Christina Aguilera has been in the public eye for a long time, first getting her big break thanks to Disney’s animated film, Mulan, and later coming onto everyone’s radar with her hit single, “Genie in a Bottle.” From this moment, when she was only aged 19, there has been no stopping her. She’s a celebrity who has managed to withstand the test of time, and after working in an industry as fickle as the entertainment industry, and to still be making headlines almost 20 years later is perhaps a testament to Aguilera’s talent. There is no disputing she’s a supremely talented singer, but there is so much more to her than her vocals and her ability to entertain.
Aguilera’s private life is extremely interesting; From growing up in multiple different states, and even different countries, to rubbing shoulders with Ryan Gosling and Britney Spears in her teens. And then doing something truly remarkable at her wedding to Jordan Bratman; Aguilera is a woman who is both a force to be reckoned with and a role model. Below are 26 things about Christina Aguilera that even her super fans have probably forgotten, from fascinating comments made in old interviews, to things that she’s done.
26 She’s Close Friends With Nicole Richie
Christina Aguilera has met a lot of famous people in her lifetime, but one that she seems to have really connected with is Nicole Richie (the same woman who was once best friends with Paris Hilton and even starred on a reality TV show with her called The Simple Life).
Actually, Richie and Aguilera are so close that when she was going through her divorce from Jordan Bratman in 2010, she leaned on her friend for support.
Commenting on the painful process with Redbook Magazine, Aguilera said, “Thankfully, I have my mom and a small group of close friends who are there for me 24/7 and whom I can trust and depend on. On days when it feels impossible to even get out of bed, much less function as a mother, their support and encouragement have kept me moving forward."
Redbook Magazine also noted that Richie was among this close group of friends and she too made comments to the publication, praising Aguilera for her strength. Richie said, "It's very clear through Christina's music what a strong woman she is. But to watch her as a mother only skyrockets the respect I have for her. She is the woman who's recording until 4 a.m. and up at 7 to be with her son. Her dedication to Max is incredible."
25 Her Difficult Childhood Made Her More Passionate About Her Music
When you think of Christina Aguilera the pop star, you may think she has it all; more money than most people could ever hope to make in a lifetime, a close group of friends, and a successful career (which comes with the love and adoration of millions). But her life was not always this perfect, and she suffered a lot to get where she is today.
Aguilera had a tough childhood, but it actually inspired her to follow her dreams of becoming a singer. She revealed on E! (via Daily Mail), “I turned to singing as an outlet. The pain at home is where my love for music came from.”
She told Rolling Stone in an early interview in 2000, "Music was my release to get away from it all. I would seriously run up to my bedroom and put on that Sound of Music tape. [Julie Andrews] was free and alive, and she was playful and rebellious against the nuns. I know it sounds really cheesy, but that was my escape. I would open up my bedroom window, and I would just imagine the audience. I would just sing out.” But she also touched on the subject in an interview with ABC News, and when asked about what she aspired to be when she was a child, she replied by saying, “As a child I knew I wanted to make music, to perform, and to move people with music. It was an escape for me growing up and I wanted to provide that escape for others.”
24 She Was Initially Not A Fan Of Lady Gaga
Christina Aguilera and Lady Gaga both have a serious set of pipes on them, and it makes sense that they would decide to do a duet together, seeing as they are both supremely talented. They did this when they collaborated on the track "Do What U Want," (Aguilera replaced R. Kelly in the live performance) which they performed on a finale of The Voice US, at the end of 2014.
Speaking of her decision to do the duet with Aguilera, Gaga told Us Magazine (via Rolling Stone), "I was really excited because The Voice called and said they wanted me to perform on the finale, and I obviously can't refuse such an amazing show. And I said I want to know if Christina wants to do it with me."
It seems that these two now have a lot of respect for each other, but that wasn’t always the case because there was a point when Aguilera threw shade at Gaga.
Vulture notes that after being compared to Gaga, Aguilera snapped and stated, “This person was just brought to my attention not too long ago. I'm not quite sure who this person is, to be honest. I don't know if it is a man or a woman."
