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Christina Aguilera surprises fans with the music video premiere of her song “La Reina.” The track, part of her EP La Fuerza — her second Spanish-language project — displays the Latina unmistakable voice in a ranchera that exemplifies feminine strength and answers Vicente Fernandez’s iconic classic “El Rey.”
Rocking red hair and surrounded by vibrant colors and Mexican staples, the Ecuadorian descent global sensation takes center stage in the video directed by Nuno Gomes. “I always pay tribute to the greatest, and Vicente Fernández is one of them. His song ‘El Rey’ talks about being the king and how great it is. With ‘La Reina,’ I reply to this great classic emphasizing how a king wouldn’t be a king without his queen,” says Christina.
In La Fuerza, Christina pays homage to some of Latin music’s most prominent legends such as Chavela Vargas and Vicente Fernández and includes six songs such as the ballad “Somos Nada” written by Mario Domm, “Pa Mis Muchachas” alongside Nathy Peluso, Nicki Nicole and Becky G. With this EP Christina also explores the urban genre with “Santo,” where she joined forces with Puerto Rican artist Ozuna.
During a Zoom press conference with HOLA! USA, Aguilera said she loves classic music and highlighted some of the greatest Latin American artists of all time. “I love the greats. Chavela [Vargas] was a key illustrator in ‘La Fuerza’ because I really wanted to touch on classic Latin music, and I always pay tribute to the greats who have come before us. The legends,” she told us.
“I did my whole ‘Back to Basics’ record in honor of soul, jazz, and blues musicians who have truly been an inspiration to me, and in that regard, in the Latin world, Chavela has been one of them, Vicente Fernández has been another,” she continued.
Speaking of Fernández, Christina reveals that she decided to honor “El Rey de las Rancheras” by releasing a song celebrating his legacy and a respectful “answer back” of the single that says he is the king.
“On this record, I have an answer back to that classic legendary song called ‘La Reina,’ which is basically saying today, ‘it’s amazing that you’re the king, you will always be the king, but you are nothing without your queen,’” she explains. “So it is really fun to tap as a grown woman making music that I feel empowered by and that I can share not only with my kids, but ultimately the fans will have been waiting for me to come back to Spanish-language music and do what I love to do for me now.”
Aguilera also remembered the heartwarming moments in which she had the opportunity to sing in Mexico next to one of Vicente Fernández’s sons, Alejandro Fernández. “I love collaborating, and he’s an incredible artist and a legend in his own right,” she said. “It was very special to me. I got to sing that song whenever I went to his hometown in Guadalajara. He was so sweet. And he came and joined me on stage whenever I went to Mexico for my last concert before everything shut down and was so kind.”