Sabrina Carpenter Duets on What a Girl Wants as Christina Aguilera's Debut Album Turns 25

Christina Aguilera is celebrating 25 years of Christina Aguilera. The "Come on Over" singer's self-titled debut album turned 25 this year and to celebrate the iconic moment in pop culture, the superstar joined forces with Spotify to release new, live covers of some of its songs. The music streamer also dropped a 25-minute video of the performances. However, it wasn't just the 43-year-old singer reimagining her iconic tracks. She called on some help for the special video project, which was shot at Spotify's Mateo studios in LA. Among those recruited was Sabrina Carpenter, who joined forces -- and harmonies -- with Aguilera on "What A Girl Wants," while reflecting back on the first time she was introduced to the singer's voice. "I'm freaking out," Carpenter said as she sat down. "I think the first time I ever heard your voice was my mom played me a video of you singing at eight-years-old 'Sunday Kind of Love' and that was the most inspiring thing for me ever to see as a young girl that wanted to sing." "It was the main reason that I started singing and that I wanted to become a singer," Carpenter said. Carpenter also asked Aguilera a few questions about the debut album, including what song she believes is the one that has stood the test of time. "I guess 'Reflection' actually, people love that song so much because it's so about not being seen and that's been about my career so much," Aguilera admitted. After recording "Reflection" -- the theme song for Disney's 1998 animated feature Mulan -- Aguilera's big break came with her self-titled debut the following year, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and gave us three chart-topping singles: "Genie In A Bottle," "What A Girl Wants" and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)." Machine Gun Kelly also stopped by the studio, making a surprise appearance halfway through "Genie in a Bottle," where he sat on the floor and played electric guitar to the song and then swiftly left as Aguilera yelled out, "Oh my God I love it!" Another special guest for the video project was Producer Ron Fair, who Aguilera called "the very first one to believe in me and give me a chance." "The man who birthed X-Tina," she said as Fair walked in. "It's a two way street with what I do... You also believed in me," Fair said, before recalling the story of how he found Aguilera and the first meeting they had together when she was just 16-years-old. He said she walked into his "tiny little New York office" and sang a song from "The Preacher's Wife" soundtrack by Whitney Houston. "You sang that song like you were at Carnegie Hall and I was in the 45th row and I thought, 'I am in the presence of some serious f--king greatness right here," Fair recalled as Aguilera was brought to tears. Songwriter Heather Holley from the original album's recording also joined the pair on the couch. "You took me under your arm like a big sister," Aguilera said of Holley. Holley recalled first meeting Aguilera over the phone, where they discussed what would be on the album and how she had just been working on a ballad that could work for Aguilera. "You know what you want, you know what's going to showcase your voice," Holley said of the singer, before they performed "Obvious" together -- the first time it has ever been performed. #ChristinaAguilera25 began trending on X after the new Spotify Live Anniversaries was released, with fans from around the world feeling the nostalgia from the throwbacks. Aguilera's debut self-titled album also won her first career GRAMMY for Best New Artist at the 42nd GRAMMY Awards for 1999.

Moderated by Tomas Kauer Moderated by Tomas Kauer
Sep 23, 2024 - 19:00
Sabrina Carpenter Duets on What a Girl Wants as Christina Aguilera's Debut Album Turns 25

"That was the most inspiring thing for me ever to see as a young girl that wanted to sing... It was the main reason that I started singing and that I wanted to become a singer," Carpenter told Aguilera before singing 'What A Girl Wants' together.

Christina Aguilera is celebrating 25 years of Christina Aguilera.

The "Come on Over" singer's self-titled debut album turned 25 this year and to celebrate the iconic moment in pop culture, the superstar joined forces with Spotify to release new, live covers of some of its songs.

The music streamer also dropped a 25-minute video of the performances.

However, it wasn't just the 43-year-old singer reimagining her iconic tracks.

She called on some help for the special video project, which was shot at Spotify's Mateo studios in LA.

Among those recruited was Sabrina Carpenter, who joined forces -- and harmonies -- with Aguilera on "What A Girl Wants," while reflecting back on the first time she was introduced to the singer's voice.

"I'm freaking out," Carpenter said as she sat down. "I think the first time I ever heard your voice was my mom played me a video of you singing at eight-years-old 'Sunday Kind of Love' and that was the most inspiring thing for me ever to see as a young girl that wanted to sing."

"It was the main reason that I started singing and that I wanted to become a singer," Carpenter said.

Carpenter also asked Aguilera a few questions about the debut album, including what song she believes is the one that has stood the test of time.

"I guess 'Reflection' actually, people love that song so much because it's so about not being seen and that's been about my career so much," Aguilera admitted.

After recording "Reflection" -- the theme song for Disney's 1998 animated feature Mulan -- Aguilera's big break came with her self-titled debut the following year, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and gave us three chart-topping singles: "Genie In A Bottle," "What A Girl Wants" and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)."

Machine Gun Kelly also stopped by the studio, making a surprise appearance halfway through "Genie in a Bottle," where he sat on the floor and played electric guitar to the song and then swiftly left as Aguilera yelled out, "Oh my God I love it!"

Another special guest for the video project was Producer Ron Fair, who Aguilera called "the very first one to believe in me and give me a chance."

"The man who birthed X-Tina," she said as Fair walked in.

"It's a two way street with what I do... You also believed in me," Fair said, before recalling the story of how he found Aguilera and the first meeting they had together when she was just 16-years-old. He said she walked into his "tiny little New York office" and sang a song from "The Preacher's Wife" soundtrack by Whitney Houston.

"You sang that song like you were at Carnegie Hall and I was in the 45th row and I thought, 'I am in the presence of some serious f--king greatness right here," Fair recalled as Aguilera was brought to tears.

Songwriter Heather Holley from the original album's recording also joined the pair on the couch.

"You took me under your arm like a big sister," Aguilera said of Holley.

Holley recalled first meeting Aguilera over the phone, where they discussed what would be on the album and how she had just been working on a ballad that could work for Aguilera.

"You know what you want, you know what's going to showcase your voice," Holley said of the singer, before they performed "Obvious" together -- the first time it has ever been performed.

#ChristinaAguilera25 began trending on X after the new Spotify Live Anniversaries was released, with fans from around the world feeling the nostalgia from the throwbacks.

Aguilera's debut self-titled album also won her first career GRAMMY for Best New Artist at the 42nd GRAMMY Awards for 1999.

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