In the
two years from the day that
she burst onto the world
musical landscape, Christina
Aguilera has scored four
#1 smash hit singles, watched
sales of her chart-topping
RCA debut album surpass
the 12 million mark worldwide
(23 million CDs and singles
total sold to date), headlined
the Super Bowl Half-Time
Show, performed for the
President, and to top it
all off, took home two Grammys
including one for Best New
Artist, headlined a mammoth
2000 international tour,
released a Spanish language
album, and a holiday album
of seasonal favorites. Christina
Aguilera continues to provide
evidence that she is the
premier musical voice of
her generation.
Christina first began performing
at age six in school talent
shows and became known as
the 'little girl with a
big voice.' At age eight,
she appeared on the nationally
syndicated 'Star Search,'
using her runner-up winnings
to buy a portable sound
system so she could sing
in the park. By the time
she was 10, Christina was
singing the National Anthem
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
and Penguins. And then,
at twelve, she joined the
ensemble cast of 'The New
Mickey Mouse Club,' appearing
on the Orlando-based show
along with future stars
Britney Spears, J.C. and
Justin of 'N Sync, and Keri
Russell of 'Felicity.' After
two years, the show ended
and Christina got the opportunity
to travel overseas to further
hone her musical skills.
In 1997, Christina performed
in places as far flung as
Tokyo, Japan (where she
released a single with Keizo
Nakanishi called 'All I
Wanna Do') and Brasov, Romania,
but always with her eye
on the same goal. 'I always
wanted to have my own album
recorded and released before
I graduated high sc
hool,' says Christina. She
certainly took quick strides
toward that goal.
In early 1998, after finishing
some demos and shopping
for a record deal, Christina
auditioned to sing 'Reflection'
for Disney's animated film
'Mulan.' The filmmakers
needed someone 'who could
hit a high E above middle
C,' according to Christina,
who then cut a one-take
demo in her living room
singing to a karaoke tape
of Whitney Houston's 'I
Wanna Run To You.' The demo
was rushed to Disney, and
within a day, Christina
was in a Los Angeles studio
recording 'Reflection.'
That same week, RCA Records
signed her to a record contract.
'Mulan' premiered in June
1998, and 'Reflection' turned
into a Top 15 A/C single,
with Christina performing
it live on 'CBS This Morning'
and the 'Donnie & Marie
Show.' 'Working on the 'Mulan'
project was so unbelievable,'
Christina said in June 1998.
'I seriously thought I wouldn't
get the job because the
song was so difficult. It's
so cool to hear your voice
in a theater.' The single
went on to garner a Golden
Globe Nomination for Best
Original Song in a Motion
Picture and Christin
a the attention of some
of the best writers and
producers in the industry.
On her self-titled debut
album for RCA, those writers
and producers helped Christina
showcase her special talents.
'I was thrilled to work
with so many great writers
and producers on my album,"
says Christina. 'What A
Girl Wants' was produced
by Guy Roche (Brandy, Cher,
Dru Hill, Aaliyah, K-Ci
& Jo Jo), 'Genie In
A Bottle' was produced by
ex-System member David Frank
and Steve Kipner, and 'Blessed'
was penned and produced
by Travon Potts (co-writer
of Monica's chart topping
'Angel of Mine'). Meanwhile,
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
('N Sync, Boyzone, Brand
New Heavies) contributed
a pair of tracks, the soul-flavored
'Love For All Seasons' and
the rousing 'Love Will Find
A Way.' Christina is particularly
proud of the album's ballads,
such as the Matthew Wilder-produced
'Reflection,' and 'Obvious'
written by newcomer Heather
Holly, and of course, master
tunesmith Diane Warren's
smash 'I Turn To You.'
Christina Aguilera's breakthrough
year in '99 began with her
first #1 single 'Genie In
A Bottle,' which stayed
atop the charts for five
consecutive weeks and rocketed
the album to #1 upon its
release in August 1999.
The follow-up single 'What
A Girl Wants' reached the
coveted first Billboard
Hot 100 #1 slot of 2000
(the first #1 hit of the
new millenium) and helped
to push the album into platinum
territory many times over
('Come On Over Baby' became
the third #1 from the album
later in 2000).
Among other honors, along
with stars like Jodie Foster
and Aretha Franklin, Christina
was named one of the most
fascinating women of 1999
on the 'Ladies Home Journal'
CBS-TV special earlier this
year. Christina also won
1999's Best New Artist at
this year's ALMA Awards,
the annual event honoring
the best in entertainment
from the Hispanic-American
community. She graced the
covers of many national
magazines, including Entertainment
Weekly, Teen People and
Latina and performed as
a musical guest on 'Saturday
Night Live,' 'The Tonight
Show with Jay Leno,' 'The
Rosie O'Donnell Show,' and
was the only female guest
performer on VHI's 'Men
Strike Back.' She also performed
on other TV specials such
as 'The Essence Awards,'
'Disney Summer Jams,' and
'People Magazines's 25 Hottest
Stars Under 25.'
