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Christina Aquilera
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Christina María Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American pop/R&B
singer, songwriter, and record producer. After appearing on local talent
shows and the Disney Channel's The New Mickey Mouse Club, she was signed to
RCA Records after recording "Reflection" for the film Mulan. She came to
prominence following her debut album Christina Aguilera (1999), which was a
commercial success spawning three number one singles on the Billboard Hot
100. A Latin pop album, Mi Reflejo (2001), and several collaborations
followed which garnered Aguilera worldwide success, but she was displeased
with the lack of input in her music and image.
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After parting from her management, Aguilera took creative control over her
second studio album Stripped (2002),which received mixed reviews and
produced substantial sales. The second single, "Beautiful", was a commercial
success and sustained the album's sales amidst controversy over Aguilera's
sexual image. Aguilera's third studio album Back to Basics (2006), included
elements of soul, jazz, and blues music, and was released to positive
critical reception. She will release her greatest hits album, Keeps Gettin'
Better - A Decade of Hits scheduled for release on November 11, 2008.
Aguilera is currently in the studio working on her forthcoming album. Aside
from being known for her vocal ability, music videos and ever-changing
image, musically, she includes themes of dealing with public scrutiny, her
childhood, and female empowerment. Apart from her work in music Aguilera has
also dedicated much of her time as a philanthropist for local charities,
human rights and world issues. Aguilera's work has earned her numerous
awards including five Grammy Awards amongst eighteen nominations. She has
become one of the most successful recording artists of the decade, racking
up sales of more than 37 million albums worldwide.
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Music career
Early life and career
Aguilera was born in Staten Island, New York, to Fausto Wagner Xavier
Aguilera, a Sergeant in the U.S. Army at the time and Shelly Loraine Fidler,
a teacher of Spanish language. Aguilera's father was born in Guayaquil,
Ecuador, while her mother is of Irish descent (Christina's maternal
grandmother emigrated from County Clare.) Her father, Fausto, was stationed
at Earnest Harmon Air Force Base in Stephenville, Newfoundland, Canada and
Japan. Aguilera lived with her father and mother until she was seven years
old. When Aguilera's parents divorced, her mother took her, and her younger
sister Rachel, to her grandmother's home in Rochester, Pennsylvania, a
suburb outside of Pittsburgh. According to both Aguilera and Fidler, her
father was very controlling, as well as physically and emotionally abusive.
She later wrote about her difficult childhood in the songs "I'm OK" in
Stripped, and "Oh Mother" in Back to Basics. Although her father has written
to Aguilera, she has ruled out any chance to reunite with him. Since then,
Fidler has married a paramedic named Jim Kearns, and changed her name.
As a child, Aguilera aspired to be a singer. She was known locally as "the
little girl with the big voice," singing in local talent shows and
competitions. According to VH1's Driven, whenever competitors learned they
would be up against her in any given week, they would immediately withdraw,
prompting insiders to claim it was "like sending a lamb to the slaughter."
Her peers soon became jealous of her and would frequently subject her to
ridicule, ostracism, and, in one gym class, attempted assault. Acts of
vandalism around her house included the slashing of the tires on the family
car. Eventually, the family relocated to another suburb in the Pittsburgh
area (this time, Wexford) and took to secrecy about Aguilera's talent lest
another backlash occur.
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On March 15, 1990, she appeared on Star Search singing Etta James' "A Sunday
Kind of Love", but lost the competition. Soon after losing on Star Search,
she returned home and appeared on Pittsburgh's KDKA-TV's Wake Up with Larry
Richert to perform the same song. People remarked that the then ten-year-old
"sounded 20."
Throughout her youth in Pittsburgh, Aguilera sang "The Star-Spangled Banner"
before Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, Pittsburgh Steelers football and
Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games. Her first major role in entertainment
came in 1993 when she joined the Disney Channel's variety show The New
Mickey Mouse Club. Her co-stars included Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears,
Ryan Gosling, and Keri Russell, the show lasted another year until its
cancellation. According to the documentary Driven, Aguilera's co-stars
called her "the Diva". One of her most notable performances was of Whitney
Houston's "I Have Nothing".