23 She's Lived In Many Different Places, Including Japan
Christina Aguilera’s father, Fausto Aguilera, was in the Army and became a sergeant, and because of his position, they were often stationed in different cities and even different countries, one of these countries was Japan — she moved a lot before her parents ended their relationship when she was aged seven, Rolling Stone reports.
Aguilera mentioned her time in Japan in an interview with Rolling Stone, telling a story of what her mom did while there, but also addressing her need to always be in the spotlight. She said, "When my family lived in Japan, my mom taught English to this one guy who brought over his paintings. He spread them on the floor and, just to steal the attention away, I started playing hopscotch all over them. I'm just like that."
Japan was also a country that opened a lot of doors for Aguilera because while there she reportedly recorded the hit single "All I Wanna Do" with Japanese pop icon Keizo Nakanishi, Biography reports. And even in her adulthood, it’s still a place that leaves her feeling inspired, as she revealed in an interview with Pacific Rim Press (via OhNoTheyDidn't!). She said, "I'm going on vacation next week with my son, first time in Japan, which is such an inspirational place for me [to] get re-inspired, rejuvenated for what's to come... I can't say everything!"
22 When Her Song Came On At Prom, People Weren't Loving It
Imagine the feeling of attending prom and the DJ plays your song, that must be pretty incredible right? Well, in Christina Aguilera’s case that couldn’t be further from the truth because when her hit track “Genie in a Bottle” was released in 1999, it had a lot of haters, or rather, she did.
When Aguilera was aged 18, she attended her boyfriend’s suburban Pittsburgh high school prom, and when she arrived the other girls were not happy to see her.
According to People, they just glared at the singer, and when her song came on, they left the dance floor.
She said, “It was kind of sad. All I want to do is be normal. But really, it’s other people who won’t let me be that way.”
This incident also brought up some painful old memories from her own high school days, and she reportedly had to leave Marshall Middle School because her classmates’ jealousy made school unbearable for her. Speaking of this time, she reflected on it, telling People, “If I were to go back now, I’d get a little more love. I don’t know how sincere the love would be, though.” Then again, why would she even need the admiration of her former peers when she has the admiration of so many strangers?!
21 She Donated Her Wedding Gifts To Hurricane Victims
Christina Aguilera married music producer Jordan Bratman in 2005, and for a time they seemed to be incredibly happy. For their wedding, it was a no-expense-spared event with a winter wonderland theme, which was held at a Napa Valley estate. The couple married surrounded by white roses and crystals, as well as a number of famous guests, including Sharon Stone, according to E! News. Plus, the singer’s dress alone (which was designed by Christian Lacroix) reportedly cost $80,000.
The other thing about their wedding that is worth mentioning is what they did with their gifts, and instead of creating a guest list, they asked their guests to donate to hurricane relief charities to help those affected from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita (which both happened the same year of their wedding). According to UPI, the request was included in their wedding invitations, with a card that read, "While we celebrate the richness of life and all the circumstances that have blessed us in career and love, we are mindful of those who are suffering greatly as a result of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The best gift you could give us is a donation to any of the organizations helping the stricken citizens of New Orleans."
20 Red Lipstick Is Not Just Makeup, It's Essential To Her Performance
When you see photos of Christina Aguilera, you will notice she has a signature look with platinum blonde hair, and more often than not, a bold shade of red lipstick. But for the singer her shade of lip color is a lot more than just a makeup product, it’s also a way for her to get into character. She revealed as much in an interview with The New York Times, telling the publication,
"For me, the visual is just as important as the music. I would never record without my red lipstick."
"It was my way of getting into character, sort of like Method singing."
She also commented on her love of red lipstick in an interview with Daily Mail’s MailOnline, saying, “Red lips are my must-have. Red makes you feel instantly sexy and radiant. It’s a confidence boost.” She stated that she loves LipSense called Blu Red, but also always uses a lip moisturizer before applying it. She continued, “Some women think that red lips don’t suit them but it’s just a matter of finding the right shade that is best for you. They come in warm and cool tones and so many different shades – the choices are endless!”
