera released her sixth studio album, ''Bionic (Christina Aguilera album), Bionic'', on June 6, 2010 which debuted at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200, and topped the European and the UK charts. The album was inspired by electronic music, and was described by her as a project "about the future" noting that it was inspired her her son who "[motivated] her to want to play and have fun". It received generally mixed reviews by critics who called it "strong, but only in parts". It was later RIAA certification, certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and sold approximately over one million copies globally. "You Lost Me" and "I Hate Boys" were released as singles in the following month of June. A tour was planned for the album but was postponed and later cancelled due to prior commitments.
Aguilera landed her first starring role as a waitress turned American burlesque, burlesque performer in the Steven Antin film ''Burlesque (2010 American film), Burlesque'', released in theaters in November 2010. She received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame the same week in which the film premiered. While the film received generally mixed reviews from critics, Aguilera's portrayal of the main character garnered positive reviews, and the film grossed United States dollar, US$90 million in the box office. The film also received a nomination for Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 68th Golden Globe Awards.
In addition to starring in the film, Aguilera recorded eight tracks for the film's ten-track Burlesque: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, accompanying soundtrack, while Cher performed the remaining two. The soundtrack reached number 18 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA. Her song "Bound to You" received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song at the 68th Golden Globe Awards while the album itself was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. Aguilera performed "Express" on the finale of the The X Factor (UK series 7), seventh series of ''The X Factor (UK TV series), The X Factor UK'' which received criticism for its raunchy content.
In early 2011, Aguilera omitted a few lines while performing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XLV, which led to extensive media coverage. She apologized for the incident saying, "I got so caught up in the moment of the song that I lost my place [...] I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of its anthem still came through". That same month, Aguilera performed a tribute to Aretha Franklin at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. After the performance, Aguilera's heels got caught on her train and she nearly fell.
In April 2011, Aguilera became a coach on reality competition show ''The Voice (American TV series), The Voice'', which aired on National Broadcasting Company, NBC. Aguilera later returned to its The Voice (American season 2), second, The Voice (American season 3), third, The Voice (American season 5), fifth, The Voice (American season 8), eighth, and The Voice (American season 10), tenth season. For the show's The Voice (American season 1), first season, Aguilera's duet of her song "Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song), Beautiful" with her finalist, Beverly McClellan, debuted at number 74 on the US Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with first-week sales of 42,000 downloads on iTunes Store, iTunes. A year later, for the The Voice (American season 2), second season, Aguilera's duet of "The Prayer (Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli song), The Prayer" with her contestant, Chris Mann, also reached 85 on the chart.
In late 2011, she featured on the song "Moves like Jagger" by Maroon 5. They first performed the song during their time on ''The Voice'' and also performed it at the American Music Awards of 2011, 2011 American Music Awards. The song received positive reviews and topped the Hot 100 for four non-consecutive weeks making Aguilera the fourth female artist to top the chart over three decades (1990s, 2000s, and 2010s). In July 2021, the song was RIAA certification, certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
2012–2015: ''Lotus'' and other projects
During the The Voice (American season 3), third season of ''The Voice'' in September 2012, Aguilera released "Your Body (Christina Aguilera song), Your Body" as the lead single from her then-upcoming seventh studio album. The song received critical acclaim and reached reached number one on the US Dance Club Songs, Dance Club Song chart and 34 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The album, titled ''Lotus (Christina Aguilera album), Lotus'', followed in November 2012, in which Aguilera described the record as a "rebirth" of herself after the personal struggles she overcame. Contemporary reviewers found the album generic and conventional, as opposed to Aguilera's previous experimental ventures. Despite this, ''Lotus'' peaked at number 7 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and has sold 303,000 copies in the US as of 2019. "Just a Fool" with Blake Shelton was released as the album's second single and received positive reviews. The two performed the song live on ''The Voice'' and on ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show''.
On January 9, 2023, Aguilera performed "Blank Page" at the 39th People's Choice Awards. A month later, on February 22, 2013, Aguilera featured on rapper Pitbull (rapper), Pitbull's "Feel This Moment", which became the first of various international top-ten singles she would achieve that year, peaking at number eight on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 becoming Aguilera's tenth top-ten hit, and was later certified platinum by the RIAA. The song garnered critical acclaim and was performed at the American Music Awards of 2012, 2012 American Music Awards, 2013 Kids' Choice Awards, ''The Voice'' and 2013 Billboard Music Awards. In May 2013, Aguilera appeared on Alejandro Fernández's cover of Miguel Gallardo (singer), Miguel Gallardo's 1976 "Hoy Tengo Ganas de Ti#Alejandro Fernández and Christina Aguilera version, Hoy Tengo Ganas de Ti" which also received critical acclaim and earned them a diamond certification in Mexico.
On November 4, 2013, Aguilera featured on a duet version of "Say Something (A Great Big World song), Say Something" with A Great Big World. The song became an instant success receiving universal acclaim from critics who praised Aguilera's stripped back vocals. The song became Aguilera's second top-tenth hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 peaking at number 4 and also became the second time she achieved multiple top-ten songs in a calendar year since 2000. They performed the song live on the The Voice (American season 5), fifth season of ''The Voice'' and American Music Awards of 2013, 2013 American Music Awards. The song earned them various awards and nominations including a six-time platinum certification from the RIAA and won Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. In October of that year, Aguilera also lent her vocals to the The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, soundtrack for ''The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'' with the song "We Remain". She performed the song live with her contestant Jacquie Lee on ''The Voice''.
On January 1, 2014, Aguilera featured on the remix for "Do What U Want" by Lady Gaga to replace the original version with R. Kelly after his sexual abuse allegations. In May of that year, she performed a medley of hits at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In November, Aguilera performed at the Breakthrough Prize Award ceremony.