At the age of fourteen, Aguilera recorded her first song, "All I Wanna Do",
a hit duet with Japanese singer Keizo Nakanishi. In 1997, she represented
the United States at the "Golden Stag" International Festival with a
two-song set.
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1998-2001: Pop music beginnings and Christina Aguilera
In 1998, Aguilera sang the High "E" in full voice (E5) on a cover of Whitney
Houston's "Run to You" which she recorded with a tape recorder in her
bathroom. She was then selected to record the song "Reflection" for the
Disney production of Mulan (1998). Recording "Reflection" led to Aguilera
earning a contract with RCA Records the same week. "Reflection" peaked
within the top twenty on the Adult Contemporary Singles Chart, and it was
nominated for a Golden Globe Award for "Best Original Song" in 1998.
Under the exclusive representation of Steve Kurtz, Aguilera's self-titled
debut album Christina Aguilera was released on August 24, 1999. It reached
the top of the Billboard 200 and Canadian album charts, selling eight
million copies in the U.S. and over twelve million copies worldwide.[26] The
album is also included in the Top 100 Albums of All Time list of The
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) based on US sales.
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Aguilera during the promotion of her debut album in April 2000.Her singles
"Genie in a Bottle", "What a Girl Wants" and "Come on Over Baby (All I Want
Is You)" topped the Billboard Hot 100 during 1999 and 2000, and "I Turn to
You" reached #3. According to the album's songwriters, Aguilera wanted to
display the range and audacity in her voice during the promotion of the
album, and performed acoustic sets and appeared on television shows
accompanied only by a piano. She ended the year on MTV's New Year's Special,
as she performed and was MTV's first artist of the millennium. At the 2000
Grammys Aguilera received a Best Female Pop Vocal Performance nomination for
"Genie in a Bottle" and despite earlier predictions, she won the award for
Best New Artist.
Later in 2000, Aguilera first emphasized her Latin heritage by releasing her
first Spanish album, Mi Reflejo on September 12, 2000. This album contained
Spanish versions of songs from her English debut as well as new Spanish
tracks. Though some criticized Aguilera for trying to cash in on the Latin
music boom at the time. The album still managed to peak at #27 on the
Billboard 200 and number one on the Latin album charts. In 2001, it won
Aguilera a Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album. The album
went Gold in the US and sold 3 million worldwide. She also won the World
Music Award as the best selling Latin artist that year. Aguilera also
released a Christmas album on October 24, 2000 called My Kind of Christmas.
It peaked at #28 on the Billboard 200, and has been certified Platinum in
the US. Ricky Martin asked Aguilera to duet with him on the track "Nobody
Wants to Be Lonely" from his album Sound Loaded; released in 2001 as the
album's second single, which reached #1 on the World Chart.
In 2001, Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink were chosen to remake Labelle's
1975 single "Lady Marmalade" for the film Moulin Rouge! and its soundtrack.
The single Missy Elliott produced hit number one on the Hot 100 for five
weeks and reached number one in eleven other countries, and it earned all
four performers a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
Aguilera's appearance in the music video was compared to that of Twisted
Sister frontman Dee Snider. The video won two MTV Video Music Awards
including Video of the Year in 2001, where Aguilera accepted the award
saying, "I guess the big hair paid off."
That year a single emerged into record stores called "Just Be Free", one of
the demos Aguilera recorded when she was around fifteen years old. When RCA
Records discovered the single, they advised fans not to purchase it. Months
later, Warlock Records was set to release Just Be Free, an album which
contains the demo tracks. Aguilera filed a breach of contract and
unfair-competition suit against Warlock and the album's producers to block
the release. Instead, the two parties came to a settlement to release the
album. Aguilera lent out her name, likeness and image for an unspecified
amount of damages. Many of the details of the lawsuit remain confidential.
When the album was released in August 2001, it had a photograph of Aguilera
when she was fifteen years old.
