Christina Aguilera Launches Album Alone But Happy
LONDON (Reuters) – Pop “beauty” Christina Aguilera said on Thursday she was on the look-out for a boyfriend, squashing rumors she is romantically linked with Justin Timberlake of pop group ‘N Sync.
“I just want a sweet boy,” the 21-year old star told reporters at the London launch of her new album “Stripped,” which she described as her most personal work to date.
“Justin and I are just friends,” she said adding she expected to see Timberlake — ex-boyfriend of pop rival Britney Spears — sometime during her stay in the British capital.
Aguilera said the songs on the new album were a signal that she has grown a lot from the teenager who stormed the music scene with her best selling 1999 hit “Genie in a Bottle.”
“You learn a lot in this business and you learn quickly,” said Aguilera wearing black trousers coupled with a low-cut vest topped off with a red leather cap.
The singer said she had tried not to get upset by press criticism of her skimpy clothes and bold make-up.
“I like to be edgy, I like to be different. I’m a little bit of rebel,” she said.
As to the cost of fame, Aguilera said she missed her privacy and was saddened that the songs sometimes become secondary.
“Its such a crazy game…its sad the music sometimes seems to come last.”
Aguilera said she was proud of the new tracks on the album which she saw as cathartic.
“I felt trapped…under the thumb of people who were mostly interested in keeping me doing exactly the same thing. But I’m not blaming anyone,” she said.
Not only does the singer see the album as a professional turning point she said it was tough to complete on a personal level.
“The track “I’m Okay” is about my father. I’m literally crying on the record,” she said.
The song is about wife beating and has the line:
“Daddy don’t you understand the damage you have done.”
The singer said she wanted the album to reflect all the different types of music she enjoys and from which she draws inspiration — whether it be hip hop, soul or rock and roll.
“Dirrty (her latest single currently climbing the U.S. charts) is the most hard beat-wise, its about me being 21 and having fun, but the album is a mixture.”
From the smoky ballad of “Impossible” to the romantic revelations of “Can’t Hold Us Down,” Aguilera said she wanted to break away from any stereotype of her as “prissy” or “virginal.”
She said she was proud of the album and as soon as tracks were laid down, would check that her mother approved.
“I wanted to make sure my mom was cool,” she said.
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