By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
August 18, 2000
What Christina Aguilera wants is a manicure.
The singer has just arrived in Chicago, and her record label has her working the phones for back-to-back interviews all afternoon.
“I’m trying to squeeze a manicure in today,” Aguilera says. “My nails are such a wreck. But there’s so little time these days. Everything’s a rush.”
Welcome to Aguilera’s world.
At 19, just a year after her self-titled debut disc went to No. 1 on Billboard’s pop chart, Aguilera is preparing for the release of a holiday album.
The singer, whose father is of Ecuadoran descent, also is putting the finishing touches on her first Spanish-language record, which will include Spanish versions of songs from her debut record, such as her breakthrough single “Genie in a Bottle.”
“There are some very Latin-driven tracks on the record,” she says. “This is the direction I want to go in_not meaning that I only want to sing songs in Spanish from now on, ’cause that’s certainly not true.
“But I’m almost 20, and I don’t think the same way I did when I made my first record. I’ve grown up, and my new songs will reflect that. I want to make a difference.”
One of her most rewarding projects has been working with her tour sponsors Sears and Levi’s to help the organization “Do Something” open a shelter for battered wives and abused children.
Aguilera won’t elaborate on her personal experience with abuse, stating simply, “I want to get the word out about domestic violence and child abuse ’cause it was something that I did grow up around. One day when the time is right, I do want to speak about it.”
Aguilera, a former Mouseketeer, has set herself apart from the other blonds who have clambered onto radio’s playlists. Sure, former “New Mickey Mouse Club” co-castmate Britney Spears has sold more records. And Jessica Simpson’s climbing the charts, while Mandy Moore has her own show on MTV.
But Aguilera is the only one with a Grammy (she won best new artist earlier this year).
“People compare us because they see some navel or some blond hair, and they think that must mean we all sound the same,” Aguilera says. “That’s retarded.”
Pausing, Aguilera addresses comparisons with Spears specifically.
“The more that people see us live, they’ll see that we’re on two different paths,” she says. “She’s talented in her own right, and I respect what she does because she’s working her butt off. It’s a tough job. We go out there and face all the negativity that’s thrown at us. People think we don’t have feelings and say all kinds of things about us.”
Like rapper Eminem, who implied in his song “The Real Slim Shady” that Aguilera performed oral sex on MTV personality Carson Daly and Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst.
“I’ll leave well enough alone,” she says. “The guy definitely has issues. It’s an old thing by now. He bashed Britney and me in another song he did with (rapper) Redman before that. It’s kind of an immature thing.”
Still, she gleefully confirms that she has heard “No Reply,” Emily Ellis’ parody of the song, in which Ellis lashes back at the controversial rapper, singing from Aguilera’s perspective.
“It definitely made me laugh,” Aguilera says. “It’s really funny, although he probably doesn’t think so.