Although Aguilera's debut album was very well received, she was dissatisfied
with the music and image her management had created for her. Aguilera was
marketed as a bubblegum pop singer because of the genre's upward financial
trend. She mentioned plans of her next album to have much more depth, both
musically and lyrically. Aguilera's views of Steve Kurtz's influence in
matters of the singer's creative direction, the role of being her exclusive
personal manager and overscheduling had in part caused her to seek legal
means of terminating their management contract.
In October 2000, Aguilera filed a Breach of Fiduciary Duty lawsuit against
Kurtz for improper, undue and inappropriate influence over her professional
activities, as well as fraud. According to legal documents, Kurtz did not
protect her rights and interests. Instead, he took action that was for his
own interest, at the cost of hers. The lawsuit came about when Aguilera
discovered Kurtz used more of her commissionable income than he was
allotted, and had paid other managers to assist him. She also petitioned the
California State Labor Commission to nullify the contract. After terminating
Kurtz's services, Irving Azoff was hired as her new manager.
Kurtz countersued later that month for breach of contract, claiming that the
singer violated the same agreement she had sued to void. In the lawsuit, he
included others close to Aguilera, alleging their intent to sabotage his
business relationship with her. He also singled out Azoff for being in
violation of the terms of Kurtz's contract. During this time, while she was
also working on her second album, she later revealed that she was betrayed
by several friends, and hit rock bottom. She used her then-upcoming album as
therapy, saying "this record saved me from insanity."
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2002–2003: Stripped era
On October 29, 2002, after much delay, Aguilera's second full-length English
album, Stripped, was released, selling more than 330,000 copies in the first
week and peaking at #2 on the Billboard 200. Unlike previous work, the album
showcased Aguilera's raunchier side. The majority of Stripped was co-written
by Aguilera (who had recently signed a global music publishing contract with
BMG Music Publishing), and was influenced by many different subjects and
music styles, including rhythm and blues, gospel, soul, balladry, pop rock,
and hip hop. The majority of the album was produced by Scott Storch and
singer-songwriter Linda Perry who produced her more personal records.
Rockwilder and singer Alicia Keys also contributed a track each. Upon
initial release, the album was very well-received by critics, although
Aguilera's vocals were overlooked as she began to cultivate a more sexually
provocative image. After the release of the album, she took part in
photoshoots for magazines, many of these photographs featured her nude or
semi-nude. Her cover for Rolling Stone, featured the singer only wearing
boots and a well-placed electric guitar. It was during this time Aguilera
referred to herself as "Xtina", even getting a tattoo of her nickname on the
back of her neck and several piercings.
Initially, the raunchy image had a negative effect on Aguilera in the U.S.,
especially after the release of her controversial "Dirty" music video. She
denied that this change was a matter of publicity, claiming that the image
better reflected her true personality than did the image she cultivated back
in 1999. While the video for "Dirrty" became very popular on MTV, it
disappointed on the U.S. singles chart. However, the single was a hit
worldwide, reaching number one in the UK and Ireland. The album reached the
top five on the U.K., U.S. and Canadian album charts, though it was
initially considered a "sophomore slump". The second single, "Beautiful"
received critical praise, the classically influenced ballad reached number
one in several countries and peaked at #2 in the US. "Beautiful" earned
Aguilera the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Three more
singles ("Fighter", "Can't Hold Us Down" featuring Lil' Kim, "The Voice
Within") were released in the following two years and were hits that helped
the album stay on the charts for the next two years. Stripped stayed on the
U.S. and UK album charts well into 2004, and went on to be certified
four-times platinum in the U.S. with over nine million copies sold
worldwide. It appeared at number ten on Billboard's year-end album chart.
Kelly Clarkson's second single "Miss Independent" was co-written by
Aguilera, having been half-finished for Stripped.
