The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2022 - Issue 32

bitemusicceleb In the late ‘90s, after performing ‘Reflection’ for the Disney movie Mulan , Christina signed with RCA Re- cords and released her debut self-titled album in 1999. However, her cutesy teen pop princess image underes- timated her ability to belt out those notes influenced by old-school sounds of vintage jazz, soul and blues. She cited songstress sirens Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone as vocal inspirations. She followed up with her second album Mi Reflejo (My Reflection) , paying homage to her Latino roots. Her first Spanish language album featured 15 tracks, including smooth R&B songs, electrifying dance tunes, romantic ballads and a collaboration with Puerto Ri- can singer Luis Fonsi. It debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums chart in 2000, spending 19 weeks at the top of both charts and became one of the longest albums to chart at number one. She received the Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album and two Billboard Latin Mu- sic Awards. She gave us a taste of her vocal abilities on ‘Lady Mar- malade’ with Mya, Pink, Lil’ Kim and Missy Elliott, where she wore bold eye make-up and an explosion of blonde crimped hair in the video. “The whole concept was go big or go home,” she told Vogue in 2021. “It was the first time I was able to sing the way I love to sing,” she recalled. “I got to let loose creatively; I could belt and do my ad-libs, my runs and be as soulful as I want- ed to be. I got to have fun.” Her fourth album, Stripped, unveiled a dirtier, rough- er and rawer persona. The lead song ‘Dirrty’ further transformed her into a girl boss with her saucy and sexy alter-ego Xtina. The full-bodied pop bangers, gui- tar ballads and soul songs centred on feminism and self-respect were influenced by her unhappy child- hood, where she witnessed domestic abuse at a young age. “I watched my mom have to be submissive, watch her Ps and Qs, or she’s going to get beat up,” she told Paper Magazine. “You can either be so damaged by it that you take a turn for the worse, or you can feel empowered and make choices never to go down that route," she add- ed. Her mother’s struggle made the singer realise she didn’t have to let others dictate how she lived her life. The lesson became critical after she experienced a lot of ‘backlash’ for being in tune with her sexuality. “It was an interesting and controversial time for me,” she ex- plained, referencing how others treated her following the release of ‘Dirrty’. “Either women are not sexual enough, or we’re not fulfilling enough of a fantasy for you, but then if we’re overtly sexual or feeling empowered in a certain way, then we’re shamed for it.” However, the singer is happy she can help break down some of the toxic and dated outlooks of how women should behave in and out of the bedroom. “Madonna had to go through it in her day, and she paved the way for my generation to come up.” After a four-year hiatus, Christina released her sec- ond Spanish-language album, Aguilera, over two dec- ades after the first and revealed how proud she is of