In February 2015, Aguilera opened the 2015 NBA All-Star Game alongside The Rockettes and Nas (rapper), Nas with a New York, New York, New York-themed medley. In April, Aguilera starred in the Nashville (season 3), third season of the musical drama series ''Nashville (2012 TV series), Nashville'', which aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. She also contributed to the series' soundtrack with "The Real Thing" and "Shotgun (Christina Aguilera song), Shotgun" — with the latter reaching number twenty-eight on Hot Country Songs chart. She also performed at the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards alongside the Rascal Flatts. At the end of the year she performed "Theme from New York, New York, New York, New York" with Seth MacFarlane at the ''Sinatra: Voice for a Century'' tribute concert.
2016–2021: ''Liberation'' and residency
In May 2016, Aguilera exited ''The Voice'' following its The Voice (American season 10), tenth season, which she won with her contestant Alisan Porter. On the season finale, she performed "I Have Nothing" and "Dangerous Woman (song), Dangerous Woman"; the latter with Ariana Grande. A month later, Aguilera released the song "Change (Christina Aguilera song), Change", in which she dedicated to the victims of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting. The ballad received positive reviews and debuted at number five on ''Billboard''s Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. In August 2016, Aguilera recorded a disco song titled "Telepathy (Christina Aguilera song), Telepathy" featuring Nile Rodgers for the soundtrack of a Netflix original series, ''The Get Down'' (2016). Her vocals were praised by critics and the song reached number one on the Dance Club Songs chart. In July 2017, Aguilera voiced a video-game dancer in ''The Emoji Movie'' (2017). She also lent her vocals to the ''Served Like a Girl'' documentary film for a song titled "America". In November, Aguilera performed a tribute to Whitney Houston at the American Music Awards of 2017, 2017 American Music Awards.
In March 2018, Aguilera announced the completion of her then-upcoming eighth studio album alongside a ''Paper (magazine), Paper'' Magazine cover which received media coverage. In April, Aguilera starred in the romantic science fiction ''Zoe (film), Zoe'', which premiered at the Tribeca Film festival and was released in July of that year.
Aguilera released her eighth studio album ''Liberation (Christina Aguilera album), Liberation'' on June 15, 2018, to favorable reviews. The album had been in the works since the summer of 2015 and incorporated R&B and hip-hop elements. ''Liberation'' debuted at number six on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, becoming Aguilera's seventh US top-ten album. The album was promoted with multiple singles, including the preceding lead single, "Accelerate (Christina Aguilera song), Accelerate" featuring Ty Dolla Sign and 2 Chainz, which became Aguilera's tenth number one song on the US ''Billboard'' Dance Songs Chart. Two other singles from the album, "Fall in Line" (with Demi Lovato) and "Like I Do (Christina Aguilera song), Like I Do" were nominated at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Rap/Sung Performance respectively.
To further promote ''Liberation'', Aguilera embarked on her first tour in 10 years, The Liberation Tour (Christina Aguilera tour), The Liberation Tour, which ran from September to November 2018. This tour was followed by The X Tour (Christina Aguilera), The X Tour, which ran in Europe and Mexico from July to December 2019. She also headlined Christina Aguilera: The Xperience, a 25-date concert residency at the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, beginning in May 2019 and concluding in March 2020. In October 2019, Aguilera released the song "Haunted Heart" from the soundtrack of the computer-animated ''The Addams Family (2019 film), Addams Family'' film, and her second collaboration with A Great Big World, "Fall on Me (Andrea Bocelli and Matteo Bocelli song)#A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera version, Fall on Me", followed a month later.
In early 2020, Aguilera recorded two songs for Disney's Mulan (2020 film), live action remake of ''Mulan'' (2020): "Loyal Brave True" – released in March 2020 as a promotional single to positive reviews, eventually being shortlisted as one of the fifteen potential nominees for the Academy Award for Best Original Song – and a re-recording of "Reflection (song)#2020 version, Reflection", released in August. That year, she appeared on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television special, ''The Disney Family Singalong'' and its The Disney Family Singalong#Volume II, follow-up, where she perfomed "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and "Remember Me (Coco song), Remember Me" respectively. In November of that year, Aguilera signed a new management deal with Roc Nation.
In July 2021, Aguilera performed two sold-out shows at the Hollywood Bowl with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She also recorded "The Addams Family Theme, ''The Addams Family'' Theme", which was featured on ''The Addams Family 2'' soundtrack. In October, she performed "Reflection (Mulan song)#2020 live action version, Reflection", "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Loyal Brave True" in American Broadcasting Company, ABC's Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary special. On December 7, 2021, Aguilera was honoured with the People's Choice Awards#People's Music Icon, People's Music Icon honorific award at the 47th People's Choice Awards.
2022–present: ''Aguilera''
Aguilera released her ninth studio album, titled ''Aguilera (album), Aguilera'', originally as a double album on May 31, 2022. The album paid tribute to different genres of Latin music, and consisted of three separately released parts: ''La Fuerza'', ''La Tormenta (EP), La Tormenta'', and ''La Luz (EP), La Luz''. The full album was released in its complete form on September 30, 2022. The album was preceded with the singles "Pa Mis Muchachas", "Somos Nada", "Santo (song), Santo" and followed with "Suéltame" and "No Es Que Te Extrañe". ''Aguilera'' received widespread critical acclaim from music critics upon release, and was placed on several year-end lists by publications such as ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' and the ''Houston Chronicle''. The album was promoted through the EU / UK Summer Series promotional tour, which consisted of five festival shows throughout Europe and three arena concerts in the United Kingdom. The promotional tour received critical praise.