Aguilera performing in her Stripped Tour.Aguilera joined Justin Timberlake
that June on the final leg of his international Justified tour, held in the
U.S. This portion of the tour became a co-headliner called the "Justified &
Stripped Tour". In August, an overhead lighting grid collapsed from the
ceiling of the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, causing major
damage to the sound and video equipment below. Because the collapse occurred
hours before the show, only a few stagehands were injured, but a few shows
were cancelled or postponed. In the fourth quarter of that year, Aguilera
continued to tour internationally without Timberlake, and changed the name
of the tour to the "Stripped World Tour". She also dyed her hair black. It
was one of the top-grossing tours of that year, and sold out most of its
venues. Rolling Stone readers named it the best tour of the year. She was a
special guest performer with the Pussycat Doll's dance troupe and appeared
on a Maxim spread alongside them. Her second Maxim cover that year set
record sales for the issue, by the end of the year she topped the annual Hot
100 list later saying, "We had fun working with certain clothes, or the lack
thereof." After much delay, Aguilera's first DVD live-recording from a
concert tour, Stripped Live in the UK, was released in November 2004.
In light of the tour's success, another U.S. tour was scheduled to begin in
mid-2004 with a new theme. The tour however was scrapped because of the
vocal cord injuries Aguilera suffered shortly before the tour's opening
date. In a tribute to Madonna's performance at the inaugural MTV Video Music
Awards, Aguilera performed a kiss with the singer-actress at the 2003
edition of the ceremony in August. The incident occurred during the opening
performance of Madonna's songs "Like a Virgin" and "Hollywood" with fellow popstar Britney Spears.
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2004–2007: Artistic development
Aguilera later decided to embrace a more mature image; this move was met
with more praise than criticism, with articles using punch lines such as
"From Crass to Class." She eventually dyed her hair cherry blonde and
recorded a jingle, "Hello", for a Mercedes-Benz ad. Shortly after, she dyed
her hair blonde and cut it short, and took on a Marilyn Monroe look; many of
her fans believe she is one of the main proponents (along with Dita Von
Teese, Gwen Stefani, and 
Judd) in bringing back the 1920s-1940s
Hollywood glamour look.
In late summer 2004, Aguilera released two singles. The first, "Car Wash",
was a remake of the Rose Royce disco song recorded as a collaboration with
rapper Missy Elliott for the soundtrack to the film Shark Tale. The second
song was also a collaboration, but this time as a second single from one of
Nelly's double-release albums, Sweat, titled "Tilt Ya Head Back". Both
singles failed commercially in the U.S., but did considerably better in
other parts of the world.
Aguilera collaborated with jazz artist Herbie Hancock on a cover of Leon
Russell's "A Song for You" recorded for Hancock's album Possibilities,
released in August 2005. Aguilera and Hancock were later nominated for the
Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. She helped open the
50th Anniversary for Disneyland performing "When You Wish upon a Star", and
she also collaborated with Andrea Bocelli on the song "Somos Novios" for his
album Amore.
Aguilera's third English studio album, Back to Basics, released August 15,
2006, debuted at #1 in the U.S., the U.K. and eleven other countries.
Aguilera described the double CD as "a throwback to the 20s, 30s, and
40s-style jazz, blues, and feel-good soul music, but with a modern
twist."[55] The critically-acclaimed lead single "Ain't No Other Man" was a
substantial success, reaching #2 on the United World Chart, #6 in the U.S.,
and #2 in U.K. Producers on the album included DJ Premier, Kwamé, Linda
Perry, and Mark Ronson. One track, "F.U.S.S.", was written as a response to
the animosity between Aguilera and her former producer Scott Storch. In an
interview she said, "That’s a way of burying my experience with him. When I
tried to work with him again, he made uncalled-for demands. It was
disappointing that someone would get affected like that." She received
writing credit for the album and was the executive producer. The follow-up
singles did very well in different regions, "Hurt" in Europe and "Candyman"
in the Pacific. She co-directed both music videos, the former with Floria
Sigismondi who directed her "Fighter" video, and the latter, "Candyman",
with director/photographer Matthew Rolston which was inspired by The Andrews
Sisters. Back to Basics was certified platinum in the US[dead link] and has
sold over 4 million copies worldwide as of 2007.