Other highlights for Christina
over 1999 included a duet
with blues legend BB King
and a solo performance of
'The Christmas Song' for
President Clinton on TNT's
'Christmas at the White
House' TV special. This
led to the President asking
Christina to sing the first
song on his televised Millenium
special from Washington.
Christina had to decline
due to a prior commitment
to perform from Times Square
in New York on MTV's New
Year's Eve broadcast.Christina's
amazing new year of 2000
began with a great duet
performance with Enrique
Iglesias at the Super Bowl
Half Time Show which also
featured Phil Collins and
Toni Braxton.
What made all her commercial
success so much sweeter,
were Christina's two Grammy
nominations for Best New
Artist and Best Female Pop
Vocal performance. In February
2000, Christina's incredible
ride to the top reached
new heights as Sheryl Crow,
Melissa Etheridge and Sara
McLaughlan announced that
the Grammy for Best New
Artist goes to - Christina
Aguilera! 'It was an incredible
shock for me,' Christina
recalls of that amazing
night. 'I was completely
unprepared. My album had
been out the least amount
of time compared to everyone
else, so I thought there
was no way I'd win. But
I was overwhelmed, shocked
and overjoyed all at the
same time.'
As for her national summer
2000 tour, co-sponsored
by Sears and Levi's, Christina
was equally enthusiastic.
'It was exciting to take
my full band and my dancers
out on the road,' she says,
'and giving the show an
edgy, theatrical vibe. I
was in on all the creative
aspects of planning the
show, of covering new ground,
doing more blues, soul,
and some spectacular choreography.'
Christina recorded a Spanish
language album 'Mi Reflejo'
released in fall 2000 and
a seasonal album ready in
time for the holidays. Said
Christina, 'I've always
been proud of my Ecuadoran
heritage. Recording a Spanish
album and working with a
great producer like Rudy
Perez, gave me a chance
to explore my Latin side.'
As for the Christmas album,
Christina was excited about
performing with a 70-piece
orchestra and the opportunity
to record both new and traditional
holiday tracks. 'I did a
duet with Dr. John on 'Merry
Christmas Baby,' she notes,
'and several new pop Christmas
songs with a real R&B
edge.'
In March 2001, Christina
collaborated with Ricky
Martin on 'Nobody Wants
To Be Lonely' that peaked
at number 11 on Billboard
charts, and became a worldwide
international hit.
Christina also proved that
she can work with other
divas, as she did in the
remake of 'Lady Marmalade,'
from the 'Moulin Rouge'
soundtrack which spent five
weeks at #1. Teamed with
Pink, Mya and Lil' Kim,
their video took home the
2001 MTV Video Award for
'Best Video of the Year'
(among many awards the record
received). She also appeared
on the All-Star Tribute
remake of Marvin Gaye's
'What's Going On?,' with
a star-studded cast including
Bono and Nelly Furtado.
She capped off an amazing
2001 by winning her second
Grammy for Best Female Pop
Vocal Album for 'Mi Reflejo.'
Billboard Magazine recently
wrote about her great prospects
for a long future:
'Christina Aguilera's much
anticipated sophomore album
is likely to be a hit with
the critics and crowds alike.
Boasting an edgier sound
and self-written lyrics,
this CD should end comparisons
between Aguilera and bubblegum
queen Britney Spears.
It's been two years since
the release of Aguilera's
self-titled debut disc -
which was home to #1 hits
like 'Genie In A Bottle,'
'What A Girl Wants' and
'Come On Over Baby.' This
former Mousketeer has risen
to a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum
pop powerhouse.
In the time since her entrance
into the music world, Aguilera
has proven successful in
both the English and Latin
fields. Aguilera has worked
with some of the biggest
names in the industry including
BB King, Brian McKnight,
Sting, Ricky Martin and
most recently Pink, Mya
and Lil Kim on their #1
smash 'Lady Marmalade.'
Not bad for a 20-year old.
The outlook is very good
for her newest record. She
has expanded her horizons
musically and gained new
and excited fans. There's
nowhere for this young and
talented beauty to go except
up.'
With fans ranging beyond
the teen market, Christina
has shown that this 'Genie
in a Bottle' has been released
- and is soaring.
'This (new) record is extremely
personal,' Christina recently
told Time magazine. 'It's
so personal that I feel
like people from my past
will say 'Oh my God, she's
singing this to me.' I have
a lot of things to say and
a lot of things to let out
of me. I feel like I was
very confined in that first
record to be very pop-driven.
I want to be a poet and
have a chance to explore
that and let people know
what's really on my mind.'
Over all, Christina Aguilera
is as overwhelmed as she
is thrilled by her enormous
success, but she remains
reflective and grateful.
'It's been quite a roller-coaster
ride,' she laughs, 'But
I think I've grown and learned
a lot about myself. In this
business, it's often all
about hype, record sales,
and a crazy schedule of
traveling, performances,
and it can be easy to get
lost in all that. But for
me, the greatest thing is
being able to interact with
fans and touch peoples'
lives. I know that's a greater
accomplishment than selling
records. For that I give
thanks. I simply love the
job I'm doing.'