''Aguilera'' and its songs received seven nominations at the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards with the album winning for Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. The album also received another two nominations for Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album, Best Latin Pop Album and Grammy Award for Best Immersive Audio Album, Best Immersive Audio Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. "No Es Que Te Extrañe" was also nominated for Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year, Record of the Year at the 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
On June 11, 2022, Aguilera headlined the Los Angeles Pride festival with guests Mya (singer), Mýa, Kim Petras and Paris Hilton. The use of a strap-on dildo during the set was the subject of polarized reception. In October 2022, ''Stripped (Christina Aguilera album), Stripped'' was reissued for its 20-year anniversary, featuring "I Will Be" (the b-side to "Dirrty") and Benny Benassi's remix of "Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song), Beautiful". A new music video for "Beautiful" was also released. On November 10, 2022, Time (magazine), Time Studios announced a partnership with Roc Nation to produce an upcoming documentary about Aguilera.
On September 22, 2023, Aguilera released "Learning to Fly" as apart of the soundtrack for ''PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie''. The same month she performed at the EuroPride concert in Malta.
Artistry
Influences
Aguilera has named Etta James as a "role model", and said "At Last" made a major impression on her. She later stated, "I'll still be as raunchy as I wanna be, and I'll have [Etta]'s memory to back me up. She's what I want to be someday". As a young girl, ''The Sound of Music'' (1959) and its lead actress, Julie Andrews, became her early references to sing and perform, in addition to broadening her interest on Broadway theater, Broadway. Aguilera's other major influences include Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald. She has also cited rock bands as an influence, specifically the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana (band), Nirvana, and Radiohead. Aguilera was also influenced by Latin music. She later recalled singing her first songs in Spanish during childhood, saying: "I grew up hearing [Spanish] being spoken in my household [and] hearing a lot of Julio Iglesias on the record player". Some of her other inspirations in Latin music include Chavela Vargas, Vicente Fernández, and younger artists such Rosalía. As a performer, Aguilera credits Madonna and Janet Jackson as major inspirations for being "positive female artists [who] aren't afraid to take chances, be daring, experimental and sexy". Cher also encouraged her to being a performer and "a woman who has the guts to do [everything]". Aguilera's childhood visits to records stores moulded her taste and led to an appreciation for blues and soul music, which she called "music that really had heart". Aguilera has also paid hommage to many artists from this genre in her music, including Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, and Otis Redding. Her album ''Back to Basics'' (2006) features inspirations of musicians from the early 20th century. As she later commented: "I was just so drawn to that [kind of music] ... [It] has so much pain, so much beauty of raw emotion and passion". Her other influences in the genre was added for ''Liberation'' (2018), including Michael Jackson in "Maria" and Janis Joplin in "Sick of Sittin'". Outside of the music industry, Aguilera was inspired by actresses from the Old Hollywood. She later stated, "I'm fascinated with the golden age of film. I wanted to capture the authenticity of the glam era", after which she cited examples such as Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo, Veronica Lake, and the pin-up models. Her "Tilt Ya Head Back" music video also recreated Monroe's signature look, while the video for "Your Body" includes a directly reference to Lucille Ball. The video for "Ain't No Other Man" presented Aguilera under the alter ego Baby Jane, which was inspired by Bette Davis's character in psychological horror film ''What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (film), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' (1962). Her other inspirations mostly came from contemporary art, including works by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Banksy.Voice
Critics have described Aguilera as a soprano, possessing a four-octave vocal range (from C (musical note), C3 to C♯ (musical note), C♯7). She is also able to perform the whistle register. Maura Johnston, a journalist with''Slate (magazine), Slate'', called Aguilera's voice "an instrument that despite its ability to leap octaves has a low-end grounding similar to that possessed by opera singers". ''The Boston Globe'' columnist Joan Anderman praised her vocal versatility, stating, "[She] is a real singer ... blessed with the sort of breathtaking elasticity, golden tones, and sheer power that separate the divas from the dabblers". In addition to sustain high notes, Aguilera is recognized for making use of the melismatic technique. Jon Pareles from ''The New York Times'' emphasized that "she can aim a note as directly as aa missile or turn its trajectory into an aerobatic spiral of leaping, quivering, and scalloping melismas". RCA Records music executive Ron Fair praised her "perfect intonation", and opined she has "pipes to be the next Barbra Streisand or Céline Dion".
Several critics have compared Aguilera's technique to that of other singers. Journalist David Browne (journalist), David Browne suggested that, alongside Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, she "forms the team of the main proponents" of the melismatic technique. Richard Harrington from ''The Washington Post'' also compared her to these artists, but suggested she sounds even better: "she has a genuinely powerful voice," he writes, "that's evoked comparisons [to] Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, though it for the most part avoids those singers' ornamental mannerisms". Sasha Frere-Jones, columnist of ''The New Yorker'', also credited the technique by making her become "a serious singer without needing to reincarnate the Sarah Vaughan", while songwriter Steve Kipner praised her vocal dexterity, including her ability to "internalize[d] all the riffs from Chaka Khan". ''Los Angeles Times'' music critic Ann Powers wrote that Aguilera possesses a "voice purely powerful as that of Etta James [...] and she's moving toward the expressiveness of Gladys Knight, if not Aretha Franklin". Powers also associated her vocal ability with Donna Summer when she performs records influenced by rhythm and blues.
Aguilera, however, has also been criticized for the excessive use of melisma, as well for oversinging during her concerts shows. ''The Huffington Post'' columnist John Eskow called her as "the main proponent of oversouling". Eskow recognizes Aguilera's voice as a "great instrument", although she "[doesn't] seem to know when to stop" with the use of "gratuitous and confected melisma". Lucy Davies, music critic from BBC Music, raved about her "stunning voice", but offered that "she could be more varied, simply by cutting out some of the 'ye-e-eeeh, woah' in her songs". Writing for ''Entertainment Weekly'', Chris Willman credits Aguilera's tendency to oversinging as an influence of Mariah Carey, noting "her slightly nasal tone that really only becomes obvious when she's overselling a song". Alexa Tietjen from VH1 acknowledged that Aguilera "does tend to take it to the extreme at times [...] but her vocal prowess is what's gotten her so far. Love them or hate them, the riffs are a part of who she is as performer".
