Christina Aguilera American Singer Known for Burlesque

Early life

Christina María Aguilera was born on 18 December 1980 on Staten Island, New York. Her father, a United States Army sergeant, came from Ecuador, and her mother, a violinist who later became a Spanish translator, has German, Irish, Welsh and Dutch ancestry. Because of the army posting, the family moved often, including a stay in Japan from 1983, before settling in the Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania. She attended North Allegheny Intermediate High School and then continued her schooling at home.

Singing began early. Time with her grandmother's soul and blues records deepened her interest, and she entered local talent contests until she was known in her neighbourhood as a girl with a big voice. In 1990 she sang on the television contest Star Search, and she was later asked to perform the national anthem before Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers and Pirates games and at the 1992 Stanley Cup Final.

Career

Aguilera joined the cast of The All New Mickey Mouse Club on the Disney Channel in 1993 after auditioning twice, and moved to Orlando for the recordings. Its cast included Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez. After the show ended she spent time in Japan, recording a duet with the singer Keizo Nakanishi, and then recorded "Reflection", the theme song of the 1998 animated film Mulan. That led to a contract with RCA Records.

Her self-titled debut album arrived in August 1999 and entered the Billboard 200 at number one. It produced three US number-one singles: "Genie in a Bottle", "What a Girl Wants" and "Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You)". In 2000 she released the Spanish-language Mi Reflejo and her first Christmas album. In 2001 she recorded "Lady Marmalade" for the film Moulin Rouge! with Lil' Kim, Mýa and Pink; it topped the Hot 100.

Stripped, released in October 2002, moved her away from teen pop and included "Dirrty" and "Beautiful". She followed it with Back to Basics in 2006, shaped by music from the 1920s to the 1950s, and Bionic in 2010. In 2010 she also starred in the film Burlesque, whose soundtrack she recorded. From 2011 she appeared as a coach on NBC's The Voice, returning in several later seasons and winning the tenth with Alisan Porter. In 2011 she was featured on Maroon 5's "Moves like Jagger", which reached number one in the US.

Lotus followed in 2012 and Liberation in 2018, the latter accompanied by her first tour in a decade. In 2019 she began a Las Vegas residency, The Xperience. She released Aguilera in 2022, a Latin-music album issued first in parts and then in full on 30 September. She began a second residency, Christina Aguilera at Voltaire, in December 2023, and executive-produced a stage adaptation of Burlesque.

Recognition

Aguilera has won five Grammy Awards: Best New Artist in 2000, best pop collaboration for "Lady Marmalade" in 2002, best female pop vocal performance for "Beautiful" in 2004 and for "Ain't No Other Man" in 2007, and best pop duo or group performance for "Say Something" in 2015. She also won Latin Grammy Awards for Mi Reflejo in 2001 and Aguilera in 2022. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010, was named a Disney Legend in 2019, and received the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award in 2022. Time listed her among its 100 most influential people in 2013.

Public roles

In 2009 Aguilera became a global spokesperson for the United Nations World Food Programme, travelling to countries including Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti and Rwanda. She has also supported causes related to domestic violence and HIV/AIDS.

Personal life

Aguilera married the music executive Jordan Bratman in 2005, and the marriage ended in 2011. She has two children.