Christina Aguilera biography

After teaming up with Pink, Mya and Lil' Kim on the popular single "Lady Marmalade," Aguilera released her second album, Stripped, in October 2002. As its title suggests, the pop superstar had embarked down a new path. Highly sexualized and more commanding than its predecessors, the album featured a number of hit singles, including "Dirrty," "Beautiful" and "Make Over."

Coupled with a series of new piercings and tattoos,

Aguilera and her new music startled some critics while endearing her to others. Stripped went on to sell more than 4 million copies, and Aguilera, rightly so, was unapologetic about the music or her look. "I knew it was a bold move, and I knew a lot of people would not be ready for it," the singer said of the album in an interview with The New York Times.

In 2006, Aguilera changed course again with the release of Back to Basics, a two-disc collection of influential standards from the 1920s through the '40s. Like she'd done with her previous album, Aguilera used the music to help define her style. She also adopted a classic Jean Harlow look for a time.

Recent Projects

In 2010, Aguilera returned to record stores with Bionic. She experimented with more electronic-edged sound with this album, which featured collaborations with Le Tigre and M.I.A. While Bionic nearly reached the top of the charts, it failed to spawn any major hit singles.

That same year, Aguilera made her film debut in the musical Burlesque, co-starring with Cher. Aguilera also contributed several songs to the movie's soundtrack, including "How Do You Burlesque"—a minor hit. While the film was highly anticipated by many, it was ultimately maligned by critics and largely ignored by movie-goers.

Aguilera appeared to be stumbling professionally and personally around this time. At the Super Bowl in February 2011, she seemed to forget some of the lyrics to the National Anthem. Not long after, the pop star was arrested for public intoxication. Both incidents sparked a wave of stories concerning her possible alcoholism.

By the spring of 2011, however, Aguilera had gotten back on her feet with a full-time spot on a new television competition, The Voice, debuting on April 26, 2011, on NBC. On the show, Aguilera served as a judge/coach for singers while competing against teams led by fellow musical talents Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine. While some rumors circulated about behind-the-scenes drama between Aguilera and her team members, the pop star proved to be a strong supporter of her protégées. Following The Voice's season 3 finalé in 2012, Aguilera announced that she would be leaving the series, but noted plans for a potential return in later seasons.

Personal Life

While filming Burlesque (2010), Aguilera became romantically involved with set assistant Matthew Rutler. The singer has a son, Max, from her previous marriage to record producer Jordan Bratman; the couple married in 2005, separated in 2010 and finalized their divorce in 2011.