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Aguilera performing in her Back To Basics Tour.In late 2006 Aguilera
collaborated with Sean "Diddy" Combs on a track, titled "Tell Me", from his
album Press Play. She also began the "Back to Basics Tour" in Europe
followed by a 41-date North American tour in early 2007. After this, she
toured Asia and Australia, where it was supposed to end on August 3, however
she canceled her dates in Melbourne and her final two in Auckland due to an
illness. Her extravagant arena tour included cabaret, three-ring circus and
juke joint sets and 10 piece costumes designed by Roberto Cavalli. It was
the most successful US tour by a female in 2007. In early 2008, she released
her concert DVD Back to Basics: Live and Down Under.
At the 49th Grammy Awards, Aguilera again won the Best Female Pop Vocal
Performance for "Ain't No Other Man". She made a noteworthy performance at
the ceremony paying tribute to James Brown with her rendition of his song
"It's a Man's Man's Man's World". In January 2007, she was named the 19th
richest woman in entertainment by Forbes, with a net worth of US$60 million.
Aguilera performed "Steppin' Out With My Baby" with Tony Bennett on his NBC
special Tony Bennett: An American Classic and on Saturday Night Live. They
performed at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards where both specials received
Emmys. "Steppin' Out" was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.
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2008-present: Keeps Gettin' Better and fourth album
To commemorate Aguilera's ten years in the music industry, she will release,
Keeps Gettin' Better - A Decade of Hits on November 11, 2008 exclusively at
Target stores. The greatest hits will include her four number one singles,
as well as other songs released from her previous three albums. The album's
lead single, "Keeps Getting' Better" was premiered at the 2008 MTV Video
Music Awards. Despite its official release to radio on September 22, the
single has peaked at #32 on the top-40 chart.
She described her forthcoming album as "short, sweet and completely
different" from Back to Basics. In a July 2008 interview Aguilera
revealed several details about her album saying, "I can tell you that this
record is all about fun. I'll be referencing Pop art, Andy Warhol's art. So
it will [sound] fun and fast-paced, and visually, it will be full of color".
She also added, "there's also going to be a modern element to it that comes
from my love of Tokyo". Australian singer-songwriter Sia, will
contribute her songwriting skills for Aguilera's album saying, "I'm going to
write with Christina in mid-September - It might not work, she might not
like any of the stuff I write, and it may not make the cut, but I'm pretty
excited about it." She was featured on the soundtrack to the film Shine a
Light from a live recording of her performance with the Rolling Stones. The
film's soundtrack was released on April 1, 2008.
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Musicianship
Vocal ability
Aguilera in 2007 performing at a private show in Paris, France.Aguilera, a
soprano, is known for her prominent singing style, strong vocals, and
powerful voice. She has also been noted for her ability to sing in the
whistle register. She has rivaled many of her other contemporaries and has
been referred to as the "voice of her generation" and a blue eyed soul
singer. In the MTV special All Eyes on Christina, John Norris said that
Aguilera "has a four-octave vocal range". Aguilera also topped COVE's list
of the 100 Best Pop Vocalists with a score of 50 and came fifth in MTV's 22
Greatest Voices in Music. A review in an Entertainment Weekly article
mentions her "tackling that dog-whistle high note" at the 3:20 mark in the
song "Soar" from her album Stripped. Her rendition of "It's A Man's Man's
Man's World" at the 49th Grammy Awards ranked 3rd in the Grammy's Greatest
Moments List behind Celine Dion's performance of "My Heart Will Go On". In
an interview Dion described Aguilera as "probably the best vocalist in the
world."During the work on Back to Basics, DJ Premier explained, "She really
represents true music and true singing. She can belt out notes. She has true
lungs."
Since her debut in 1999 Aguilera has been compared to the likes of Mariah
Carey and Whitney Houston. A review in the Los Angeles Times compared
Aguilera's vocal stylings to Barbara Streisand, Gladys Knight, and Aretha
Franklin adding, "Aguilera’s Streisand-esque tendencies are a good thing;
they’re helping her figure out how to become the “great singer” she’s been
dubbed since she released her first single, the wise-beyond-its-years "Genie
in a Bottle", at 18." Although praised for her vocals, Aguilera has been
labeled for oversinging in her songs and concerts. Longtime producer and
writer, Linda Perry, commented on working on the record, "Beautiful",
saying, "I tried to keep it straight. I told her to get rid of the finger
waves. Every time she'd start going into "hoo-ha," I'd stop the tape. I'm
like, 'You're doing it again.'" Perry ended up using the first take saying,
"She had a hard time accepting that as the final track. It's not a perfect
vocal -- it's very raw. She knows her voice really well, and she knows
what's going on. She can hear things that nobody else would catch."