19 She Rubbed Shoulders With Ryan Gosling When They Were Kids
Ryan Gosling is one of Hollywood’s biggest heartthrobs, but he and Christina Aguilera have actually known each other since they were kids. The Sun reports that were both aged 13 when they joined The New Mickey Mouse Club in 1993, a place where Rolling Stone notes was a safe haven for Aguilera. It was also great fun, as she told the publication, "It was really great energy. It was great to be around other kids who were as passionate about their careers as I was.”
But in addition to Gosling (who came across from Canada to be in the show), she also rubbed shoulders with Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, J.C. Chasez, and actress Keri Russell, who Aguilera told Rolling Stone, she and Britney, “really looked up to.” She added, “She had the big hair and the tight-fitting clothes that were always cute. She was sixteen and could drive and had the cute sports car. It was cute like that."
The Independent reports that Gosling has also previously commented on his time on the show, saying "I had my hustle. It was whatever I could do to not end up working in a factory. If I had to shake it like a showgirl, I was going to do it."
18 One Of Her First Big Gigs Was On Disney’s 'Mulan' Soundtrack
Christina Aguilera came onto everyone’s radar in the late nineties and early 2000s, and this was largely thanks to her hit song, “Genie in a Bottle,” which was released in 1999, followed up by her self-titled first album. But according to Grammy, even before this song was released, Aguilera was getting attention in the music world thanks to her work on the soundtrack of the animated Disney movie, Mulan. She was chosen to sing the theme song “Reflections,” and according to Rolling Stone, she landed this gig thanks to her manager Steve Kurtz, who sent Disney a memo of her singing a cover of Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Run to You."
You may think that this fame improved Aguilera’s standing among her peers, but it did not.
According to Rolling Stone, when the music video for the song came onto MTV it didn’t help Aguilera’s popularity and she shared how the jealousy affected her in an interview with the publication back in 1999. She said, "Kids didn't know how to deal with seeing their peer on TV. You learn the hard way who your friends are, Plus, my circle of friends was the cheerleader clique, so there was already a lot of back-stabbing. It made me introverted."
17 Before Her Parent's Split, She Was A Military Brat
Earlier on this list, we mentioned that Christina Aguilera lived in many different places when she was a growing up because of her father’s job in the United States Army required them to move. Among the places where her army-sergeant father was stationed in were Japan, but also Texas, and New Jersey. Her parents divorced when she was just seven (she told Rolling Stone her dad didn’t treat her mom well), and her mother, Shelley, moved her daughters, Christina, and her younger sister Rachel, to her mother’s home in the quiet borough of Rochester, Pennsylvania.
But out of all the moves, this was the one that may have been the most significant for Aguilera, at least in the form of her career, because it enabled her to realize her dreams. It was her grandmother, Delcie Fidler, who noticed her talent from early on and Aguilera told Rolling Stone in 2006. "My grandma was the first to realize that singing was something I did all the time, something I loved. For me, my voice and music was always an outlet. Growing up in an unstable environment and whatnot, music was my only real escape." Her grandmother was also the woman who took her to record shops to look for blue and souls artists.
16 Blues Singer Etta James Influenced Her Music
From a young age, Christina Aguilera loved jazz blues music, telling Rolling Stone she would sing covers from artists like Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, Ella Fitzgerald and Pearl Bailey. In 2006, Aguilera released a jazz-inspired album called Back to Basics, which was inspired by her favorite singers but had a more modern take. She told Billboard, “My vision for this record was to go back to old blues, jazz, and soul music, the music that I love and am inspired by wholeheartedly, [and] combine [that] with the visuals of some of the best era, I think, with the throwback to old Hollywood glam…”
But her favorite artist of all time may be Etta James, as she told Marie Claire,
"As a little girl, I loved listening to the blues. My mom and grandmother bought me my first Etta James album and I loved singing her music."