Musical style
Generally referred to as a Pop music, pop artist, Aguilera has gone on to experiment with different musical genres throughout her career. She explains that she always tries to bring something new to her projects, "experiment[ing] with [her] voice" in addition to verbalizing her preference of working with more "obscure" collaborators, and that she is not necessarily inclined to contact "the number-one chart-toppers in music" just because they are in popular demand. Reviewing her artistically, Alexis Petridis, columnist from ''The Guardian'', recognized that her "boldness in reinventing herself" was always "one of her most impressive facets," while Kelefa Sanneh from ''The New York Times'' highlighted her "decision to snub some of the big-name producers on whom pop stars often rely". Aguilera's first two records, ''Christina Aguilera'' (1999) and ''Mi Reflejo'' (2000), were produced with an influsion of teen pop and dance-pop, with the latter also referencing her incentive through Latin music. She showed artistic growth with ''Stripped'' (2002) which was described as "substantive and mature [...] with pleasantly surprising depth," where she showed a range of genres, including Contemporary R&B, R&B, hip hop music, hip hop, rock music, rock, and soul music, soul, and moved away from the teen niche. On her fifth studio album, ''Back to Basics'' (2006), Aguilera worked with several producers to create a "throwback with elements of old-school genres combined with a modern-day twist [and] hard-hitting beats". Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic called the project an "artistic statement [...] a little crass and self-centered, but also catchy, exciting and unique". In 2010, Aguilera developed the Burlesque (soundtrack), soundtrack for ''Burlesque'', whose content was influenced by ''Cabaret (1972 film), Cabaret'' (1972) and highlighted several songs that were redone as dance numbers in a fashion similar to ''Moulin Rouge!'' (2001). In the same year, ''Bionic'' saw Aguilera working with producers specialized in electronic music to create a future-pop project with elements taken from electro (music), electro. Sam Lanksy from MTV Buzzworthy described it as "forward-thinking and even timeless," and praised its "subversive [and] ambient production". Aguilera explored and heavily incorporated electro-pop on ''Lotus'' (2012). Conversely, in 2018 she contributed with Kanye West and Anderson .Paak on ''Liberation'', creating an album inspired by R&B and hip-hop styles which she had included in her previous material. Aguilera had noted that, "There's nothing like an amazing hip-hop beat. At the end of the day, I am a soul singer [...] singing soulfully is where my core, my root and my heart really is".Lyrical themes
Regarding the lyrical themes in her music, Aguilera stated that she feels a "sense of responsibility" to reference her personal life so that "people that can relate might not feel as alone in the circumstance". While the bulk of her songs are rooted in light-hearted themes like love, motherhood, marriage, and fidelity, she does not evade serious and controversial subjects such as domestic violence, abusive relationships, female empowerment, and sexuality in her discography. According to Pier Dominguez, Aguilera's personality was likely impacted by the domestic violence she witnessed during her childhood, but unlike some other children who witness violence at home, she did not act out but created an "internal defense mechanism". Chloé Govan qualifies this claim, saying that Aguilera's experience with school bullying, bullying at school made her an introverted and insecure person. Aguilera's mother played a crucial role in building her self-confidence, and taught her a "message about self-respect". Both authors agree that this message had a strong impact on Aguilera's behavior in the transition to adulthood and also found expression in some of her early number-one singles, "Genie in a Bottle" and "What a Girl Wants (Christina Aguilera song), What a Girl Wants" (both from 1999), the lyrics of which can refer to female empowerment. Sex is a recurring subject throughout Aguilera's lyrics, and this has occasionally stirred up controversy. Aguilera herself tends to emphasize that her goal is not necessarily to provoke, but simply to express herself. In an interview with ''People (magazine), People'', she stated, "If I want to be sexual, it's for my own appreciation and enjoyment. That's why I like to talk about the fact that sometimes I am attracted to women. I appreciate their femininity and beauty". Recognized for the use of feminism in her music, Aguilera denounced the double standard for the first time in "Can't Hold Us Down" (2002), explaining that men are applauded for their sexual behaviors, while women who behave in a similar fashion are disdained. Writing for ''The Guardian'', Hermione Hoby noted that she "incites a sisterly spirit of collaboration [and] not shy of the odd feministic declaration herself".Cultural status
Public image
Publications have called Aguilera a pop icon, a Triple threat (entertainer), triple threat entertainer, and a diva. Her vocal abilities distinguished her from her peers, and she has been referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Voice of a Generation". Her fan-base is named the "List of fandom names#C, Fighters" drawing inspiration from her 2003 single "Fighter (Christina Aguilera song), Fighter". She is one of the most popular musicians on Twitter with approximately 17 million followers, and was one of the most searched artists in the world in 2002, 2004, and 2010 through Google. She was also one of the most popular searches in 2003 by Yahoo! Search. Aguilera is also recognized as a gay icon; in 2019, she was awarded by the Human Rights Campaign for using her "platform to share a message of hope and inspiration to those who have been marginalized [...] bringing greater visibility to the LGBTQ community". Her 2002 song "Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song), Beautiful" has been called an Gay anthem, anthem for the LGBT community, with UK LGBT rights charity Stonewall (charity), Stonewall naming it the most empowering song of the decade for lesbian, gay and bisexual people and for having "inspired millions of young people around the world". In 2023, Aguilera was honored for her LGBTQ allyship and for advocating for the queer community at the Stonewall National Monument. Aguilera's style and fashion has attracted significant media attention throughout her career, and she has been named a fashion icon. Jon Caramanica, journalist from ''The New York Times'', concluded that "Aguilera will be remembered for her glamour and her scandalous take on femme-pop", while Janelle Okwodu from ''Vogue (magazine), Vogue'' noted that she "has never been afraid to take a fashion risk [and] has filled her videos with jaw-dropping styles and risqué runway looks". Following her appearance at New York Fashion Week in 2018, ''Dazed'' named her one of the most stylish people of the year. Aguilera's