Influences
One of Aguilera's major influences and idol is blues singer Etta James,
whose classic song, "At Last" has been covered by Aguilera throughout her
career. Aguilera says, "Etta is my all-time favorite singer. I've said it
for the last seven years — since I had my first debut record out — in every
interview. I mean, all of Etta's old songs, countless songs I could name, I
grew up listening to." The majority of her album, Back to Basics, pays
tribute to James and other pop standard singers who many originated from the
1950s. In her early years she listened to vintage jazz, blues, and soul
music. A review in The Guardian declared, "Practically everything recorded
before Aguilera was born blurs into one amorphous genre, which she
categorizes, somewhat inadequately, as "fun music". Her other musical
influences include Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Nina Simone, and
Madonna.
Aguilera cites the musical The Sound of Music and its lead actress, Julie
Andrews as an early inspiration for singing and performing. She mentioned
the "Golden age of Hollywood" as another inspiration in which she says, "I'm
referencing Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Carole Lombard, Greta Garbo,
Veronica Lake".
Film and television
In 1991 Aguilera auditioned for a role on The New Mickey Mouse Club, however
she didn't meet the age requirements. Two years later she joined the cast
performing musical numbers and sketch comedy until the show's cancellation
in 1994. Since then Aguilera has done numerous television appearances, in
1999 she made a cameo appearance performing on an episode of Beverly Hills,
90210. She hosted a Saturday Night Live episode in 2004, which included a
Sex & The City skit where she portrayed Samantha Jones revealing to everyone
she was a man the entire time. In regards to acting in film, she's mentioned
in several interviews that she intends to pursue edgy acting roles similar
to Angelina Jolie. She voiced a small singing part in the animated film
Shark Tale playing a rastafarian jellyfish in the film's closing musical
number. The film's stars included, among others, Jolie herself.
In 2008 she appeared in the Martin Scorsese documentary Shine A Light which
chronicles a two day Rolling Stones concert in New York City's Beacon
Theatre. The film features Aguilera performing "Live With Me" alongside Mick
Jagger. Shine A Light premiered at the Berlin Film Festival on February 7
and was released worldwide on April 4, 2008. She will appear as herself in
the upcoming Judd Apatow film, Get Him to the Greek.
Products and endorsement
In 2000, Aguilera was the face for make-up line Fetish where she worked in
choosing colors and packaging for the line, she ended her contract the
following year. Throughout her career Aguilera has endorsed several brands,
including Sketchers, Mercedes-Benz, Verizon Wireless, and soft drink giants
Coca-Cola in 2001, and Pepsi in 2006. She became the muse and model for
fashion house Versace appearing in a campaign for the 2003 fall line. In
2004 Aguilera earned £200,000GBP (about $500,000USD) for opening the summer
sale at London's Harrods store which took in record breaking profits during
the four week period. Aguilera signed a contract with European cell phone
operator Orange to promote the new Sony Ericsson Walkman phone during the
2006 World Cup.
In 2008 jewelry designer Stephen Webster and close friend of Aguilera
released "Shattered", a collection of sterling silver pieces available
exclusively through Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Aguilera who
inspired the collection was featured as a Hitchcock heroine saying, "Working
together on this campaign and collection has been an incredible experience.
I am honored to be a part of it all."
Aguilera released two fragrances throughout Europe, the first one Xpose, was
released in late 2004 and sold relatively well. Through Procter and Gamble
Aguilera released her signature fragrance, Simply Christina in 2007. In
Christmas 2007, the fragrance became the number one perfume in the UK, and
Germany where it topped sales for the year. The perfume won as the people’s
choice for favorite celebrity fragrance at the annual UK Fifi Awards 2008.