When James passed away in 2012, The Mirror reports that Aguilera was among the many guests who paid tribute to her at her service, which was conducted at Los Angeles's City of Refuge church. Aguilera also performed James’ track “At Last,” and before she belted out the song she told the crowd, "Out of all the singers that I've ever heard, she was the one that cut right to my soul and spoke to me."
15 Christina Likes To Keep A Light On Because She's Afraid Of The Dark
Celebrities may be put on a pedestal by their fans and this often makes people think that they are superhumans, afraid of nothing. But the truth is, celebs are just like the rest of us and they all have their fears, and Christina Aguilera’s is one of the more common fears.
Aguilera may be willing to sing onstage in front of thousands of people without flinching, but that doesn’t mean she is fearless all the time. Something that she’s afraid of is dark, which means that you probably won’t find her in a dark room, sleeping alone, any time soon. According to PopCrush, she said, "In the big picture I'm pretty fearless, but I am afraid of the dark. I sleep with the light on. Or the TV. It's comforting. I wasn't scared of the dark as a child. But as I got older and started spending time in hotel rooms, it was a comfort to keep the TV on so that you felt that you were not so alone."
A lot of people can probably relate to her comments, especially when they are going to bed in a strange place instead of their bed, and the comfort of their own home.
14 She Claims She Got In Trouble With The Cops Because She's A Celeb
Christina Aguilera is a celebrity who has had ups and downs and in 2011, she definitely had her fair share of downs. She was arrested for public intoxication, while her boyfriend Matthew Rutler was taken in for driving under the influence, Daily Mail reports. This happened after a night out in Los Angeles and although the singer was released on bail, according to TMZ, police said, she was “extremely intoxicated” and “unable to take care of herself.”
The arrest was publicly humiliating for Aguilera, and unfortunately for her, it was the most recent of her public blunders.
Earlier in 2011, she was forced to apologize for mixing up the lyrics to the National Anthem during the Super Bowl.
Speaking of her arrest, she later claimed that she felt it was done because she’s a celebrity. She told W magazine (via CBS News), "The police knew my recent history and wanted to jump on the bandwagon. I don't mean to martyr myself, but I think I was a victim of celebrity. I don't drive, I wasn't driving, and I committed no crimes, but they put me in jail. They called me a 'political hot potato.' They said, 'What are we going to do with this woman?' I think they were bored that night."
13 Like Britney Spears, She Also Dated Her Backup Dancer
Britney Spears dated and married her backup dancer Kevin Federline, and it turns out being in The New Mickey Mouse Club is not the only similarity that Christina Aguilera shares with the pop singer, because she has also dated a backup dancer.
According to MTV News, Aguilera and dancer Jorge Santos started dating in 2000. The pair worked together on her tours, and Santos also appeared in her music videos, but their relationship was not meant to be and they ended up splitting in September of 2001. But it was only their romantic relationship that ended because they continued to work together throughout the following year. Her 2002 song, “Infatuation” was actually inspired by Santos, and PopSugar notes that Santos told Belfast Telegraph that the two simply wanted different things. He said, "She brought up marriage. For me, I was 18 and definitely was not ready."
But in 2018, Aguilera revealed something else about her ex-lover, he is allegedly gay. According to iHeartRadio, on the Untucked aftershow she spoke to the Season 10 contestants from RuPaul's Drag Race, and when she was asked about the subject of her song she admitted, "It was heartbreaking because I found out he played for your team, not mine.”
12 She Was The Face Of MAC Cosmetics
When it comes to makeup, Christina Aguilera has a signature look, that doesn’t often change. With this in mind, it makes sense that she would join forces with one of the biggest makeup brands in the world, but she did this not just because they share a love of makeup, but because she wanted to make a difference in the lives of others.
In 2004, Aguilera became one of MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam’s spokespeople (other celebs have included Boy George, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj).