influence on fashion has been noted by several publications. Samantha Sutton of ''InStyle'' noted Aguilera's influence on the rising fashion trends of 2021. Writing for ''Vogue (magazine), Vogue'' in 2022, Christian Allaire said that Aguilera was "ahead of her time" when it came to her 2002 image. Since the beginning of her career, Aguilera has attracted criticism for her revealing clothes, and has been called a sex symbol. In an interview with MTV News, Debbie Gibson accused her of "influencing girls out there wearing less and less", considering that "she lives and breathes the sexual image". In response to negative comments, Aguilera stated: "Just because I have a certain image, everyone wants me to be this role model. But nobody is perfect, and nobody can live up to that". VH1, included in the list of the sexiest entertainment artists in 2002 and 2013; in publications from ''FHM'' and ''Complex Networks, Complex'', she received similar honors in 2004 and 2012, respectively. In 2003, she was chosen as the sexiest woman of the year by ''Maxim (magazine), Maxim'', stamping the cover of the best-selling issue of the magazine's history, and she was named one of the most beautiful people in the world in 2003 and 2007 by ''People (magazine), People''. Aguilera was on the original panel of coaches from the reality competition show ''The Voice (American TV series), The Voice''. More generally, she has been recognized for her contributions to American television and music competitions. ''The New York Times'', for example, noted that "She should also be remembered as the person who almost single-handedly reshaped music competition reality programming" while journalist Jon Caramanica pointed out that this was done at a time where numerous pop stars were becoming coaches and judges from ''American Idol'' and ''The X Factor (American TV series), The X Factor''. As a coach on ''The Voice'', Aguilera was listed among the List of highest paid American television stars, highest-paid American television stars, receiving $225,000 per episode in 2011, $10 million per season in 2012, $12 million in 2013, $12.5 million in 2014, and $17 million in 2016.Reinventions and personas
Aguilera is noted for having reinvented her public image numerous times during her career. ''Stereogum'' writer Tom Breihan noted that she "thought of herself primarily as a [...] young Mariah Carey-type", but was instead marketed as a bubblegum pop teen idol due to the genre's popularity in the late 1990s, following the success of Britney Spears's ...Baby One More Time (album), debut album. David Browne (journalist), David Browne of ''Entertainment Weekly'' noted that Aguilera was "a good girl pretending to be bad" when compared to Spears' music and image. In contrast, Christopher J. Farley of ''Time (magazine), Time'' considered her a more impressive artist than Spears. Megan Turner from ''New York Post'' compared the "battle" between both artists in the media with the previous one between the Beatles and the Rolling Stones; however, she differentiated between Spears and Aguilera primary on the basis of image, suggesting that "while Britney has a va-va-voom sexuality [...] Aguilera had charm and a youthful appeal".
Aguilera departed from the teen idol image with the release of ''Stripped'' in 2002, by dyeing her hair black, getting body piercings, and posing nude for several publications. This was attributed to her provocative and extravagant alter ego named Xtina. Serving as the host of the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards, Aguilera opened the show dressed as a nun, accompanied by a choir singing the lead single from ''Stripped'', "Dirrty", before showing off a more revealing outfit. While analyzing her new visual, ''Vice (magazine), Vice'' and ''Rolling Stone'' magazines wrote that her new clothes echoed as if she were participating in the ''Girls Gone Wild (franchise), Girls Gone Wild'' Girls Gone Wild (franchise), franchise. In a review of her persona, author Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic opined that Aguilera reached "maturity with transparent sexuality and pounding sounds of nightclubs". Writing for ''The Daily Telegraph'', Adam White was more positive about her image and recognized that her "embracing of an overtly sexual image in the wake of adolescent stardom was a tried and tested route to adult success".
For the release of ''Back to Basics'' in 2006, Aguilera adopted a new persona named Baby Jane, named after Bette Davis's character in ''What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (film), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' (1962). The image drew inspiration from actresses of the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood, such as Marilyn Monroe, to go with the album's 1920s–1950s musical direction. Starting in 2008, she adopted a futuristic image, which drew comparisons to the image of then-newcomer, Lady Gaga. In 2012, she drew Social stigma of obesity, criticism over her weight gain from several publications; the following year, she received favorable media attention after a significant weight loss. In March 2018, Aguilera appeared on the cover of the spring 2018 issue of ''Paper (magazine), Paper'', titled "Transformation". Photographed by Zoey Grossman, the images featured Aguilera with minimal Cosmetics, makeup and no Photograph manipulation, photographic manipulation, debuting her freckles. Her appearance in the pictures received significant media attention and widespread praise. This led to other celebrities who had posed similarly receiving attention. Starting in 2021, Aguilera began showing off a Red hair, red-haired look for the promotion of her ninth studio album, ''Aguilera (album), Aguilera'' (2022).
Legacy
Various music journalists and authors have noted Aguilera's legacy in the show business, entertainment industry and deemed her as one of the greatest artists in pop music. In 2004, she was listed as one of the most influential people in the music market according to ''The Independent'', and was ranked as the eight greatest woman in the phonographic industry by VH1. Early in her career, Aguilera was labeled as a teen idol, and has been named as one of the artists who revived teen pop in the late 1990s; ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine stated that she was a "pioneer [in] a different type of teen stardom", crediting her vocal ability as responsible for the phenomenon. Since then, she has been named as one of the greatest singers in contemporary pop music; by MTV, she was ranked as one of the best voices in music since the 1980s, while ''Rolling Stone'' and ''Consequence of Sound'' included her in their lists of greatest singers of all time. In 2013, ''Latina (magazine), Latina'' honored her as the best vocalist of Latin origin in history. With the recognition of her vocal ability and influence in the music industry, she has been referred in media with the titles of "Honorific titles in popular music, Princess of Pop" and "Honorific titles in popular music, Voice of a Generation".
