For those around in the late 1990s and early 2000s who saw the rise of the bubblegum pop stars like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, it can be easy to want to write those artists off as unserious or corny. They can feel controversial in their contrived existences. But when you take a closer look, it’s clear that, whether or not their music is for you, they were all supremely talented.
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Case in point: the former teen icon Christina Aguilera. Not only was she a crush of many high schoolers in the late 1990s but she has grown up to showcase her ability as one of the best vocalists in music today, switching genres like wardrobes during an awards show. Here below, we wanted to showcase three songs form the singer that even the most dubious music fan could get behind.
[RELATED: A Great Big World Talks Physics, Popularity and New LP ‘Particles’]
“Genie in a Bottle” from Christina Aguilera (1999)
From Christina Aguilera’s self-title debut LP, this is the song that put the then-teenager on the map. Despite the track’s overtly sexual overtones, it also showed what a talent Aguilera was, from dance moves to her operatic voice. Singing about love over a dance-worthy beat, Aguilera captured hearts as well as eardrums. On the pop smash hit, she sings,
I feel like I’ve been locked up tight
For a century of lonely nights
Waiting for someone to release me
You’re lickin’ your lips and blowin’ kisses my way
But that don’t mean I’m gonna give it away
Baby, baby, baby
If you wanna be with me
Baby, there’s a price to pay
I’m a genie in a bottle (In a bottle, baby)
You gotta rub me the right way (Yeah)
If you wanna be with me
I can make your wish come true
You gotta make a big impression (Oh yeah)
Gotta like what you do
“Say Something” by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera from Is There Anybody Out There? (2013)
This song from the duo A Great Big World was given an extra big audience when Christina Aguilera discovered it and decided she wanted to feature on the track. She brings her vocal depth and swelling style to the piano ballad. With Aguilera, the song hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her feature on the song, which is about remorse and love’s devotion, shows both how a pop star can bring more attention to a strong song and make it even better with their unbridled talent. On the track’s chorus, she sings,
Say something, I’m giving up on you
I’m sorry that I couldn’t get to you
Anywhere I would’ve followed you
Say something, I’m giving up on you
“Pa Mis Muchachas” from Aguilera (2022)
This song features a quartet of talented Latin vocalists—Aguilera, Becky G, Nicki Nicole, and Nathy Peluso. It might surprise some that Aguilera could transform from the “Genie in a Bottle” pop starlet to the Latin Grammy Award-winning artist she has become more recently. The song continues to show her range and interest in exploring more about the music world. On the song, she sings in Spanish,
Cuando estoy llorando
Mezclo mis lágrimas, tequila y limón
Y me levanto (oh-oh)
Pa’ mis muchachas (eh-eh-eh-eh-eh, eh)
Pa’ mis muchachas (eh-eh-eh-eh-eh, eh) (vamos)
Pa’ mis muchachas
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