This position is about a lot more than great makeup, and Aguilera voiced her support for MAC AIDS Fund for their 10th anniversary, which according to Billboard, raised more than $500 million through the sale of their Viva Glam Lipstick, and donated the money to help to help fight HIV and Aids. She also wanted to use her celebrity status to spread awareness, and DrDonnica reports she said, "I think this whole topic of AIDS is something that can be taken very lightly in the world today, especially in the younger generation. They think it can't happen to them or that it only happens to a certain stereotype or gender but it's affecting everyone's lives."
11 She's Passionate About Helping Others, Including Spread Awareness For A Good Cause
Earlier it was mentioned that Christina Aguilera lent her face and her voice to help promote MAC AIDS Fund, but she has done a lot more to help spread awareness and fight AIDS. In 2015, Aguilera was among the celebrities (including Cindy Crawford, LL Cool J, and Charlize Theron) who were photographed by fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh for Aldo and YouthAids’ Hear No Evil? See No Evil? Speak No Evil? international campaign, CampaignLive reports. The images were all shot in black and white and featured celebrities with duct tape over their mouth or eyes, or with their hands covering their ears, the latter being how Aguilera was shot.
The ads were marketed to people aged 15 to 24, which the charity reportedly believed were most at risk.
Aguilera is passionate about helping others, and she has worked with the World Food Programme (WFP) and other hunger-relief agencies and has visited impoverished countries to hear their stories. She has also headlined the Hope for Haiti Now Telethon, and according to Redbook Magazine was appointed by the United Nations as an Ambassador Against Hunger.
She may be one of the biggest pop stars in the world, but Aguilera is not caught up in her own celebrity and appears to genuinely care about others.
10 She Made A Bold Move Getting Rid Of Her Clean Image
Christina Aguilera could have taken the same route as Britney Spears, and branded herself with a squeaky-clean image, but that would have been less authentic on her part. Still, her decision to create a more grown-up image was a risk, and it was one that not everyone loved, which is something she realizes.
Aguilera previously spoke to The New York Times, saying, “I knew it was a bold move, and I knew a lot of people would not be ready for it. The great thing is that everyone, whether you loved it or hated it, had an opinion about that song, and everybody talked about it.”
Not everyone loved her appearance and she was sometimes forced to defend her decision.
She told MTV News (via Bustle), “I just get really bored with sticking to the norm and having the proper conservative image."
"Even with certain outfits that I wear, or speaking openly about my past. I'm not going to sit there and lie. Whether you like me or hate me, that's me.” It’s pretty exceptional that she was willing to take the backlash to be true to herself, and that’s one of the reasons Aguilera is so loved by her fans.
9 She’s Made An Impression On Kylie Jenner, Who Channeled Her For Halloween
It may seem like the most unlikely friendship, but this photo of Kylie Jenner and Christina Aguilera says it all! And how it all started is especially interesting; in 2016, Jenner dressed as the singer for her Halloween costume, wearing the same outfit that Aguilera had worn in her “Dirrty” music video, which dates back to 2002. She shared a video of her costume on her Instagram account along with the caption, "Can I be XTINA forever.”
And it seems Aguilera liked the tribute because she reacted by reposting the reality star’s costume, along with a comment praising how accurate it was. According to Harper's Bazaar, she wrote, "YAASSSSS".....Killin it @kyliejenner yes to dirrty 2016!! Get it girrrl!!!” And this moment may have been the moment that sparked their friendship because Jenner wore an Aguilera-inspired costume again in December of 2016, this time when she attended Aguilera’s birthday party.
Why did she dress up again? According to E! News, Jenner revealed this on Snapchat, writing, "When XTINA wants u to dress as XTINA for her bday you do it !!!" Her comments definitely make it seem like Aguilera is impressed with Jenner’s ability to dress up, but the hug in this photo suggests that she also really likes Jenner.
8 She’s Comfortable In Her Own Skin
Christina Aguilera is one of the most beautiful women in the world, and she is incredibly comfortable in her own skin, something which she speaks about because she wants other people to feel the same way. After all, she’s the singer of “Beautiful,” one of the most incredible body confidence anthems. That said, it didn’t happen overnight, as Aguilera revealed in an interview with Elle that “it’s a process” becoming comfortable with who you are.