Upon launching her music career in the late 1990s, Aguilera was named as one of the artists who shaped the "Latin explosion", having contributed to the Latin American music in the United States#2000s Latin pop boom, Latin pop boom in American music in early of the century. Considered one of the greatest artists of the 2000s, she has been classified between the main references of the Millennials; writing for ''Vice (magazine), Vice'' magazine, Wanna Thompson analyzed her impact in the turn of the century, stating that alongside Britney Spears, "Aguilera dominated mainstream pop-related discussions. [Her] perfectly packaged music and looks appealed to tweens and teens who wanted to be like the pretty, chart-topping pop stars plastered everywhere". The commercial success of her first projects as a bubblegum pop singer caused an effect that influenced record labels to invest in new artists who attracted the same youthful appeal, catapulting names like Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore.
Critics also highlighted the impact of her work in popular culture; while ''Stripped (Christina Aguilera album), Stripped'' (2002) was called "the blueprint for divas making the transition from teen idol to adult pop star", Aguilera is credited for "paving the way for a generation of pop singers". Jeff Benjamin from ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' stated that the album explored a "process of self-identification and declaration still influencing today's mainstream scene", in addition to "how of today's biggest pop stars have followed a similar path, exploring and incorporating these strategies into their careers". In 2007, Christina Aguilera (album), her self-titled debut album was added to the definitive list from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, being recognized as one of the "history's most influential and popular albums". Since then, Aguilera and her work have influenced various recording artists including Ariana Grande, Ava Max, Becky G, Britney Spears, Camila Cabello, Charli XCX, Demi Lovato, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, Grimes (musician), Grimes, Halsey (singer), Halsey, Hayley Williams, Iggy Azalea, Karol G, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga, Lauren Jauregui, Meghan Trainor, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Nicole, Olivia Rodrigo, Rina Sawayama, Rosalía (singer), Rosalía, Sabrina Carpenter, Sam Smith, Selena Gomez, K. Michelle, and Tinashe, and athletes such as figure skater Johnny Weir, ice dancers Zachary Donohue and Madison Hubbell, and swimmer Dana Vollmer.
Aguilera has also been praised for emphasizing the importance of feminism in pop music; several journalists agree that her use of sexual imagery has helped catalyze public discourse on the topic. Lamar Dawson, columnist from ''The Huffington Post'', praised her feminist efforts in the music industry and recognized that "while Christina isn't the first pop star to place feminist rhetoric into pop culture, she led the charge at the beginning of the 21st century of influencing the next generation of impressionable teens who were too young for Janet Jackson, Janet [Jackson] and Madonna's curriculum". Gerrick D. Kennedy from ''Los Angeles Times'' shared the same point of view and stated that "for a generation who hit puberty during the great 2000 pop explosion, Aguilera was an essential voice with music that tackled self-empowerment, feminism, sex and domestic violence — subject matter her contemporaries were shying away from". Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett, co-founder of ''The Vagenda'', opined that the provocative dance routines in Aguilera's music videos were "empowering", as she has been referred to as the forerunner of the ''slutdrop'' dance style.
Aguilera's videography impact was also analysed by music critics. While "Dirrty" (2002) has been described as "one of the most controversial videos in pop music history", and one of the greatest music videos of all time, Issy Beech from ''i-D'' recognized that the audiovisual work "paved a path for videos like "Anaconda (Nicki Minaj song), Anaconda" and "Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus song), Wrecking Ball" [...] paved the way for open sexuality from women in pop". In the video for "Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song), Beautiful" (2002), the highlight scene of a gay kiss has been considered one of the most important moments for LGBT culture, in addition to start Aguilera's image as a gay icon. Both works was elected as one of the greatest music videos of the 21st century by editors from ''Billboard'', while she was named one of the greatest women of the video era according to VH1. In 2012, her videographic collection and some looks used throughout her career were part of an exhibition by the National Museum of Women in the Arts aimed at illustrating "the essential roles women have played in moving rock and roll and American culture forward".
Achievements
Aguilera has accumulated numerous awards and honorary accolades throughout her career. At the age of 19, she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, becoming one of the youngest artists to earn such an honor. Aguilera received other four trophies from twenty nominations by The Recording Academy. She is also a recipient of two Latin Grammy Awards, three Billboard Latin Music Awards, ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards—including the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award, Spirit of Hope Award—, two MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), two People's Choice Awards—including the inaugural 47th People's Choice Awards#Other, Music Icon Award—, three World Music Awards, and one Guinness World Record. Among other of her honors, Aguilera received a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame in "recognition of her achievements in the recording industry" and was immortalized as a Disney Legends, Disney Legend due "her remarkable contributions to the Walt Disney Company". Referred to as one of the most proeminent Latin artists in the entertainment industry, she was also elected as one of the Time 100, 100 most influential people in the world by ''Time (magazine), Time'' in 2013. With estimated sales around 100 million records, Aguilera is recognized as one of the world's List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists. In the United States, she has sold 41.9 million albums and singles until 2014, according to Nielsen SoundScan. As of 2022, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified over 54.2 million records, of which 17.5 million units came from her albums. While ''Christina Aguilera'' (1999) is certified RIAA certification, eight times platinum, it was listed as one of the best-selling in the country. In 2013, Aguilera's sales reached 9.4 million records in the United Kingdom, according to the Official Charts Company. ''Stripped'' (2002) was also recognized as one of the few to surpass 2 million copies sold, becoming one of the List of best-selling albums of the 21st century in the United Kingdom, best-selling albums of the 21st century in the country. Her collaboration with Maroon 5, "Moves Like Jagger", also was ranked among the List of best-selling singles in Australia, best-selling singles in Australia, List of best-selling singles in Canada, Canada, List of best-selling singles in South Korea, South Korea, the List of best-selling singles in the United Kingdom, United Kingdom, and the List of best-selling singles in the United States, United States, as well one of the List of best-selling singles#Best-selling digital singles, best-selling digital singles with over 14.4 million units. Elected as top female artist in 2000 and 2003, Aguilera was classified as the twentieth most prosperous artists of the 2000s, according ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard''. She was also listed as one of the most successful singers of the decade on Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200, Billboard Hot 100, Hot 100, and Mainstream Top 40 charts—whose she also was ranked among the greatest of all time. With a total of 10 Dance Club Songs chart-toppers, Aguilera became the thirty-fifth most successful artist in the chart history. In 2009, she was recognized as the second best-selling solo artist on ''Billboard'', and she was also the fourth female artist to top the Hot 100 chart over three consecutive decades. ''Mi Reflejo'' (2000) also remains as one of the Billboard Top Latin Albums#Top 20 Albums with Most Weeks at Number-One, longest albums to chart at number one on Billboard Top Latin Albums, Top Latin Albums. Aguilera had earned over US$113.8 million from tickets sales of her concert tours throughout her career. In 2020, she was classified among the top female artists of the 21st century in the concert, concert industry, having sold more than 1.8 million tickets for her performances, according ''Pollstar''. Her largest audience concert was held during Mawazine Festival, in Morocco, attracting 250,000 people which eventually became the record in the event's history.Other activities
Business ventures
Outside of her projects in the music industry, Aguilera has developed, endorsed, and invested in numerous brands, including Sears, Levi's (both in 2000), Skechers (2003), Mercedes-Benz, Virgin Mobile (both in 2004), Pepsi, Orange UK, Sony Ericsson (both in 2006), Oreo (2017), SweeTarts (2021), and Xeomin (2023). In 2001, she signed with Coca-Cola to star in a series of television commercials in a deal reported to worth up £50 million. Furthermore, Aguilera inspired a clothing line by Versace in 2003, starring as a model in its advertising campaign; likewise, in 2008, she influenced and appeared in a campaign to promote a collection of sterling silver pieces designed by Stephen Webster. In 2004, it was reported that she earned over £200,000 pounds to open a summer sale at London's department store Harrods. Following the birth of her son, Max, in 2008, Aguilera was paid $1.5 million to submit her baby pictures to ''People (magazine), People'' magazine, which became the List of most expensive celebrity photographs, ninth most expensive celebrity baby photograph ever taken. In 2016, it was reported that Aguilera was an investor of multiple companies, including Pinterest, DraftKings, Lyft and MasterClass — for which she also developed two singing classes, "Christina Aguilera Teaches Singing" (2016), and "Elevate Your Singing and Stage Presence" (2022). Outside of endorsements, Aguilera has also produced and developed her own products. In 2007, she introduced her perfume brand, Christina Aguilera Fragrances, which operated under Procter & Gamble (P&G), which is maintained with annual releases since then; in addition to being awarded numerous times at the FiFi Awards by The Fragrance Foundation, her fragrances ranked among the United Kingdom's best-sellers in 2007 and 2009. The brand was acquired by Elizabeth Arden, Inc., where it was estimated that the brand had $80 million in sales and $10 million in earnings in January 2016. In 2011, she unveiled her first clothing line at São Paulo Fashion Week, which was commercialized at the Brazilian department store C&A. In 2016, Aguilera and her fiancé, Matthew Rutler, founded their own production company, MX Productions, developing with Lionsgate the music competition program ''Tracks'' (2016), which aired on Spike TV. In 2023, Aguilera was announced as the co-founder and chief brand advisor of sexual wellness brand, Playground.Philanthropy and activism
Referred to as a humanitarian, Aguilera has done philanthropic works during her career. In 2003, she visited the Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh and provided a donation over $200,000 in support for victims of domestic violence. In addition to starred in television advertsings on the Lifetime (TV network), Lifetime network calling for the end of violence against women in 2007, she partnered with Verizon in a campaign to awareness about violence domestic in 2015. She later destined proceeds from the Christina Aguilera: The Xperience (2019–2020) residency to The Shade Tree, a women and children's center in Las Vegas, Nevada. In October 2019, Aguilera efforts against domestic violence earned her the The Shade Tree#History, Bonnie Polley Community Hero Award.
In 2009, Aguilera became the global spokesperson for the World Food Program, a branch of the United Nations (UN). She visited countries with high rates of malnutrions, including Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti and Rwanda. As of 2013, it was reported she helped raise over $148 million to the organization and other hunger relief agencies in 45 countries. Aguilera's efforts eventually earned her the Muhammad Ali Center, Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards and World Hunger Relief#History, George McGovern Leadership Awards—which she received in the White House from the former United States Secretary of State, Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Her other philanthropy initiatives included donations of her wedding gifts to charities in support of families affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and concerts to urges donations to the American Red Cross due Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
In 2010, Aguilera auctioned tickets to her concerts through Christie's, earmaking the proceeds to non-profit environmental organizations, including Conservation International and the Natural Resources Defense Council. In response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, she auctioned off a Chrysler 300 and destined proceeds to support disaster victims and their families. Additionally, Aguilera appeared on the ''Hope for Haiti Now'' telethon, whose donations directly benefited Oxfam America, Partners In Health, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and UNICEF. She also was praised by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for signed an open letter destined to Government of South Korea appealing to the ban of consumption of dogs and cats, and for using fake fox fur in concerts costumes.
