Biography
After Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera was the most popular female singer of the
late-'90s teen pop revival. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Aguilera was a technically skilled singer with a genuinely powerful voice, belting out her uptempo dance numbers and ballads with a diva's panache. Born Christina Maria Aguilera on December 18, 1980, on Staten Island, her parents were of Irish and Ecuadorian stock and her father's military career meant the family moved quite a bit during her childhood. They eventually settled in Pittsburgh, PA, where Aguilera began performing in talent shows at age six, with considerable success. She appeared on Star Search in 1988 (though she didn't win) and in 1992 joined the cast of the Disney Channel's The New Mickey Mouse Club, which also included Spears, future *NSYNC members Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez, and Felicity star Keri Russell.
After two years, Aguilera moved to Japan, where she recorded the hit duet "All I Wanna Do" with pop star Keizo Nakanishi. Returning to the U.S. in 1998, Aguilera recorded the song "Reflection" for Disney's Mulan; her performance helped earn her a record deal with RCA. Her self-titled debut album was released in the summer of 1999, and with teen-oriented dance-pop all the rage, the lead single "Genie in a Bottle" shot to the top of the charts for five weeks; the album also hit number one on its way to sales of over eight million copies in the U.S. alone. The follow-up, "What a Girl Wants," was the first number one single of the year 2000 and Aguilera consolidated her near-instant stardom by performing at the White House Christmas gala and the Super Bowl halftime show, and winning a Grammy for Best New Artist. Further hits followed in "I Turn to You" and another number one, "Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You)."
In September 2000, seeking a place in that year's Latin pop boom, the part-Ecuadorian Aguilera recorded a Spanish-language album called Mi Reflejo, learning the lyrics phonetically since she didn't speak Spanish. It was followed quickly by the holiday album My Kind of Christmas; both sold extremely well, a testament to Aguilera's popularity. In the spring of 2001, Aguilera was featured -- along with Pink, Mya, and Lil' Kim -- on the chart-topping blockbuster remake of Patti LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade" featured on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. Aguilera was by now a fixture at music industry awards shows; as she enjoyed her celebrity, a collection of old demos -- recorded when she was 14 and 15 -- was released under the title Just Be Free, despite Aguilera's vehement objections.
Aguilera attempted to deter the mass media's expectations when she issued her second studio album in fall 2002. Stripped, which appeared in October on RCA, was quickly criticized for its adult yet confident approach. Aguilera's look had gone from glossy to gritty. She appeared topless on the cover of the album and went nude for a fall issue of Rolling Stone. Debut single "Dirrty" revealed her new sexual power and became a chart smash, while "Beautiful" showed her softer side. For her next record, however, Aguilera split from producer Scott Storch and went to work with DJ Premier and Linda Perry, among others, for the 2006 Back to Basics, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The album, a two-disc set that explored her influences, mainly '20s, '30s, and '40s jazz and blues in the style of Etta James or Billie Holiday, portrayed a more mature, yet at the same time provocative, singer.
Dicography
::Christina Aguilera::
1. Genie In A Bottle
2. What A Girl Wants
3. I Turn To You
4. So Emotional
5. Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)
6. Reflection
7. Love For All Seasons
8. Somebody's Somebody
9. When You Put Your Hands On Me
10. Blessed
11. Love Will Find A Way
12. Obvious
::Christina Aguilera - Special Edition::
DISC 1
1. Genie In A Bottle
2. What A Girl Wants
3. I Turn To You
4. So Emotional
5. Come On Over (All I Want Is You)
6. Reflection
7. Love For All Seasons
8. Somebody's Somebody
9. When You Put Your Hands On Me
10. Blessed
11. Love Will Find A Way
12. Obvious
DISC 2
1. Genie In A Bottle (Flavio vs. Mad Boris Remix)
