Celebrity Galore

Christina María Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American pop/R&B singer and songwriter.

Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel’s television series The New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994. Aguilera 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 commercial success spawning three number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. A Latin pop album, Mi Reflejo (2001), and several collaborations followed which garnered Aguilera worldwide success.

After parting from her management, Aguilera took creative control over her second studio album Stripped (2002), which received mixed reviews and produced substantial sales. The second single, “Beautiful”, was a commercial success and sustained the album’s sales amidst controversy over Aguilera’s sexual image. Aguilera’s third studio album Back to Basics (2006), included elements of soul, jazz, and blues music, and was released to positive critical reception. Her fourth studio album is tentatively set for release in Summer 2009.

Aguilera was born in Staten Island, New York, to Fausto Wagner Xavier Aguilera, a Sergeant in the U.S. Army at the time and Shelly Loraine Fidler, a teacher of Spanish language. Aguilera’s father was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, while her mother is of Irish descent (Christina’s maternal grandmother emigrated from County Clare.) Her father, Fausto, was stationed at Earnest Harmon Air Force Base in Stephenville, Newfoundland, Canada and Japan. Aguilera lived with her father and mother until she was seven years old. When Aguilera’s parents divorced, her mother took her, and her younger sister Rachel, to her grandmother’s home in Rochester, Pennsylvania, a suburb outside of Pittsburgh. According to both Aguilera and Fidler, her father was very controlling, as well as physically and emotionally abusive. She later wrote about her difficult childhood in the songs “I’m OK” in Stripped, and “Oh Mother” in Back to Basics. Although her father has written to Aguilera, she has ruled out any chance to reunite with him. Since then, Fidler has married a paramedic named Jim Kearns, and changed her name.

In 2008 Aguilera was featured on the soundtrack to the film, Shine a Light, from a live recording of the song “Live With Me” with the Rolling Stones. The film’s soundtrack was released on April 1, 2008. To commemorate Aguilera’s ten years in the music industry, RCA Records released, Keeps Gettin’ Better – A Decade of Hits on November 11, 2008 exclusively at Target stores. The greatest hits included her first three number one singles, and other songs released from her previous three albums. The album’s lead single, “Keeps Gettin’ Better” was premiered at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards and was her highest debut peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

She described her forthcoming album as “short, sweet and completely different” from Back to Basics.[64] In a July 2008 interview Aguilera revealed several details about her album saying, “I can tell you that this record is all about fun. I’ll be referencing Pop art, Andy Warhol’s art. So it will [sound] fun and fast-paced, and visually, it will be full of color”. She also added, “there’s also going to be a modern element to it that comes from my love of Tokyo”. Australian singer-songwriter Sia, will contribute her songwriting skills for Aguilera’s album saying, “I’m going to write with Christina in mid-September – It might not work, she might not like any of the stuff I write, and it may not make the cut, but I’m pretty excited about it.” “I’m definitely a fan of Sia’s, [...] “I was thrilled she also wanted to work together and, in turn, was a fan of mine.” Aguilera will also be working with Goldfrapp and Ladytron. The album is expected for release during summer 2009 and will be mostly produced by long time collaborator Linda Perry.

Source [ Wikipedia ]