Oh, Christina. Apparently you’re a country-western dominatrix now? Just when we got used to you moonlighting as a slutty cat. In actuality, we really got used to seeing you as a stylish and credible superstar, not as a pandering purveyor of cheap thrills.
This is not the first time Christina Aguilera exuded an in-your-face sexuality in either her videos and performances. The singer, you may recall, introduced us to her inner skank in her “Dirrty” video and slithered across the dancefloor in a fetishy catwoman getup for 2008′s “Keeps Gettin’ Better”. This woman is not afraid to play dress-up in the name of marketing her music, or shoes. (She even one-upped Madonna’s controversial “Like A Prayer” sex-and-religion shtick by donning a full nun’s habit before stripping it off during an MTV Europe awards show performance of “Dirrty.”)
So flirting with “controversial” imagery is nothing new for Christina—but it was more interesting back when she first did it. Before the piercings, the sweat, and the assless chaps, she was a sweet, sensitive pop tart not that far removed from Disney’s programming. Christina was growing up and going through her own personal metamorphosis, and it showed in her music and her style. Basically, there was a reason for adopting that salacious X-Tina persona besides just intending to shock people. She wanted to shed her younger, sweeter self.
But now? Her dip back into the outrageously erotic and scandalous comes off more desperate than titillating and shocking. The whole over-the-top sexual vibe displayed in what we’ve seen so far of her “Not Myself Tonight” video (here’s preview photos one, two and three) isn’t as noteworthy as it is when she first did it, and after classing up her act—with a perfect pinch of burlesque-style naughtiness—and maturing with the retro glamor of her last album Back to Basics, why is she falling back into old habits when she could evolve her image even further to something we haven’t seen before?
We know you X-Tina fans don’t care either way as long as she keeps making good music. And ultimately, that’s what really matters. Although many of you may not be digging Aguilera’s new tunes, as “Not Myself Tonight” is slipping down the Hot 100, falling from #23 to #49—but that could change after the video’s premiere tonight at midnight.
In the meantime, check out yet another incredibly brief video preview below!
I don’t understand it, either. The sexual image worked back when she was in her early 20s, breaking out of her cookie-cutter bubblegum pop mold that drew unfavorable comparisons to the likes of Britney, Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore. And she did it in a such in-your-face kind of manner that I was at first completely turned off by it when the “Dirrty” video came out. I basically wrote her off as a desperate pop star who would stoop to the lowest of lows to sell records. But when she released “Beautiful” as her second single, it made me reconsider her. So I bought her album, and I was really surprised at her depth. She had so many songs about female empowerment, that it totally went against the image she presented in “Dirrty”. But I really grew to respect her and the image she was presenting. And I respected her even more when she released “Back To Basics”. She really matured as an artist and as a woman. So I just don’t know why she would regress to the “Stripped” era. Back then she had to prove herself as an artist, and had to do anything to grab people’s attention. But now it’s completely unnecessary. Everyone knows what she is capable of, and this is SO not it. I hate to admit it, cause I’m such a fan of hers, but it does look desperate. Whether or not it is, I can’t say, and nor can anyone else. Christina is a rather stubborn person, so even if her handlers tell her that this is a bad move, it’s rather unlikely that she will listen to them. She does what she wants, regardless if it’s a good idea or not. But just imagine if Madonna decides to revisit her “Erotica” phase. It would be a horrible career move, right? I think even she is smart enough to not do that.
And I know people will be pulling out the crap about her ripping off Lady Gaga so she can compete with her, so I’m telling you guys that that is complete BS. Christina hinted that this is the direction she was going into all the way back in 2007. That’s BEFORE Lady Gaga was anyone, OK? She’s not the first person to dress weird, make electro-inspired pop music and provocative videos. Regardless of what Akon, and any other idiot on Gaga’s payroll says, Christina is threatened by no one. I am 100% positive that if Gaga didn’t exist or chose an entirely different career path, Christina would be exactly what you see her now as.
ok, you may think its BS that she is ripping off Gaga but still-you have to admit that whether she’s ripping her off or not, ultimately she’s threatened by her. if she wasn’t, she wouldn’t so desperately pull this stunt. she’s afraid that because Lady Gaga is such a success and her outfits are outrageous and her videos push the envelope, she has to push it even further. but the sad thing is, Lady Gaga doesn’t come off as slutty. she may come off as bizarre at times, but her performances and the statement she makes with her videos and clothes is artistic. im sorry, but christina just comes off as…you guessed it: majorly majorly DESPERATE. and very juvenile and slutty. she needs to stick with her strengths. everyone knows her singing is almost unmatched in the world of never ending audio-tuned pop stars these days, so she should be confident in that fact and everything would be fine. she seems very insecure.
“Lady Gaga doesn’t come off as slutty”
Really? Making a habit of wearing nothing but a G-String onstage isn’t slutty? Have you seen her “Telephone” video? She ditches the underwear altogether. She’s a former stripper, and has the fashion sense of a stripper on acid, so I’d say she’s no less “slutty” than Christina.
Until Gaga has proven herself over the course of a decade like Christina has, there is no reason for her or anyone else to be “threatened” by her. Pop stars come and go, even the good ones. And the music industry today is more fickle than ever. So no matter how successful Gaga is right now, she still stands an equal chance of fading into obscurity as she does of staying around. Especially her quirky gimmicks can only go so far, when the music doesn’t back it up, unfortunately. Be her biggest fan by all means, but try to remain objective.
Lets be real, Christina was never really all that innocent. She played that role for about 6 minutes, she had to because all young artist have to pretend to be”innocent” untill they get to an age that is acceptable for them to be real, whatever real is to them.
Gaga is a complete rip-off of a mosaic of other artist, she has no real style of her own, she will wear anything wierd, bizarre and shocking and if it wasn’t for the schtick, we would not know who she is. Thats why she never turns it off and walks through the airport with he buttcheeks hangin’ out. PAGING GAGA! GRACE JONES AND ROISIN MURPHY WANT THEIR LOOK BACK! gOOGLE THEM AND LEARN SOMETHING PEOPLE!
What can anyone really do that has not been done before? Between all the people scrambling to be fresh and original, almost everything worth doing has already been done. Artist like beyonce who release an album every yearwho reinvent themselves weekly are depleting the possibilities.
This image worked when she was still kinda young and fresh. Now as a mother of a young child, this is kinda gross and over the top. She should stick to her old hollywood Marilyn Monroe image. Leave the shock value, oversexy, controversial image to younger artistes.
You know, I think the person who wrote this is VERY insecure in themself. I commend women so are confident and dont use ‘i’m a mum now’ to stop putting in effort to their looks. She has a sex drive thats higher than most and so it comes out in her artistically, thats right she is an artist and I think this new look is very sophisticated, she had black leather in 2001 and has always said she is inspired by artists of the past….
eg: madonna, etta james not gaga. I ‘m looking forward to having real music on the air again.
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If you’re still on the fence: grab your favorite earphones, head down to a Best Buy and ask to plug them into a Zune then an iPod and see which one sounds better to you, and which interface makes you smile more. Then you’ll know which is right for you.
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