2. What A Girl Wants (Eddie Arroyo Dance Radio Edit)
3. I Turn To You (Thunderpuss Remix)
4. Genio Atrapado (Re-Mix)
5. Don't Make Me Love You
6. Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You) (Radio Version)
::Mi Reflejo::
1. Genio Atrapado [Genie In A Bottle]
2. Falsas Esperanzas
3. El Beso Del Final
4. Pero Me Acuerdo De Tí
5. Ven Conmigo (Solamente Tú) [Come On Over]
6. Si No Te Hubiera Conocido (with Luis Fonsi)
7. Contigo En La Distancia
8. Cuando No Es Contigo
9. Por Siempre Tú [I Turn To You]
10. Una Mujer [What A Girl Wants]
11. Mi Reflejo [Reflection]
::My Kind of Christmas::
1. Christmas Time
2. This Year
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
4. Angels We Have Heard On High
5. Merry Christmas, Baby (featuring Dr. John)
6. Oh Holy Night
7. These Are The Special Times
8. This Christmas
9. The Christmas Song
10. Xtina's Xmas
11. The Christmas Song (Holiday Remix)
::Just Be Free::
Unofficial album
1. Just Be Free
2. By Your Side
3. Move It (Dance Mix)
4. Our Day Will Come
5. Believe Me
6. Make Me Happy
7. Dream A Dream
8. Move It
9. The Way You Talk To Me
10. Running Out Of Time
11. Believe Me (Dance Mix)
12. Just Be Free (Spanish)
::Stripped::
1. Stripped Intro
2. Can't Hold Us Down (featuring Lil' Kim)
3. Walk Away
4. Fighter
5. Primer Amor Interlude
6. Infatuation
7. Loves Embrace Interlude
8. Loving Me 4 Me
9. Impossible
10. Underappreciated
11. Beautiful
12. Make Over
13. Cruz
14. Soar
15. Get Mine, Get Yours
16. Dirrty (featuring Redman)
17. Stripped Pt. 2
18. The Voice Within
19. I'm OK
20. Keep On Singin' My Song
::Back To Basics::
DISC 1
1. Intro (Back To Basics)
2. Makes Me Wanna Pray featuring Steve Winwood
3. Back In The Day
4. Ain't No Other Man
5. Understand
6. Slow Down Baby
7. Oh Mother
8. F.U.S.S. (Interlude)
9. On Our Way
10. Without You
11. Still Dirrty
12. Here To Stay
13. Thank You (Dedication To Fans...)
DISC 2
14. Enter The Circus
15. Welcome
16. Candyman
17. Nasty Naughty Boy
18. I Got Trouble
19. Hurt
20. Mercy On Me
21. Save Me From Myself
22. The Right Man
23. Back To Basics (Bonus Video)
Awards
2007 Grammy Awards
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
2006 MTV Europe Music Award
Best Female
2004 MTV Asia Award
Favorite Female Artist
2003 MTV Europe Music Awards
Best Female
2003 Grammy Awards
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: 'Beautiful'
2001 Grammy Award
Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals: 'Lady Marmalade'
2001 Latin Grammy Award
Best Female Pop Vocal Album: 'Mi Reflejo'
2001 MTV Video Music Award
Best Video of the Year: 'Lady Marmalade'
2001 MTV Video Music Award
Best Video from a Film: 'Lady Marmalade'
2001 BMI Award
'What a Girl Wants'
2001 World Music Award
World's Best-Selling Latin Female Artist: Christina Aguilera
2001 Blockbuster Award
Favorite Female Artist of the Year: Christina Aguilera
2001 Blockbuster Award
Favorite Latin Album of the Year: 'Mi Reflejo'
2001 Billboard Latin Music Award
Best Pop Album of the Year, Female: 'Mi Reflejo'
2001 Billboard Latin Music Award
Best Pop Album of the Year, New Artist: 'Mi Reflejo'
2000 BMI Award
'Genie In A Bottle'
2000 Billboard Music Award
Female Artist of the Year: Christina Aguilera
2000 Starlight Award
Outstanding Humanitarian Contribution: Christina Aguilera
2000 ALMA Award
Best New Artist: Christina Aguilera
2000 Grammy Award
Best New Artist: Christina Aguilera
2000 Blockbuster Award
Favorite New Female Artist: Christina Aguilera
2000 Blockbuster Award
Favorite Single: 'Genie in a Bottle'
1999 Grammy Award
Best New Artist
Commercials
* 2000 *
Sears
Levis
Fetish Make-up/Perfume by Christina Aguilera
* 2001 *
Coca Cola
* 2002 *
Motorola Phones
* 2003 *
NBA Love It Live
Versace
Skechers
* 2004 *
Skechers
MAC Viva Glam Lipstick
Virgin Mobile Phones
Mercedes Benz A-Class
Xpose Perfume by Christina Aguilera
* 2005 *
Verizon V-Cast
ALDO Accessories
* 2006 *
Pepsi
Sony Ericsson & Orange Walkman
Verizon Wireless' Chocolate by LG
Shure Wireless Microphones
LR Health & Beauty Parfum
* 2007 *
Procter & Gamble Prestige Products
Coca Cola f. Michael Alexander
Vocal abbilaties
Voice type: Spinto Soprano
Highest note: C7 ("The Christmas Song")
Lowest note: E3 ("Walk Away")
Vocal range: 3.6 octaves (E3-C7)
Longest note: 20 seconds
Highest note in chest voice: E5 ("Keep on Singing My Song")