She released her third fragrance, Inspire, accompanied with a body care
collection, on September 1, 2008. The perfume hit shelves in the US, Canada,
Latin America, Asia and Northern and Eastern Europe. It is Aguilera's first
fragrance released outside of Europe. Her worldwide ad campaign included a
television ad shot by David LaChapelle and was released in the US through
Macy's department stores. The release coincided with Macy's 150th
anniversary which featured Aguilera in commemorative photos.
Philanthropy
Throughout her career, Aguilera has been involved with certain charities.
She signed a letter from PETA to the South Korean government asking that the
country stop its alleged killing of dogs for food. She also supports
Defenders of Wildlife, Missing Kids, National Alliance of Breast Cancer
Organizations, Women's Cancer Research Fund, and Cedars-Sinai Women’s Cancer
Research Institute. She has also worked alongside nonprofit organization Do
Something saying, "Every individual has the power to inspire young people
across the country." She was featured in the campaign for photographer, Brie
Childers with the goal of helping women of all ages, races and lifestyles
feel beautiful and confident about themselves and the body and skin they
were born with. Proceeds from benefit several women's charities nationwide.
Aguilera is still a major contributor in her hometown of Pittsburgh
contributing regularly to the Women's Center & Shelter of Greater
Pittsburgh. According to her official website, she toured the center and
donated $200,000 to the shelter. She also has auctioned off front row seats
and back stage passes for the Pittsburgh-based charity. She has continued
her donations and visits to the shelter, and plans to open an additional
one. She also supports the Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Refuge
UK. Since then she has worked with Lifetime Television's 'End violence
against women' campaign. Her work there included a public service
announcement which aired on the network and during her 2007 tour.
Aguilera is a supporter of the LGBT community. She was honored at the GLAAD
Awards for using gay and transgender images in her music video for
"Beautiful". When accepting the award Aguilera said, "My video captures the
reality that gay and transgender people are beautiful, even though prejudice
and discrimination against them still exists." In 2005 she appeared on a
compilation album titled, Love Rocks, proceeds benefit the Human Rights
Campaign, an organization dedicated to fighting for equal rights for gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.
Aguilera contributes in the fight against AIDS, by participating in AIDS
Project Los Angeles' Artists Against AIDS "What's Going On?" cover project.
In 2004, Aguilera became the new face for cosmetic company M·A·C and
spokesperson for M·A·C AIDS Fund. Aguilera appeared in advertisements of the
M·A·C's Viva Glam V lipstick and lipgloss, and was featured on Vanity Fair
in recognition of her campaign work. In addition, Aguilera contributed to
YouthAIDS by posing for a joint YouthAIDS and Aldo Shoes campaign for
"Empowerment Tags" in Canada, the U.S. and the UK. She was featured with one
of three ubiquitous slogans, "Speak No Evil?" and stated, "HIV is something
that people don’t want to talk about, hear about, or face." Singer Elton
John featured Aguilera in his charity book titled "Four Inches" benefiting
the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Elton also hand-picked Aguilera, for his
annual "Fashion Rocks" charity concert which accompanies music and fashion
to benefit the fight against AIDS/HIV.
In the run-up to the 2004 United States presidential election, Aguilera was
featured on billboards for the "Only You Can Silence Yourself" online voter
registration drive run by the nonpartisan, non-profit campaign "Declare
Yourself". In these political advertisements, shot by David LaChapelle,
Aguilera was shown with her mouth sewn shut, to symbolize the effects of not
voting. She appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss the importance of
voting. In late 2007 Aguilera became the spokesperson for "Rock the Vote"
where she urged young people to vote in the 2008 presidential election. In
partnership with "Rock the Vote", she appeared in a public service
announcement which aired in summer 2008. The advert showed Aguilera with her
son, Max Bratman, wrapped in an American flag, while singing "America the
Beautiful".
