‘Liberation’ is Christina Aguilera’s first full-length album in six years and it comes at a curious time for female pop stars. Christina went from being a cute Mouseketeer on Disney’s The Mickey Mouse Club to wearing chaps and a tiny bikini in her music video for “Dirrty.” She faced extremely harsh criticism for becoming the antithesis of the squeaky-clean pop star image she displayed in the early 2000s, and it was because of her ability to truly become herself that helped her soar to the top of the charts once again. She experienced a number of agonizing events that shaped her identity, and much of what she went through can be found in the lyrics of her songs. From allegations of trauma at home to a totally crippling divorce this is the tragic real-life story of Christina Aguilera.
She’s A Survivor
Christina Aguilera looks picture perfect these days, but things weren’t always so good in her life. Growing up, Christina had a really tough time and experienced her fair share of trauma. She and her mother suffered both physically and emotionally because of her father, and the family often had to move because of her father’s military job. In a recent interview with E! she stated about her childhood, “I witnessed a lot of unpleasant things – a lot of pushing and shoving and fighting and quarreling. Growing up I did not feel safe. Feeling powerless is the worst feeling in the world.”
She’s A Survivor
She Became Empowered From Her Abusive Childhood
For a while now, Christina Aguilera has spoken out about the trauma she witnessed within her family when she was growing up in Staten Island, New York. In an interview with Paper, she said, “I watched my mom have to be submissive [to my father], watch her Ps and Qs or she’s gonna get beat up.” She stated from then on she knew she had two options in life: “You can either be, unfortunately, so damaged by it that you take a turn for the worse, or you can feel empowered by it and make choices to never go down that route.”
She Became Empowered From Her Abusive Childhood
A True Survivor
So from a very early time in her life, it was Christina’s mission to become a survivor and raise her children, Max and Summer Rain, in a secure and loving household. She also uses her music as an emotional outlet. For example, in the 2002 emotional ballad, “I’m OK,” she sings, “Hurt me to see the pain across my mother’s face / Every time my father’s fist would put her in her place / Hearing all the yelling I would cry up in my room / Hoping it would be over soon.”
A True Survivor
Broken Family
Over time, Christina’s mother had enough after experiencing abuse for 10 years and filed for divorce from her abusive husband. This happened when Christina was only 6. After the divorce, her mother moved her and her younger sister Rachel into their grandmother’s house in Rochester, Pennsylvania in 1989.
Broken Family
She Turned To Music
Christina used singing as a way to blot out the pain of abuse. She said, “I turned to singing as an outlet,” and “The pain at home is where my love for music came from.” Christina began singing at home and quickly became locally known as “the little girl with the big voice.”
She Turned To Music
Talent Show Diva
Inspired to become a singer, she began performing in local talent shows and competitions. At age 8, she won her first talent show. She performed Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”
Talent Show Diva
Star Search
Christina Aguilera appeared on Star Search in 1990. She sang an absolutely brilliant version of “A Sunday Kind Of Love.” She amazed everyone! She was so young and had such a strong, powerful voice. Unfortunately, she took a big hit when she was eliminated during the semi-final round. She and the crowd thought she would win for sure. She didn’t let this stop her, and she went on to perform anywhere she could in Pittsburgh. She song at hockey, football, and baseball games, and also appeared on local television.
Star Search
She Was Constantly Bullied Growing Up
Being young and super talent might seem great, but Christina was brutalized by jealous peers growing up. She didn’t have many friends, and constantly switched schools to avoid bullying. She temporarily attended Rochester Area School District in Rochester, Marshall Middle School near Wexford, and North Allegheny Intermediate High School before being homeschooled due to bullying.
She Was Constantly Bullied Growing Up
The Mickey Mouse Club Said No To Her
Despite all the hardship, in 1989, Christina Aguilera auditioned for a position in The Mickey Mouse Club. She had an epic audition and thought she would be cast. Unfortunately, the producers said no because she didn’t meet the age requirements. Nonetheless, they were incredibly impressed by her and told her she would be welcome to join the cast in the future.
The Mickey Mouse Club Said No To Her
The All New Mickey Mouse Club
Two years later, 12-year-old Christina had the pleasure to be officially cast in “The All New Mickey Mouse Club.” She performed musical numbers and sketch comedy on The Mickey Mouse Club until the show was canceled in 1994. She had a number of famous co-stars including Ryan Gosling, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Keri Russel.