She continued, "A lot of people are afraid to face themselves, especially when something goes wrong."
"But that's important because if something happens within a relationship, it could be how you're allowing someone else to treat you. So it's important to look at yourself honestly, starting from the ground up, and ask, 'Why did this happen?' 'How do I take responsibility?' And '[Where to] go from here?' If [being confident stems from] a self-esteem issue, it's important to embrace the things you might define as so-called imperfections—because something that you might call an imperfection, someone else might find so amazing and so beautiful. It's all in how you embrace yourself, your faults, and your mistakes in life. There's no better way to learn and become a better person than to go through those moments.”
7 She Loves When Women Support Other Women
Christina Aguilera is an advocate for body confidence and she wants women to know they are beautiful, but she also does her part in supporting other women and is quick to praise strong females. She joined forces with other talented women for the 2001 song, "Lady Marmalade," which was recorded for the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack and featured Pink, Mya, and Lil’ Kim.
Aguilera commented on this song in an interview with Time, saying that if a more current version of the track was made, she would like to see Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj in it, and those were the two women that really came to mind for her. But she also complimented Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj for their work on the song “Bang Bang.” And commented on the importance of women singing together, admitting, “It’s always great to see girls come together — especially in the face of the media sometimes, trying to pit us against each other. It’s never-ending, no matter how young or old you are. Anytime I can encourage girls to get together and actually support each other and encourage risk-taking, I’m all for it. I love it. So yeah, I’m waiting for the next new group of people.”
6 Aguilera's Stepdad Had It Out For Eminem After He Dissed Her
Christina Aguilera’s parents divorced when she was a child, but her mother Shelly Loraine did find love again and married a man named Jim Kearns in 1991. And it seems that Kearns is very protective when it comes to his stepdaughter because he was highly unimpressed when rapper Eminem decided to diss her — Eminem has a habit of putting famous women on blast in his raps, Billboard notes these women include Mariah Carey, Lana Del Rey, and Miley Cyrus, among others.
He did this in his track, “The Real Slim Shady,” and let’s just say he was less than complimentary with the things he said.
This is something Rolling Stone addressed in an interview in 2000, when they asked Aguilera if her mom was upset by the diss.
She replied by saying, “My stepdad was so cute. He was all ready to get on a plane and kick Eminem's [butt]. I was like, "That's OK, Dad, it's all right." It's good to have support like that during those times. You know, it's hard to be in the spotlight. You may be having a rough day already, and you come home and turn on the TV, and then you see [the video with] Eminem with that upset look, sitting between Carson Daly and Fred Durst.”
5 She Has A Habit Of Completely Zoning Out
Christina Aguilera is a woman who lives an incredibly busy life, and she previously told Rolling Stone that her “mind is always thinking.” But she also has a habit of zoning out when she gets caught up in her thoughts, and she revealed, "I'll think about really crazy things, like being on top of that pole up there. Or I'll get a lot of different weird visions. It is my own little world. My life just revolves around giving and giving. So whenever I get those five minutes in a van or limo or wherever, those are special moments to just zone out and think and dream."
Her mother, Shelly Kearns, also revealed that this is not something that only happened when Aguilera became a celebrity, either. In the same interview, Kearns told Rolling Stone, "When she was growing up, we called it zoning out. She literally gets lost in thought and doesn't hear you. This happened from childhood up, especially if there was something she didn't understand. She has ticked us off a lot of times, but she's always done that. In seventh or eighth grade, people would think she was stuck-up because she wouldn't answer them."
4 Growing Up, She Had Visions Of A White Angel
Everyone’s childhood is different; some people have had imaginary friends, other’s don't, some are popular and love to socialize, others prefer to be alone with their imagination and creativity. Christina Aguilera’s childhood was an interesting one because what she saw when she was growing up was visions of a white angel, a sort of guardian looking over her. She told Rolling Stone, "My mom and I were playing hide-and-go-seek one time, and I ran up the stairs. My mom was saying, 'I'm going to get you, I'm going to get you.' All of a sudden I looked up and stopped dead in my tracks. There was this guy, and he was in an all-white outfit, just kind of glowing."
