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Biography

Christina María Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American pop singer and songwriter. She was signed to RCA Records after recording "Reflection" for the film Mulan. She came to prominence following her debut album Christina Aguilera (1999), which was a critical and commercial success. A Latin pop album Mi Reflejo, and a Christmas album, My Kind of Christmas, followed during this period and also sold very well.



Throughout her youth in Pittsburgh, Aguilera sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, Pittsburgh Steelers football and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games. Her first major role in entertainment came in 1993 when she joined the Disney Channel's variety show The New Mickey Mouse Club. Her co-stars included Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Rhona Bennett (who later became a member of En Vogue), Ryan Gosling, Britney Spears, and Keri Russell. According to the documentary Driven, Aguilera's Mickey Mouse Club co-stars called her "the Diva". One of her most notable performances was of Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing".



When the show was canceled 1994, Aguilera began recording demos in an attempt to get signed to a record label. In 1998, she sang the High "E" in full voice (E5) on a cover of Whitney Houston's "Run to You" which she recorded with a tape recorder in her bathroom. She was then selected to record the song "Reflection" for the Disney production of Mulan (1998). Recording "Reflection" led to Aguilera earning a contract with RCA Records the same week. "Reflection" peaked within the top twenty on the Adult Contemporary Singles Chart, and it was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for "Best Original Song" in 1998.Audio samples: She posed nude for a Marilyn Monroe-inspired photoshoot in the May 2006 issue of GQ magazine.



She also granted the magazine an interview in that issue, in which she expressed disappointment in fellow singer Mariah Carey, saying, "She was never cool to me... to the point that one time we were at a party, and I think she got really drunk, and she had just really derogatory things to say to me." In response, Carey issued a press release saying, "It is sad yet predictable that she would use my name at this time to reinvent past incidents for her promotional gain." Aguilera then released her own statement claiming, "My intentions were not to upset Mariah with any statements that were published or taken out of context. I have all the respect in the world for her."Audio samples: She announced her "Back to Basics Tour" with eighteen European dates which began November 17 and ended December 17.



Following this, contrary to her previous plans to tour blues and jazz clubs for a more intimate setting, she will tour North America in a 41-date arena tour, which began February 20, 2007 in Houston and ended on May 23 in San Diego. After this, she toured Asia and Australia, which will begin June 18 in Osaka and was supposed to end on August 3 in Auckland. She however canceled her last two dates in Melbourne and her final two in Auckland due to an illness. At the 49th Grammy Awards, Aguilera again won the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Ain't No Other Man". She made a noteworthy performance at the ceremony paying tribute to James Brown with her rendition of his song "It's a Man's Man's Man's World". In January 2007, Aguilera was named the 19th richest woman in entertainment by Forbes, with a net worth of US$60 million. On September 16, 2007, Aguilera performed Steppin' Out With My Baby with Tony Bennett live on the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards. That same evening, Tony Bennett won 2 Emmys for Tony Bennett: An American Classic, which Aguilera was a part of.



In addition, the Saturday Night Live episode in which Aguilera was the musical guest won an Emmy. Throughout her career, Aguilera has been involved with certain charities. She signed a letter from PETA to the South Korean government asking that the country stop its alleged killing of dogs for food. Her involvement in supporting the Defenders of Wildlife have also added to her donations with charities. In 2000, Aguilera was rumored to have dated MTV VJ Carson Daly. The relationship was the subject of much discussion after the release of Eminem's song "The Real Slim Shady", in which Eminem satirically suggests that Aguilera had performed fellatio on both Daly and Fred Durst, the lead singer of Limp Bizkit, and had given the rapper himself a venereal disease. Aguilera called the song's innuendo "disgusting" and "untrue."



Aguilera and Eminem reportedly resolved the issue three years later backstage at the MTV Video Music Awards. Aguilera, a Spinto Soprano, known for her strong vocals and powerful voice, has rivaled many of her other contemporaries and has been referred to as the "voice of her generation." In the MTV special All Eyes on Christina, John Norris said that Aguilera "has a four-octave vocal range." Aguilera also topped COVE's list of the 100 Best Pop Vocalists with a score of 50, and came fifth in MTV's 22 Greatest Voices in Music. A review in an Entertainment Weekly article mentions her "tackling that dog-whistle high note" at the 3:20 mark in the song "Soar" from her album Stripped. Additionally, Axl Rose (of Guns N' Roses fame) remarked of as "one of the greatest vocalists of our time."