The All New Mickey Mouse Club
Christina & Britney Spears
The show definitely motivated her to become a singer and hopefully record her own album one day. She shared this aspiration with co-star and friend, Britney Spears.
Christina & Britney Spears
Christina In Japan
After being on the show for only 2 seasons, her mother decided to move the family to Japan. It was there she met famous Japanese singer Keizo Nakanishi. The two recorded her first song, a duet called “All I Wanna Do.” Christina recorded the hit single when she was just 14 years old.
Christina In Japan
Genie In A Bottle Was A Hit
Christina then landed a record deal and released her first self-titled debut album in August 1999. The album’s first single, “Genie in a Bottle,” peaked at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top of the charts twenty other countries! The single alone sold over 1.4 million units in the U.S. alone. Overall, the album was a huge commercial success and is certified octuple platinum by the Record Industry Association of America. It has now sold over 8.2 million copies in the US, and 17 million worldwide.
Genie In A Bottle Was A Hit
Pop Princess
Her follow-up singles of “What A Girl Wants,” and “Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)” also topped the charts! Christina had an amazing voice, and a squeaky clean, cute image. She appeared very wholesome and like a beautiful girl next door. Her fame continued to rise and the pop princess won her very first Grammy Award in 2000 for Best New Artist. It seemed like nothing could stop her!
Pop Princess
The Voice Of A Generation?
Christina Aguilera has an amazing voice. She is a soprano and has a vocal range spanning four octaves (from B♭2 to C♯7). Since the start of her career, she has been compared to legends like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. She is considered to be one of the best vocalists of all time and is referred to as “The Voice of A Generation.” At the same time, Christina has been harshly criticized in the media for performing like a “diva” and “oversinging.” Her hand gestures and voice have been mocked often in sketch comedies and by the media.
The Voice Of A Generation?
Xtina Emerges
Christina Aguilera then experienced a very difficult time. She was criticized by the media for her appearance and was constantly being compared to other pop stars like Britney Spears. She stated in interviews she was pressured by her record label to be super thin, blonde and portray a squeaky clean image. She also was unable to express herself artistically, as she was only “allowed” to record mainstream pop hits. Christina in her own way retaliated and reinvented herself. She credits music icons Madonna and Janet Jackson as the two biggest inspirations for her image, and “for being re-inventive and being brave as strong females, to explore whatever, even if they do get bad press. It’s just like they were fearless.”
Xtina Emerges
Stripped
Christina Aguilera decided to pursue a new artistic direction that she believed had more depth. She titled her new album, “Stripped” and stated that the title represented “a new beginning, a re-introduction of [herself] as a new artist in a way.” Christina Aguilera served as executive producer and co-wrote most of the songs on the album. When the first single “Dirrty” was released, fans were shocked. She seemed to have shattered her teen pop image and was now very much expressing the sexual side of herself. The video for the single caused a media frenzy and her new image seemed to be overshadowing her music. The song and video generated widespread criticism from the media and even her peers. She was criticized in every way possible way including for her slight weight gain. In an interview with Marie Claire, she said she’s faced intense criticism for “Being too thin. Being bigger. I’ve been criticized for being on both sides of the scale.”
Stripped
New Image, New Husband
She took some time off and came back with a new “Old Hollywood Glam” image in 2004. She began working on her 5th studio album “Back To Basics.” Besides her new album and image, she also had a new man in her life. In February of 2005, her longtime boyfriend and music executive Jordan Bratman popped the question. They made it official on November 19, 2005, at an estate in Napa County, California. Not too long after her marriage, on January 12, 2008, Christina Aguilera gave birth to her first son, Max Bratman.
New Image, New Husband
Super Bowl Fail
2011 wasn’t a great year for Christina Aguilera. She was attacked by the media for omitting a few lines while performing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl XLV. She later apologized stating, “I got so caught up in the moment of the song that I lost my place. I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of its anthem still came through.”
Super Bowl Fail
Does She Have An Alcohol Problem?
It seemed like all the harsh criticism got to her around the time “Lady Marmalade” was released. Friends and business executives were concerned about her excessive drinking and were begging her to check into an alcohol rehabilitation center. After she was arrested for public intoxication in 2011, she entered an alcohol treatment center. A witness stated at the time of her arrest, “She was a mess,” and “She was wearing 6-inch custom [Christian] Louboutins. She was literally wobbling.”