As a LGBT rights activist, Aguilera was lauded for called out myths around HIV/AIDS, in addition to awares about the virus and raising funds for the Mac AIDS Fund and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. In 2008, she advocated for same-sex marriage and spoke out against 2008 California Proposition 8, Proposition 8. During an interview with MTV News, she stated "Why would you put so much money behind something [aimed at] stopping people from loving each other? I just don't understand it". In June 2016, Aguilera release single "Change (Christina Aguilera song), Change", which was aimed to raise proceeds to the victim's families and survivors of the Orlando nightclub shooting. During The X Tour (Christina Aguilera), The X Tour (2019), Aguilera visited Russia and "blessed" a gay marriage proposal in the backstage, contraring the LGBT rights in Russia, country's laws against "gay propaganda".
Personal life
Aguilera met dancer Jorge Santos backstage, while filming one of her music videos in 2000 and dated him until 2001. She began dating music executive Jordan Bratman in late 2002. Their engagement was announced in February 2005. On November 19, 2005, they married in a private ceremony on an estate in Napa County, California, during a Jewish wedding, traditional Jewish ceremony. Aguilera wore a flamenco-style wedding dress by Christian Lacroix and they exchanged wedding bands designed by jeweller Stephen Webster. She gave birth to their son, Max, on January 12, 2008. In September 2010, it was reported the couple had separated. She filed for divorce on October 14, 2010, which was finalized in April 2011, and included joint custody of their son. In November 2010, Aguilera began dating production assistant Matthew Rutler, whom she met while filming the musical ''Burlesque (2010 American film), Burlesque''. Aguilera was arrested for public intoxication in March 2011, while Rutler was booked for driving under the influence. However, the charges were dropped against Rutler the following month. In 2014, they became engaged on Valentine's Day. Later that year, Aguilera gave birth to their daughter, Summer Rain, on August 16. Aguilera was raised Catholic, although she was learning about Judaism in the mid 2000s. In 2022, she opened up about depression (mood), depression and anxiety, stating "I experienced a lot of trauma in my childhood [...] I've definitely had struggles in the past with depression and anxiety. It's a constant battle to overcome a mind that is anxious, a mind that is always second-guessing". Aguilera has also been sharing about insecurity and struggling with body image early in her career. In 2007, Aguilera purchased a Mediterranean Revival architecture, Mediterranean-style mansion in Beverly Hills for $11.5 million, which she sold for $13.5 million in March 2013. Shortly afterwards, she acquired a house in the Mulholland Estates' private enclave, at the Santa Monica Mountains, for $10 million and currently resides with her family. In January 2008, she was ranked 19th on ''Forbes (magazine), Forbes'' list of Top-Earning Women in Music of 2007 with earnings of $20 million. The previous year, she was also included on their list of richest women in entertainment industry, with an estimated net worth of $60 million. In August 2022, Aguilera's net worth was reported to be $160 million.Discography
Studio albums * ''Christina Aguilera (album), Christina Aguilera'' (1999) * (2000) * ''My Kind of Christmas'' (2000) * ''Stripped (Christina Aguilera album), Stripped'' (2002) * ''Back to Basics (Christina Aguilera album), Back to Basics'' (2006) * ''Bionic (Christina Aguilera album), Bionic'' (2010) * ''Lotus (Christina Aguilera album), Lotus'' (2012) * ''Liberation (Christina Aguilera album), Liberation'' (2018) * ''Aguilera (album), Aguilera'' (2022)Filmography
* ''Burlesque (2010 American film), Burlesque'' (2010) * ''The Emoji Movie'' (2017) * ''Zoe (film), Zoe'' (2018)Tours and residencies
Headlining tours * Christina Aguilera in Concert (2000–2001) * The Stripped Tour (2003) * Back to Basics Tour (2006–2008) * The Liberation Tour (Christina Aguilera tour), The Liberation Tour (2018) * The X Tour (Christina Aguilera), The X Tour (2019) Co-headlining tours * The Justified & Stripped Tour (with Justin Timberlake) (2003) Residencies * Christina Aguilera: The Xperience (2019–2020) Promotional tours * EU / UK Summer Series (2022)See also
* Honorific nicknames in popular music * List of best-selling music artists * List of best-selling female music artists * List of artists who reached number one in the United States * List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart * List of highest paid American television starsReferences
Sources
* * * * * * * * * * *Further reading
*External links
* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Aguilera, Christina Christina Aguilera, 1980 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singer-songwriters 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American singer-songwriters Activists from New York City Actresses from Los Angeles Actresses from New York City Actresses from Pittsburgh Ambassadors of supra-national bodies American child actresses American child singers American contemporary R&B singers American dance musicians 21st-century American dancers American expatriates in Japan American female dancers American feminists American film actresses American Latin pop singers American LGBT rights activists American people of Ecuadorian descent American philanthropists American sopranos American soul singers American television actresses American voice actresses American women pop singers American women record producers American women singer-songwriters Businesspeople from Los Angeles Businesspeople from New York City Businesspeople from Pittsburgh Child pop musicians Dance-pop musicians Dancers from New York (state) Feminist musicians Grammy Award winners Hispanic and Latino American actresses Hispanic and Latino American feminists Hispanic and Latino American women singers HIV/AIDS activists Judges in American reality television series Latin Grammy Award winners Mouseketeers MTV Europe Music Award winners Music video codirectors Singers from Pittsburgh People from Rochester, Pennsylvania Musicians from Staten Island RCA Records artists Record producers from Los Angeles Record producers from New York (state) Record producers from Pennsylvania Sex-positive feminists Singers from Los Angeles Singers from New York City Singers with a four-octave vocal range Singer-songwriters from California Singer-songwriters from New York (state) Singer-songwriters from Pennsylvania Sony BMG artists Sony Music Latin artists Spanish-language singers of the United States Television personalities from California Television personalities from New York City Television personalities from Pittsburgh Women in Latin music World Food Programme people World Music Awards winners