Sorry the 2nd post is later this week, I didn't manage to finish it yesterday. :)
Christina Aguilera (one of my favourite singers) is currently celebrating the 25th anniversary of her self-titled debut album. She released Christina Aguilera on 24th August 1999 in the US. It wasn't released in the UK till October though and the edition I have lists the release as 2000. I can't find the
original CD but it's likely a UK/European edition and maybe a newer release.
Christina launched her career aged 17, with the song Reflection from the 1998 Disney film Mulan and then went on to release Christina Aguilera the following year. The album (consisting of largely pop songs) was very successful, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart (also doing well internationally) and was certified platinum several times.
It featured the hit singles Genie in a Bottle (the lead single and first one from the album), What a Girl Wants, I Turn to You and Come On Over (All I Want Is You).
Back in August 2019, Christina re-released the album to celebrate its 20th anniversary. And on 23rd September this year she brought out a new EP for the 25th anniversary, in collaboration with music platform Spotify. It's her first release since 2022's Aguilera (her 9th studio album).
The 25th Anniversary of Christina Aguilera | Spotify Anniversaries LIVE EP was recorded in the Spotify Music Studios in Los Angles, California. It contains 6 tracks, new live versions of classic songs from the album. In the YouTube info box for the EP video, Christina says that her intention with the EP was to "pay homage to the music in a way that honours the girl she was 25 years ago, while remaining authentic to the woman she is today".
It seems crazy that it's been 25 years since the album came out! I was 15 at the time and Christina was one of my fave singers growing up. Genie in a Bottle remains one of my favourite Christina songs. I also really like Come On Over.
The songs on the Christina Aguilera LIVE EP are Come on over, Genie In a Bottle, Obvious, I Turn to You, What a Girl Wants and Reflection. Christina is backed by a choir and musicians for the performances.
She is joined by American rapper and musician mgk (formerly Machine Gun Kelly) for Genie in a Bottle and American singer Sabrina Carpenter for What a Girl Wants. And she also reunites with the album's producer Ron Fair, plus songwriter Heather Holley (who joins her for a performance of Obvious, which they co-wrote).
Interesting info: The backing singers and musicians are all wearing t-shirts with the image from the album cover on!
Here is the trailer for the EP:
And here are a few of my fave songs. :)
Come on over (Live - Spotify Live Anniversaries Version)
The
original Come On Over has two versions. The album version (the 5th
track) is called Come On Over (All I Want is You) or Come On Over Baby.
The album that I have lists it as Come On Over Baby.
A new version called Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You) was released in July 2000, as the 4th and last single from the album. It was Christina's 3rd No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached Top 10 in the UK and several other countries.
The single version has several differences, including a rap, a breakdown in the middle and more sexual lyrics, e.g. the second verse: "I'm not just talking about your sexuality/But I can't help myself when you put your hands on me/It's paradise when you and I/Get close, get tight" etc.
Whereas in the original song, the lyrics are "I want you to know you
could be the one for me/Yes you could/You got all I'm looking for/You got
personality/I know, you know/I'm gonna give you more".
The new version caused some controversy at the time, although it seems quite tame these days, considering songs like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's WAP, lol! While I like both, I do prefer the single version of Come On Over.
Random fact: Christina's then-boyfriend, backing dancer Jorge Santos appeared in the music video for the single.
There's
also a Spanish version called Ven Conmigo (Solamente Tú) which
translates in English as "Come with Me (Only You)". It was from
Christina's debut Spanish language album Mi Reflejo (My Reflection),
released in September 2000. The album consists of a mix of Spanish
versions of songs from Christina Aguilera and several new tracks. I have
it and it's good.
Come On Over (which is Track 1 on the EP) sounds good live and I also like the intro.
Visit my Top 10 Christina Aguilera Songs post from 2016 to see the music video for Come On Over (All I Want Is You) which is No. 2 on the list (plus a link to the Ven Conmigo video) : https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2016/09/top-10-christina-aguilera-songs.html
Genie In a Bottle (ft. mgk - Live - Spotify Anniversaries Version)
Genie In A Bottle was Christina's debut single (if you don't count Reflection) and the lead single from the album (Track 1). It was released in June 1999 in America. It's still my favourite song of Christina's (I listed it as No. 1 in my Top 10 Christina Aguilera Songs post; see above). It's also No. 4 in my Top 10 Summer Songs post.
As I've mentioned before (in the Summer Songs post), Genie In a Bottle didn't come out till October in the UK, although it was played on the radio throughout the summer and shown on the music channels. I really liked it and ended up getting an import single from Virgin Megastores (nostalgia!). It's one of Christina's most successful singles to date, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and staying there for 5 weeks.
While Genie In a Bottle is a pop song, it also has R'n'B and dance elements. In addition, it has been described as "soul-pop" and "teen-pop". It's about respecting yourself and your choices when it comes to having sex.
As with Come On Over (see above), there is a Spanish version of Genie called Genio Atrapado (Trapped Genie"), which appeared on Mi Reflejo. Later, Christina remade it for her first greatest hits album, Keeps Gettin' Better: a Decade of Hits (released in November 2008). The remake is called Genie 2.0 and is a pop/electropop song. I don't like it as much as the original but think it's ok.
For the new version (Track 2 on the EP), mgk accompanies Christina with a guitar solo, coming in towards the end.
Visit the Top 10 Christina Aguilera Songs post to see the music video for Come On Over (All I Want Is You) which is No. 2 on the list (plus a link to the Genio Atrapado video) : https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2016/09/top-10-christina-aguilera-songs.html
And here's the official audio for Genie 2.0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGvaGX7kTK8
What a Girl Wants (ft. Sabrina Carpenter - Live- Spotify Anniversaries Version)
And here is What a Girl Wants. It was the 2nd single from Christina Aguilera (Track 2) and came out in November 1999 in the US and later in other countries. (It didn't actually come out here in the UK until the following February.) A new version was recorded for release as a single.
What A Girl Wants is pop/R'n'B, like Genie in a Bottle and was also a US No. 1. It reached No. 3 in the UK charts. There's also a Spanish version called Una Mujer (A Woman) on Mi Reflejo.
For the new live version (Track 5), Christina teams up with Sabrina Carpenter. She also does an interview with her. It's nice to see the singers performing together (2 generations). :)
Visit the Top 10 Christina Aguilera Songs post to see the music video for What A Girl Wants which is No. 5 on the list: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2016/09/top-10-christina-aguilera-songs.html
And listen to Una Mujer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoOZAf0frD8
I like the EP, it's nice to hear new live versions of Christina classics. :) It would have been good to hear new versions of So Emotional and Love For All Seasons which I really like as well. Maybe in the future!
Happy 25th Anniversary Christina! :)
Listen to the 25th Anniversary LIVE EP and/or watch the performances at these links:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/72220mUyaNDhUhz5oIk5yo?go=1&nd=1&dlsi=976ce4c7c11c4665
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgR7n6vwwvU
Hope you liked the post! :) Are you a fan of the Christina Aguilera album? What do you think of the EP?
Christina fan? Check out these posts:
Top 10 Christina Aguilera Songs: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2016/09/top-10-christina-aguilera-songs.html
Post about her 8th album Liberation (2018): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2018/06/new-christina-aguilera-album.html
Features Loyal Brave and True from the 2020 live action Mulan (plus a Mariah Carey song): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2020/09/new-mariah-and-christina-songs.html
Music video for Suéltame feat. TINI, from her 2nd Spanish album Aguilera (2022): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2022/07/weekly-music-video_27.html
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