Christina Aguilera. A name that many of us know from being children singing into our hairbrushes, convincing ourselves we could hit the high notes on classics like “Genie in a Bottle” or “Beautiful” that she was always able to sing so confidently for all her fans. On this episode of Call Her Daddy, Christina sat down for her first podcast with host Alex Cooper to dissect everything about herself, from childhood and career to gaining self-confidence.
Before the fame
Before getting into the nitty-gritty of what it was like during the height of her fame, Alex Cooper asked Christina what her childhood was like before she was embedded in all the glitz and glamor of being a pop star. Aguilera started by describing how she was raised by her mother and grandmother, whom she credits as strong women, and why she is the strong woman she has grown into today. When Aguilera started to sing as a young girl, she used her voice to release all the troubles that resulted from her childhood in an abusive household. She recounted a story of her family living in Japan for three years because her father was in the military. When her parents started to argue, her young self would begin to sing out of the window. Looking back on it as an adult, Aguilera sees this moment in her life as her younger self having hope for the future, having big dreams in music was always escapism for her. She feels that as a result of her traumatic childhood, she then, in turn, had to grow up at a young age but, at the same time, doesn’t regret anything. Aguilera always wanted to go out and work, eventually having her big break on The Mickey Mouse Club, starring with familiar names such as Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. Hearing her story and coming up into the business, it’s incredible to see how she overcame her past to become the icon she is today.
Debut to the world
Cooper then switched gears to discuss more about her smash hit “Genie in a Bottle” from the star’s first self-titled album, Christina Aguilera, released in 1999. The pop sensation talked more about where she was at this point. At the time, Aguilera was trying to make it big and house-hopping left and right. When she heard the song for the first time in New York, it immediately took her back to driving around in the car in Pittsburgh with her mom, describing the moment as the “most amazing feeling in the world.” But the world didn’t know that when this album was exploding with everyone believing that she was this hot, confident young woman, behind the scenes, it was the complete opposite. The music industry was in full control of her, from telling her what to wear and her opinion overall just not really mattering. As a result, she was uncomfortable, a byproduct of being a child raised in the business. Aguilera’s dreams were coming true, but she wasn’t yet the person she wanted to be. When listening to her words, I liked how Aguilera provided us fans with the actual reality of her world early on in her career. Most artists may not feel comfortable speaking out against the music industry. Still, Aguilera thought it necessary to shine a light on it because it is a part of her journey, allowing us fans a more personal view of her life.
Finding her voice in music
Everything changed with what Cooper called the most iconic music video, “Dirrty,” from the star’s second album, Stripped, released in 2002. Aguilera described this album as the moment she came out of her shell and had more of a say in her music, making it more personal. When the song was released, the press pinned her as a bad girl, constantly slut shaming her since she was going against the grain of what other pop stars were doing during the early 2000s. Aguilera wanted to be in her own zone and avoid fitting in the sweet and demure pop format the public was so used to. With this album, she was able to show that she is not just one single thing. Instead, she, like all women, should be sexy and confident and not afraid to be proud of their sexualities. In Stripped, she played by her own rules, once saying in an interview that she didn’t care if she sold 1 record or 1 million. The point was to contribute to the world and connect with her fans on a different level, not paying attention to the awards or accolades that might be brought into it. After hearing this, Cooper said that she is amazed by Aguilera the fact that she is so normal, even after all of the things that she’s been through, loving the fact the star can be grateful while having perspective on herself.
criticism from the outside world
Alex then dove into an issue that we all have struggled with: insecurities. Christina paused and was taken aback, not expecting the question. After taking a moment to think, Aguilera explained how she doesn’t have one defining this that bothers her. Rather her insecurities truly change daily, delving into the idea that “where we just don’t feel good enough, but we have to train ourselves to do the opposite.” This is good advice to hear from a woman with such a big platform as herself. Although the star is secure and confident, there are days that Aguilera feels insecure, just like many of us may feel during a bad day. Even a star as big as her has her bad days, just like the rest of us. So yes, insecurities are hard to overcome, and because of them, we start to second guess ourselves leading to comparisons with others. But like Aguilera explained, we just have to be confident within ourselves and try our best not to overthink our outward appearance.
“Cause we are beautiful no matter what they say
“Beautiful” from Stripped, 2002
Yes, words won’t bring us down”
Final thoughts for her fans
In the end, Cooper asked Aguilera if there are any final thoughts about herself that she wants her fans and all audiences listening to know her. She expressed that she has absolutely no time for negativity at this stage in her life. Focusing on things that happened decades ago for her isn’t essential. Still, everyone has their limit, including Aguilera, who clarified, “I don’t like getting poked under the table, ’cause then the claws come out.” All she wants is peaceful energy and vibes. Christina Aguilera gives no f*cks and has no time for petty drama coming her way.
After hearing this podcast, I have revived my love for Christina Aguilera, igniting the inner Y2K child inside of me. So if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be listening to Stripped on repeat this week.