In November 2005, all of her wedding gifts were submitted to various
charities around the nation in support of Hurricane Katrina victims. That
year she also performed at "Unite of the Stars" concert in aid of Unite
Against Hunger in Johannesburg, South Africa and at the Nelson Mandela
Children's Fund at the Coca-Cola Dome. In March 2007 Aguilera took part in a
charity album (remaking Lennon's "Mother"), proceeds benefit Amnesty
International's efforts to end genocide in Darfur. The album titled, Instant
Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, was released June
12, 2007, featuring John Lennon covers sung by several artists. In 2008 she
will headline London's Africa Rising charity concert in Royal Albert Hall.
The international concert helps raise awareness for finding substantial
issues facing the continent.
Personal life
1999-2003
In late 1999, Aguilera was rumored to have dated MTV VJ Carson Daly. The
relationship was the subject of much discussion after the release of
Eminem's song "The Real Slim Shady", in which Eminem satirically suggests
that Aguilera had performed fellatio on both Daly and Fred Durst, the lead
singer of Limp Bizkit, and had given the rapper himself a venereal disease.
Aguilera called the song's innuendo "disgusting" and "untrue." Aguilera and
Eminem reportedly resolved the issue three years later backstage at the MTV
Video Music Awards.
Aguilera appeared twice on Mr. Blackwell's Ten Worst Dressed Women's list in
2000 and 2002. It was during this time Aguilera's image was ridiculed for
her heavy make-up and outfits during award shows and public events. Aguilera
insisted she doesn't mind the criticism and was merely making a statement.
While seeing one of her music videos, Aguilera's grandma was disappointed
saying, "I nearly died when I saw she was wearing so little. I rang her mom
and said, 'Oh my God, what is Christina doing?' I feel sad for her really --
she is so young. I totally understand why people criticize her."
She dated Puerto Rican dancer Jorge Santos, he appeared on her tour and
music videos throughout 2000. They dated for nearly two years until the
relationship ended in September 2001. He remained her dancer well into 2002.
She was reportedly linked to producer Dallas Austin who had contributed
tracks to her then upcoming Stripped album but were never included, Aguilera
never confirmed the relationship.
In 2003, Aguilera was in several public feuds with other musicians including
Pink who had worked with her on "Lady Marmalade", the singer mocked Aguilera
on stage by using a blow-up doll during her tour. Kelly Osbourne also
remarked that Aguilera was, "one of the most disgusting human beings in the
world." Later that year at the MTV Europe Awards where Aguilera was hosting,
Osbourne commented on the red carpet calling her a "cow," Aguilera was later
seen throwing darts at a picture of Kelly during the telecast. Several years
later however Aguilera purchased The Osbourne house from Sharon and Ozzy
which seemed to have ended their feud
2004-2008
Aguilera began dating music marketing executive Jordan Bratman in 2002.
Their engagement was announced in February 2005, and they married on
November 19, 2005, in a Napa Valley estate. In an interview with Ellen
DeGeneres, Aguilera revealed that she and Bratman enjoy being nude on
Sundays, saying, "You have to keep marriage alive, spice it up". The story
received so much attention that following the news supermodel Heidi Klum
told Degeneres that she and her husband Seal would consider doing the same
ritual.
In May 2006, she posed nude for a Marilyn Monroe-inspired photoshoot in GQ
magazine where she re-created several photographs done by Monroe and spoke
about her marriage to Bratman. In the issue she also expressed
disappointment in fellow singer Mariah Carey, saying that Carey "was never
cool to me," and that "one time we were at a party, I think she got really
drunk, and had really derogatory things to say to me." Carey then released a
statement saying, "It is sad yet predictable that she would use my name at
this time to reinvent past incidents for promotional gain." Aguilera
responded saying, "My intentions were not to upset Mariah with any
statements published or taken out of context. I have all the respect in the
world for her."
On September 9, 2007, Paris Hilton claimed that the singer was pregnant.
Aguilera, however, had not yet publicly confirmed her pregnancy at the time.
Aguilera later confirmed this on November 4 in an interview with Glamour
magazine. On January 12, 2008, Aguilera gave birth to her son, Max Liron
Bratman, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. His name
translates to "Our Greatest Song" in Hebrew. Aguilera was reportedly paid
$1.5 million USD by People magazine for her baby pictures, which according
to Forbes places fifth on the list of the most expensive celebrity baby
photos.
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