Does She Have An Alcohol Problem?
Marital Problems And A Divorce Which Took Its Toll
Besides that, she separated from her husband, Jordan Bratman in October of 2010 and their divorce was finalized on April 15, 2011. Christina then began to spiral into a depression and everyone seemed to notice. By the time she filed for divorce in October 2010, she knew her marriage was over. TMZ reported the divorce was due to Christina Aguilera’s infidelities, but other other gossip outlets claimed the couple had an open marriage. It was reported that Bratman may have grown tired of Christina and was repeatedly bringing home other women. When asked about her marriage during an interview with Redbook magazine, she stated, “It’s not easy, and there have been a lot of tears and sadness.” While she had some friends supporting her, the emotional turmoil got the best of her. She said, “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.”
Divorce
She’s Learned From Her Past
In an interview with People Magazine, she said, “I knew I had to end it.” She stated there were “constant arguments” turning her once happy home into an “unhealthy and unhappy” one for both of them and their child. Christina said the house was “filled with a lot of tension.” She continued, “I knew what I was doing was the right thing for my child because I strongly believe it’s better to have two homes filled with love than one filled with tension. That’s one thing I learned as a child.” When asked again about her childhood, she responded, “My mom tried for years to stay in a marriage that she was not happy in. I would watch her torture herself emotionally.” She went on to explain that she started to feel “more loved and secure” the day her parents finally separated. During the finalization of her divorce, she began a romantic relationship with Matthew Rutler, who served as an assistant on the set of Burlesque.
She’s Learned From Her Past
She’s A True Fighter
Despite all the negativity she has experienced in her life, she has used it as inspiration for her music and continued to fight on. In an interview with Dateline NBC, she was asked if she ever felt bullied, Christina stated “I have definitely experienced forms of bullying, and that’s why it’s so important for me to write songs like “Beautiful” and “Fighter.” Additionally, she said she wrote her 2012 album Lotus in hopes it would help others who have been in similar situations. She stated, “Lotus is all about being an unbreakable flower that survives the test of time … Throughout the roughest of surroundings and harshest weather conditions, it remains strong and thrives.”
She’s A True Fighter
2nd Husband, 2nd Child
Christina Aguilera became engaged to Matthew Rutler in February of 2014. She soon gave birth to their daughter, Summer Rain Rutler, in August. Despite rumors, the two are still together and going strong!
2nd Husband, 2nd Child
Awards Galore
Christina is regarded as one of the best singers in recent times. Rolling Stone put her at number 58 on its list of the 100 Greatest Singers Of All Time! Additionally, she has won 6 Grammy Awards, A People’s Choice Award, was named as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People In The World, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame!
Awards Galore
The Voice & A Stable Home Life
Besides her more stable home life, she appeared as a judge and coach on The Voice. She became the first female coach to win the show when her contestant Alisan Porter won!
The Voice
She’s Thankful For The ‘Darkest’ Times
In 2010, VH1’s Behind the Music documentary gave fans a close look inside the life of Christina Aguilera. In a candid interview, she not only touched on the domestic abuse she experienced, but she also made a startling confession. “I do battle with depression. It’s something that is always right below the surface. And it’s almost seductive to go to a place of sadness and darkness. I’m truly thankful for the darkest times in my life.” She said she was thankful for her inner circle for helping her through the hard times and accepting her. She says in the documentary, “I definitely don’t choose the safe way of living or expressing myself but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
She’s Thankful For The ‘Darkest’ Times
2018 Comeback & Makeover
Let’s fast-forward to 2018. The singer has a very different aesthetic and is making a huge comeback. She is displaying a head-turning makeunder and recently released her new album entitled ‘Liberation’.
2018 Comeback
Looking Amazing
Over the last year, she has worn some of fashion world’s most highly regarded designers, ranging from Gucci to Vetements, Balenciaga, and Maison Margiela. She is now only receiving positive remarks about both her look and her music!
Looking Amazing
‘Liberation’
“Liberation” is Christina’s 8th studio album and it was just released on June 15th. She performed “Fall In Line” with Demi Lovato at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. The first singles, “Accelerate,” and “Fall In Line” are currently climbing the charts! Moreover, she is also set to embark on the Liberation Tour, her first concert tour in over a decade!
Liberation