"He had a white beard and was looking down at me calmly, very peacefully."
Given that her parents got divorced when she was only young, and that she’s shared stories about how her father was not an easy man to live with, it doesn’t seem surprising that she would have visions of a figure that protected her and brought her solace. Her mom, Shelley Kearns, was in the interview with Rolling Stone, too, and she recalled how her daughter had told her stories about this angelic figure. She said, "She was a little thing, like three or four, and she'd be staring up at something no one else could see…”
3 She Thinks Burlesque Dancing Is All About Femininity
Christina Aguilera is a woman of many talents and she even tried her hand at acting with the 2010 movie, Burlesque. Why a movie about burlesque? Well, she is a fan of burlesque dancing, which she thinks is all about power and feminism. In an interview with CinemaBlend she commented on how throughout history there have been double standards for men and women when it comes to their physicality, adding, “I could go on and on about this subject and the unfairness of it all, but that’s why I like to, throughout my own creative process and the songs that I’ve put out and the videos that I make and then signing on to this project, any way that I can express myself in ways that will empower women to feel comfortable in their own skin, to feel comfortable in their own bodies – to get on a stage and exude such amazing charisma and energy and feeling good about yourself then I’m all up for it.”
Aguilera is confident in her own skin, and she is passionate about wanting women to embrace who they are, which is what she feels burlesque can do; make them feel confident and empowered, plus learn to love their bodies.
2 People’s Comments Can’t Hold Her Down
Christina Aguilera has accomplished a lot in her life, but she has also overcome difficulties. As mentioned earlier in this list, she has faced jealousy and alienation from her peers, struggled with her father’s treatment towards her mother, and also faced backlash from the public at certain points in her career (namely when she messed up the National Anthem). But she has not crumbled under the weight of these things, rather, Aguilera seems to become stronger.
She is a powerful advocate for body positivity, and a woman’s right to do what she wants with her own body and she can handle the haters. She spoke to Paper magazine about the backlash she received early in her career when she made the bold move to adopt a less clean image, but she looks back at this time with positivity.
She explained, "Madonna had to go through it in her day, and she paved the way for my generation to come up."
"And paying it forward, now a younger generation is coming up and I’m loving what I’m seeing. It’s so incredible."
She also noted the difference between the reaction young artists get now, compared to what she faced in the late nineties and early 2000s.
1 She Intends To Be In The Music Industry For A Long, Long Time
Christina Aguilera has been in the limelight from the time she was a teenager, and although her fans know a lot about her, they don’t know everything -- although this list hopefully gives a nice summary. She knew she wanted to be a singer and a performer from a young age, and recalled the exact moment in an interview with Collider, saying, “I remember watching the Grammys and looking at the performances and crying to my mom, saying how much I wanted to be there. Thank god, cut to years later, I won Best New Artist at the Grammys and performed there…”
Despite having a career that has spanned almost two decades (even longer if you count her time in The New Mickey Mouse Club), Aguilera doesn’t intend to retire quietly and just disappear from the limelight. Rather she intends to be around for a long, long time, and she would be willing to fight to do that.
After her trouble with the law, she told W Magazine (via CBS), "I would never go down without a fight. I still have my eyes on the prize: I want to be that old lady onstage shaking her hips and singing her greatest hits."
References: Redbook Magazine, ABC News, Daily Mail, Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, Vulture, Rolling Stone, Biography, OhNoTheyDidn’t!, People, E! News, UPI, E! Online, New York Times, Daily Mail, The Sun, Rolling Stone, The Independent, Grammy, Rolling Stone, Marie Claire, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, The Mirror, Billboard, PopCrush, Daily Mail, CBS News, iHeart, MTV News, PopSugar, Billboard, MACAIDFund, DrDonnica, CampaignLive, Redbook Magazine, WFP, Bustle, New York Times, Teen Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, E! Online, Elle, Vevo, Time, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, CinemaBlend, Paper, Collider, CBS
