Proof that Christina Aguilera has always been proud of her Latin American roots© GettyImages

Proof that Christina Aguilera has always been proud of her Latin American roots

In the year 2000, Aguilera started releasing music in Spanish


Senior Writer
NOVEMBER 23, 2021 12:28 PM EST

Christina Aguilera is a Latina with one of the most stunning, powerful voices and stage presence globally. Dubbed as the “Voice of a Generation,” the singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality was born in New York City and raised in Pennsylvania to musician Shelly Loraine Kearns and Ecuador-born United States Army soldier Fausto Xavier Aguilera.

Christina María Aguilera began her singing career in 1992 as “the little girl with the big voice,” participating in several talent shows and singing the US national anthem in hockey, football, and baseball games. She later joined The Mickey Mouse Club, where she performed musical numbers and sketch comedy until its cancellation in 1994, alongside Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake.

US Weekly's Young Hollywood Hot 20© GettyImages

In 1998, Aguilera got selected to record the theme song “Reflection” for Disney’s animated film Mulan and charted on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart at number 15. RCA’s A&R Ron Fair offered a musical contract to Christina, helping her to become part of the teen pop trend, alongside Spears.

The following year Aguilera released “Genie in a Bottle,” peaking atop the US Billboard Hot 100 and charts of 20 other countries, and her eponymous debut album peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200.

In 2000 Aguilera started representing her Latin American roots in her music and released the studio album Mi Reflejo.

The Spanish-language album included re-recorded versions of tracks on Aguilera’s debut album and several original songs, including “Genio Atrapado” (“Genie in a Bottle”), “Si No Te Hubiera Conocido,” featuring Luis Fonsi, “Por Siempre Tú” (“I Turn to You”) and “Ven Conmigo (Solamente Tú)” (“Come On Over Baby (All I Want is You)”). Mi Reflejo succeeded and topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums for 19 consecutive weeks and was certified six times platinum in the Latin field by the RIAA.

Her First Latin Grammy

Aguilera won Best Female Pop Vocal Album at the 2nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards in 2001 and later embarked on her first concert tour, Christina Aguilera in Concert, from mid-2000 to early 2001.

Refusing to change her last name and publicly acknowledging she is a proud Latina

During an interview with Rosie O’Donnell on her syndicated daytime talk show, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Aguilera revealed how people on her team suggested changing her last name to something more manageable or commercial to accommodate others. However, she refused to do so and decided to build a career with her Ecuadorian last name.

Recorded “El Último Adiós” to honor the victims of the 9/11 attacks

Aguilera joined Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Paulina Rubio, Thalía, Shakira, Ricky Martin, Luis Fonsi, and many more Latinx superstars on “El Último Adiós,” a single released to raise money for the families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks.

She included Spanish-language songs in her second English-language album, Stripped

Christina released “Primer Amor Interlude” and “Dame Lo Que Yo Te Doy” in 2002 for her second English-language album, Stripped.

Aguilera collaborated with Andrea Bocelli on the bolero classic “Somos Novios (It’s Impossible).”

In 2006 the legendary Italian singer Andrea Bocelli invited Christina to cover “Somos Novios (It’s Impossible).”

Includes a bilingual song on her fourth English-language album

© GettyImages
Christina Aguilera performs at the grand opening of her new Las Vegas show: THE XPERIENCE at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In 2010, Christina released Bionic and included the bilingual song “Desnudate.” The hit became part of her Aguilera’s The Xperience residency at Planet Hollywood’s Zappos Theater. Chistina also announced she would be releasing a Spanish-language album.

“I’ve been wanting to do it for years,” Aguilera told Billboard in an interview about her new Latin album. “But I want to do it the right way. I want to work with musicians and beautiful people from the Latin world who just eat, sleep and breathe it, and live it, and learn from them. I really want to experience it from the ground up.”

Christina sings the main theme of the movie La Casa de Mi Padre (2012)

Aguilera became the voice of the movie La Casa de Mi Padre, starring Will Ferrell and Mexican stars Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna.

Released a duet with Mexican superstar Alejandro Fernández

Alejandro Fernández’s Confidencias album, included a stunning rendition of the classic “Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti” alongside Aguilera. The duet became the theme song for the telenovela La Tempestad and peaked at No. 5 on the Hot Latin Songs chart in August 2013.

On October 21, 2021, Aguilera released “Pa Mis Muchachas” with Becky G, Nicki Nicole, and Nathy Peluso

As part of her long-awaited second Spanish-language album, Aguilera recruited Becky G, Nicki Nicole, and Nathy Peluso to release “Pa Mis Muchachas.” On November 18, Aguilera debuted “Somos Nada” and performed both songs at the 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards.