SEPTEMBER 2004
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�SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2004 |
Billboard Chart Update
The Billboard Hot 100:
� "Tilt Ya Head Back" debuts at 75 and jumps to 60 after 2 weeks on
� "Car Wash" falls from 68 to 80 after 4 weeks on
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Christina Is Poisonous In New Video With Missy Elliott
Christina Aguilera has a bit of a sting in her next video � she's animated as a jellyfish for her remake of the disco classic "Car Wash" with Missy Elliott for the "Shark Tale" soundtrack.
Elliott is animated as well, as a tuna fish whose face bears a striking resemblance to her own. Aguilera's marine-life clone is a little less obvious. She becomes a Rastafarian jellyfish who has only a few of the singer's features. Both were animated for the movie and appear in a closing-scene musical number that features the two performing their cover of Rose Royce's 1976 hit as the credits roll.
"It's kind of a big-ending celebration scene," Aguilera said. "The fishes are doing a whole dance, they're getting down at this point in the movie. It's very, very cute. It's very, very funny."
In the music video, scenes from the movie � including Will Smith's fast-talking fish Oscar giving the two musicians call-outs � are paired with footage of the two singers recording in the studio.
Those two worlds don't collide when water appears to fill up Aguilera's recording booth and bubbles containing animated characters percolate throughout the clip. Ren�e Zellweger's angel fish, Angie; Angelina Jolie's dragon fish, Lola; Martin Scorsese's puffer fish, Sykes; Jack Black's great white shark, Lenny; and Ziggy Marley's Rastafarian jellyfish, DJ Ernie, float in, as do scenes illustrating the song's lyrics, most notably the "whale wash" that's probably the closest thing to a car wash these fish will ever see.
"Shark Tale" hits theaters October 1, while the soundtrack � which also features songs by Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake and Will Smith � is due out September 27.
The "Car Wash" video will premiere Monday at 5:00pm ET on TRL. Christina will also be appearing in the studio.
�Jennifer Vineyard
Source: MTV News
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Oprah's Voting Party
Christina Aguilera, P. Diddy and Drew Barrymore have already been campaigning on their own to get people to become more aware of the political process and vote in the upcoming presidential election � Aguilera with Choose or Lose and Declare Yourself, P. Diddy with Vote or Die, and Barrymore with her documentary "The Best Place to Start." Now Oprah is uniting the three with a voting party that she's hosting on her show with their help. The program, aimed at encouraging voter registration, is scheduled to air Tuesday, September 29.
Click HERE to find the time and channel for the show in your area.
Source: MTV News
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Christina Kicks Off Voter Registration Drive
Christina Aguilera joined fans and young potential voters at Tower Records on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard on September 17 to launch the Declare Yourself/Yahoo! online voter registration drive, "Only You Can Silence Yourself" (Photos).
With a little more than six weeks left before Election Day, Aguilera and DY founder, Norman Lear, encouraged young people to register to vote -- and to encourage others to register -- by downloading and printing voter registration forms from www.DeclareYourself.com. Yahoo! is sponsoring the effort by including "Register to Vote at DeclareYourself.com" email footers and front-page DY voter ad placement until Election Day.
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Aguilera Fronts Sex Documentary
Christina Aguilera has been picked as the unlikely choice to front a new MTV documentary about sexual abstinence.
As part of the cable TV channel's Choose or Lose programming, which is aimed at giving teenagers more of an understanding about political issues and US laws, the pop star returned to her native Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to interview kids about sex.
Her documentary, "Sex, Votes and Higher Power" - which airs Wednesday, September 29 at 10:30pm ET - also gave the Dirrty star the chance to speak to youngsters who have joined the Silver Ring Thing drive and promised to remain virgins until they wed.
In one awkward scene, the pop star asks a young virgin couple, Gordo and Julie, if they'd go as far as "dry humping", asking if "touchy feely, over clothes" is too much.
The red-faced youths tell Aguilera they merely "hang out", kiss, hold hands and cuddle.
Aguilera jumped at the chance to front the film, which also deals with sex education, abortion and domestic violence, after reading up on some shocking statistics.
She says, "Every year one in four sexually active teens gets a sexually transmitted disease and more than one in three young women gets pregnant before aged 20, almost always by accident."
Source: Contactmusic.com
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Nelly Speaks On Working With Christina
From the MTV.com news feature Nelly: It's Gettin' Busy In Herre:
MTV: What about you and X-tina? People are saying your performance was one of the highlights of the VMAs. What was it like putting together the song "Tilt Ya Head Back" with her?
Nelly: It's real funked, it's real crazy. Baby girl ... Man, she's amazing as an artist and as a person. She's a cool person. She really killed the song.
MTV: So what does "Tilt Ya Head Back" mean? The title leaves a lot to the imagination.
Nelly: [He laughs.] I don't know. The world's gone mad. Everything is so on the down low. But nah, it's a dance vibe. "Tilt Ya Head Back" is just the title. If you listen to the song, I think you'll get the real idea of it. Christina did her thing, I just happen to be on it. I can't say enough about her, she's incredible.
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Billboard Review: Tilt Ya Head Back
NELLY featuring CHRISTINA AGUILERA
"Tilt Ya Head Back"
Producer(s): Doe
Writer(s): Nelly, D. Moore, T. Newton, C. Mayfield
Publisher(s): various
Genre: POP
Label/Catalog Number: Universal UNIR21325 (CD promo)
Source: Billboard Magazine
Originally Reviewed: September 25, 2004
The line between hip-hop and pop has long been blurred, so it comes as no surprise that Nelly and Christina Aguilera partnered for "Tilt Ya Head Back," which the pair debuted during the recent MTV Video Music Awards. Curtis Mayfield's classic "Superfly" provides the perfect backdrop for this sizzling duo to get its groove on. The sultry and wickedly dancefloor-friendly jam is the latest single culled from one of Nelly's new albums, "Sweat." While the rapper has toned down his image during the past few years, Aguilera has worked extra hard to shake her good-girl facade. This middle ground seems to work for both of them, especially since it virtually guarantees a hit among listeners across the musical spectrum. Although it is cooling down outside, "Tilt Ya Head Back" will surely keep radio airwaves and dancefloors burning up for months to come. �KK
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Nelly: Britney Would Crumble Before Christina Under Pressure
Rapper Nelly has dealt the ultimate blow to Britney Spears - by citing her as more likely to end up in rehabilitation or in a mental health facility than pop rival Christina Aguilera.
The Hot In Herre hitmaker, who recently teamed up with Dirrty singer Aguilera for the new track Tilt Ya Head Back, believes Spears would be the one out of the two to crumble.
He tells Blender magazine, "Christina looks like she's doing it on purpose, and she looks like she has that under control. Like, this is her.
"And I think if something were to seriously happen to Britney, it might really affect her mentally.
"I'm not saying that it would, because I know Britney and she's cool, but that could be a downer for her to come down from so high as the Barbie doll of pop."
Source: Contactmusic.com
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Christina Drops Clothes For Photo Shoot
Pop diva Christina Aguilera has posed naked for a David LaChappelle collection, that includes the photos of some of the young and most creative people in Los Angeles.
The only accessories that the 'Dirrty' girl has on in the photograph are a yellow bandana, white stilettos and earrings.
However, the photograph is more artistic than graphic and will not showcase too much of her naked body, it shows her side profile as she covers her breast with her arm and poses on a crate.
The collection also has a photograph of 'Baywatch' babe Pamela Anderson, who is wearing black boots and sexy black lingerie.
The collection will be showcased in Interview magazine, which has also commissioned the work, reports RateTheMusic. (ANI)
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Christina Makes Readers' Top Dream Girl Band
Male music fans have come up with the ultimate girl band - and it includes veteran singer Debbie Harry.
Kylie Minogue, Christina Aguilera, and ex-All Saints star Nicole Appleton are also on the list.
Former S Club singer Rachel Stevens has been voted lead singer of the dream band.
But Victoria Beckham joins former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell in the Ultimate Nightmare Band.
Madonna, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey have also been voted a place in the nightmare band line-up.
Hans Seeberg, editor of Nuts magazine, which conducted the survey, said: "The great pub debate has been answered.
"We now have the band of our dreams and our nightmares to admire and lampoon."
A total of 7,000 readers were polled by the men's magazine.
Source: The Press Association
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Christina Plans To Visit South America Next Year
By: Redacci�n
La Oreja
Pop star Christina Aguilera will appear in Lima in March or April of next year, according to an announcement of the promotional company Kandavu that caused commotion today.
The spokesman of Kandavu, Alejandro Gonz�lez, said that the terms are definite and it only remains to establish the exact date, which will depend on the world tour anticipated by the American singer of Ecuadorian heritage.
According to Gonz�lez, the performer will be one of "megastars" that supposedly will appear in Lima in the coming months, although abstained from confirming more names.
Among those stars include Paulina Rubio and Carlos Vives, as well as already confirmed Luis Miguel, who will appear in Lima at the end of October.
Source: esmas
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Access Hollywood: The Burning Question
We're putting Will Smith, Christina Aguilera and model-actress Giselle Bundchen on the hot seat!
Submit the hard-hitting questions! Get personal, get creative! What do you really want to know about your favorite celebrity?
Submit your questions for it could be asked on Access Hollywood!
Email your questions to [email protected].
Please include your first name and the city that you are from and stay tuned to Access Hollywood as the viewers turn the tables on the stars!
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�MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 |
Billboard Chart Update
The Billboard Hot 100:
� "Car Wash" debuts at 73 and jumps to 63 after 2 weeks on
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Rred Hot
Thigh fashion for saucy Christina
By Andy Rudd
Christina Aguilera got down and Dirrty again Friday night as she took to the stage in scarlet stockings and bra.
The singer is notorious for her trashy dress sense. And she delighted male fans as she flashed the flesh in lingerie costumes - including a sparkly bustier - at the Mercedes A Class party in Milan (Photos).
With her coiffed platinum locks and daring outfits, the 23-year-old was reminiscent of Madonna during the late 1980s.
However, she claimed she is more like fashion's version of Vincent Van Gogh.
The pop diva denied dressing provocatively and claimed to be broadening people's minds - just like the 19th century Dutch artist.
She said: 'I don't believe in the words fashion faux pas,because fashion is self-expression.
'Van Gogh wouldn't look back at a piece of his art and say,'Oh,that is an art faux pas'.It is the same with fashion.
'Anyone who doesn't agree, I am pushing them to think outside the box they live in.'
Source: Daily Record
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Chris's Dirrty Tights
Dirrty girl Christina Aguilera's bizarre fashion sense is well known.
But her latest look must be the strangest yet.
Wednesday, the 23-year-old flew into London wearing a frumpy cardigan, a baseball cap - and Kama Sutra stockings (Photos).
The pop star said recently she liked to constantly change her image to keep boyfriend Jordan Bratman interested.
But while it's easy to see why Jordan would like the sexy drawings on Christina's stockings, her woolly cardie is more of an acquired taste.
And even Christina's biggest fans would be struggling to describe her Heathrow Airport get-up as Beautiful.
Source: Daily Record
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Christina: "I Can Open Door"
Christina Aguilera has paid a visit to Germany to help promote a car, not just any old car mind you - a classy Mercedes A Class.
Christina took time to answer the question we've all be dying to know - does she believe men should open car doors for women?
"I'm a woman and I am capable of opening my own door and I don't necessarily need a man to do it."
"But, it's always nice and polite for a gentleman to be a gentleman, but I don't think women do need men necessarily anyway, but it's ok!"
Source: BBC Radio 1
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Back To The Future For Christina
By ITN
Pop princess Christina Aguilera has unveiled her new look - and promised a whole new sound on her next album.
Aguilera said she wanted her music to be influenced by the sort of thing that her grandparents would have enjoyed listening to.
"It's a whole vision based on the old classic era of soul, blues and jazz - I'm digging deep into that," she said.
Source: Channel 4
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Choose or Lose MTV Special
Christina has gotten involved with MTV's Choose or Lose: 20 Million Loud campaign, which aims to get 20 million voters aged 18-30 to the polls in November.
In Choose or Lose: Sexual Politics with Christina Aguilera, a special airing Wednesday, September 29 at 10:30pm ET on MTV, Christina tackles sexual politics and its impact on young people - and young voters.
Christina travels back to her home town of Pittsburg and meets several young people who have been directly affected by the government's policies on abortion, abstinence-only, Sex Ed and dating violence. As Christina finds out firsthand what's going on in the battle ground state Pennsylvania with regard to sexual politics and where the presidential candidates stand on theses issues, she'll share what she learns with the viewers.
The special will present several sides of the many issues affecting young people and present where both political parties stand on these issues.
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Silver Ring Special Features Pop Diva
By Rick Wills
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The Silver Ring Thing has a date with pop star Christina Aguilera as part of MTV's push to get out the vote.
Known for her racy videos, raunchy dance moves and revealing outfits, Aguilera talks politics, dating and, of course, sex with Silver Ring members in an hour-long special airing on MTV. The singer taped the show with three members in July at the abstinence group's headquarters at Christ Church at Grove Farm in Ohio Township (Photos).
"It's supposed to a balanced portrayal of both pro-abstinence groups and comprehensive family planning groups," said Jason Burtt, national development director of the Silver Ring Thing.
The show is part of MTV's "Choose or Lose" campaign aimed at getting 20 million new voters younger than 30.
Aguilera, who grew up in Bradford Woods, volunteered to take part in the campaign and on her Web site bills the special as a chance to "meet several young women and men who have been directly affected by the government's policies on abortion, abstinence-only sex ed and dating violence."
Bolstered by more than $1 million in federal money over the past two years, the Silver Ring Thing urges teens to abstain from sex until marriage, touting its faith-based message in pulsing light shows featuring music and skits. Teens who pay $12 and vow to remain chaste get a silver ring.
Full story...
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Oprah's Voting Party
The 19th season of The Oprah Winfrey Show is set to kick off, and included in her fall line-up will be encouraging voter registration for the 2004 presidential election. Oprah will host a voting party with help from Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and Christina Aguilera.
Source: Oprah.com
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Nelly Album Reviews Praise 'Tilt Ya Head Back'
Jim Farber, New York Daily News:
The set's best cut, "Tilt Ya Head Back," openly embraces pop in its terrific matchup with Christina Aguilera. The cut involves a bit of a cheat: It swipes the probing bass line and punching horns of "Superfly." But the song has an original melody, Aguilera's voice has never sounded stronger, and when Nelly throws in his bouncy flow, it creates a beat that will have you dancing for days.
Alexis Petridis, The Guardian:
"Tilt Ya Head Back," featuring a mercifully restrained Christina Aguilera vocal and samples from Curtis Mayfield's "Superfly," is so obviously a future number one, they may as well raise a celebratory flagon of Pimp Juice now.
Ren�e Graham, The Boston Globe:
"Tilt Ya Head Back," which samples Curtis Mayfield's "Superfly," burns nicely with restrained but effective vocals from Christina Aguilera.
Alex Roberts, The Daily Orange:
The best track on this CD, and arguably on either disc, is "Tilt Ya Head Back," a duet Nelly sings with Christina Aguilera. Many listeners already know this song, as it was performed at this year's MTV Video Music Awards. The beat samples the song "Superfly," and these two have excellent vocal chemistry together. Aguilera's voice, as always, is top notch and, unlike at the VMAS, Nelly surprisingly holds his own on the studio version.
Sean Daly, The Washington Post:
Nelly swipes the bassline strut of Curtis Mayfield's "Superfly" for "Tilt Ya Head Back," which features a frisky Christina Aguilera matching Nelly bedroom boast for boast, their verbal foreplay heated up by sassy blasts of brass.
Tom Moon, The Philadelphia Inquirer:
An addictive, wound-tight James Brown groove, "Tilt Ya Head Back," that's the best thing Christina Aguilera has sung on in ages.
Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide:
The Sweat disc in particular features, at least, a half-dozen songs that could be smash hits, whether on radio, on MTV, or in clubs: "Na-Nana-Na," "Flap Your Wings," "Tilt Ya Head Back," "Grand Hang Out," "Playa," and "Boy" are all first-rate party rap, on a par with anything else out there on the market in 2004.
Kevin C. Johnson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Christina Aguilera joins Nelly on "Tilt Ya Head Back" from "Sweat," a song they debuted on MTV's Video Music Awards.
"When she opens her mouth, it's incredible, and one thing I'm about doing is incredible music," Nelly says.
"Tilt Ya Head Back" has all the makings of a hit, especially with its heavy borrowing of Curtis Mayfield's "Superfly."
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Listen Up: Radio Playing Some Good Songs -- At Last!
By Wendy Knipe Bredhold, Community news editor
I heard three great songs on the (gasp!) radio this week.
[One] was a cover of "Car Wash" by Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott.
Now before you start throwing pop tarts at me, I'm going to go on record here: Aguilera may be a "soft porn stripper" (as Gavin DeGraw called her ilk in my interview that ran in The Gleaner last week), but unlike Britney and Jessica, she can sing.
I offer no apologies for liking Missy Elliott. I'm still wowed every time I hear "Work It."
I hate weak covers of good songs (if you can't do it better, why bother?) but Aguilera and Elliott's version compares favorably to the first. It actually made my commute home on U.S. 41 fun.
'Nuff said.
Source: The Gleaner
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Aguilera To Team Up With Stone?
Dirrty singer Christina Aguilera is set to record a duet with British soul sensation Joss Stone.
The Soul Sessions star, 17, has spoken on the phone to Aguilera about working together in the future but won't confirm when the collaboration will take place.
Stone explains, "I spoke to her really briefly the other day.
"I was talking to photographer David LaChapelle on the phone about my video and he said, 'Someone wants a word with you.'
"It was Christina. She told me she liked my voice and I asked her whether she'd like to do something together."
Source: WENN
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Chart Beat Bonus: Auto Matic
For the second time in the rock era, the song "Car Wash" graces a motion picture soundtrack. The first time around, it was the title song of the 1976 film starring Richard Pryor and an ensemble cast. The "Car Wash" single by Rose Royce topped the Hot 100 for one week in January 1977.
In 2004, the song may be headed for the top once more. It's been remade by Christina Aguilera, with featured artist Missy Elliott, and it's included in the soundtrack to the new animated film "Shark Tale." The Aguilera and Elliott collaboration debuts on Billboard's Hot 100 at No. 73.
In the early '70s, songwriter Norman Whitfield put together an eight-man band to tour behind the Temptations. Later, he added female vocalist Gwen Dickey to the group, and Rose Royce was born. Rose Royce was signed to the Whitfield label, but the "Car Wash" soundtrack was issued on MCA.
The re-appearance of "Car Wash" in 2004 extends Whitfield's chart span on the Hot 100. The New York City-born songwriter signed with Motown, where his first assignment was to work with Marvin Gaye. With Gaye and fellow Motown songwriter Mickey Stevenson, Whitfield fashioned "Pride and Joy," Gaye's first top 10 hit.
"Pride and Joy" entered the Hot 100 the week of May 18, 1963, giving Whitfield a chart span of 41 years, three months and three weeks.
Source: Billboard
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Interview: Christina Aguilera's Car Wash
Singer teams up with Missy Elliot for post-millenial disco remake.
Christina Aguilera is no stranger to either working on big budget Hollywood soundtracks or remaking classic soul and funk jams.
In 2001 she teamed up with Lil' Kim, Missy Elliott, Mya, and Pink to remake Labelle's classic "Lady Marmalade" track for the Moulin Rouge soundtrack.
Now Aguilera once again joins Missy Elliott, this time with the dynamic diva duo reworking the seminal Rose Royce disco number "Car Wash" for the forthcoming DreamWorks animated feature Shark Tale.
Here Aguilera discusses how she came to work on the film and how she decided to cover a "lost" classic like "Car Wash."
Question: Okay, could we just start off by just telling us the name of the song that you're contributing to shark tale?
Christina Aguilera: I'm remaking the old classic, "Car Wash," which I'm really excited about. The idea was brought to me by Katzenberg and everyone at DreamWorks for the movie. So I was really, really amped about doing this old song, it's got a really good, classic, soulful feel. And I jumped at the chance of getting to remake it.
Q: Can you tell us just a little bit about the song and how you...
CA: I was really into keeping the essence of kind of that old school feel of "Car Wash." You know, keeping a lot of the elements, that's why we brought in a lot of live instruments to keep the same [feel]. We actually had to change the key so we were actually going to sample parts of the old song, which we couldn't do, because we had to change the key to be a little bit higher for my range. So we couldn't take the exact samples, but we brought in all these live instruments to recreate kind of this old, old classic, soulful feel and sound, you know. I didn't want to lose that and become too current day and, you know, poppy with it. But we did other things to kind of make a nice blend between old and new.
Q: Now the song's a remix with Missy Elliot, how did that collaboration come about between the two of you?
CA: Me and Missy seem to always be a part of something together. Whether it was Moulin Rouge or whether it be for MAC AIDS. Missy and I seem to always be coming together for some kind of collaboration on something. For Moulin Rouge and doing the soundtrack and the song together there, "Voule-vous Coucher," you know, that whole thing. And coming together for the MAC AIDS Foundation, and now it's really exciting to be coming together for, you know, remaking "Car Wash" and doing it for this movie, Shark's Tale, so we seem to always be finding each other [laughs].
Q: How'd you become involved with contributing to the song for Shark Tale? You said you were, um, you, you'd taken it from the classic song and wanted to do it, and you said Jeffrey brought you into it. Can you just tell us a little more about how you...
CA: I was asked to do the song...I was approached by DreamWorks to do the song. I had worked with Ron Fair closely on another soundtrack, you know, Moulin Rouge. I think someone was involved in that soundtrack that's now involved in this one and making that happen and the magic happen for Moulin Rouge, they wanted to carry it onto this. And so Ron Fair and I got together for this project. Again, he's my musical sidekick genius, collaborator. And, you know, he was great. He just knows how my voice needs to sound on a record, he knows how to record it a certain [way], he's great. We are on the same page where we want it to go musically, the whole thing. So once we knew we were going to be working together and we were going to make a stab at it as a collaboration, as a team, the Christina and Ron Fair team, I was really, really excited, so I knew it was going to be magic.
Q: Good answer. How did you change it up to make it your own?
CA: Ron Fairy better thank me for all those nice things I said about him [laughs] It's true, though, he is great. Go ahead.
Q: That's alright. How did you change it up to make it, you know, your own song, but still keeping it [true to the original]?
CA: I think, you know, we did take a lot, I'm going to repeat this, though, we did take a lot of elements from [the original]. I wanted to keep it sounding, you know, pretty classic and soulful with, you know, that sound that it had back in the day. I wanted to keep it kind of, you know, a little more gritty in some areas, keep that strong baseline, some funk in there, a really good soul and blues, you know, sound to it and, still be able to do it current day. You know, that's why kind of with that orchestration, it was kind of a fresher way to interpret [it] and that for [here Christina breaks out into singing] do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do, do-do, do-do, do-do-do-do. Like each part of that used to be an instrument being played from an orchestra. And then I kind of used my voice to be that orchestra, and so each layer of instrument that was used in that whole little, you know, hooky melody that was then my voice, and it was a whole, like, part, that I sang. So, you know, we kind of did little things to kind of update it or, or make it my own. So that was exciting and fun to play around with.
Q: That's a great answer, thank you. What do you think kids are going to think of this old school remake? I mean, do you think it's going to really appeal to them?
CA: I think what's great about doing, you know, a song...
Q: We're talking about how you think kids are going to relate to it...
CA: Oh, yeah, yeah. I think what's great about kind of making this older song come alive again in a present-day time, it's cool because, you know, parents and their children can relate. You know, the children might, might be hearing this for the first time, it's got a fresh new sound but at the same time I think, you know, parents and people of an older generation will appreciate the fact that they're hearing [a new version of an old classic].
Q: Have have you seen yourself animated yet?
CA: I caught a glimpse of it, [but it's] not completely finished. But I freaked out, I've never been an animated character before. And I think I'm the Christina Aguilera jellyfish. So that was really, really exciting to see, you know, to see me as a fish. So [laughs] it was really, really cool to know that they enjoyed the song so much. And it's such a big part of the movie at the end. Jeffrey Katzenberg came and surprised me while I was in the studio. He brought me a cardboard cutout of like three different looks currently that I've been, you know, playing around with and the people there, like put it into creating this jellyfish and whatnot. I was, like, so surprised and to know that Will Smith had to go back in and say my name in the movie, and, you know, it was just really, really cool. And to be a part of a movie that has such an all-star cast. You know, you have Will Smith, you have Martin Scorsese, you have Robert De Niro, who I love. Angelina Jolie, of course I love [her]. Rene Zellweger, and so many others. You know, it's just really, really exciting to be a part of it. So I'm a fishy, too [laughs]. It's exciting.
Q: You've had past success with songs for animated films. Are you excited about doing another one?
CA: Yeah, it's always fun to be a part of a soundtrack. You know, it's not just your album, there's so many other participants, and there's so many other people involved, and everyone's so excited. I mean to be a part of an animated movie, you know, it takes so long to get every little detail right. And it just seems like, you know, I'm an outsider, but, you know, even putting me in the movie at the last minute, like things are constantly changing and constantly evolving. Apparently this animation is one step above Shrek, and it's just, you know, it's crazy. It's completely amazing to be a part of this next generation of animation. And it's the next level, the next step. It keeps getting bigger and bigger every movie, every four years, so it's just really exciting, you know. I was attached to Disney's Mulan, you know, back before I even had "Genie In A Bottle" out. That was kind of my first song I got played on the radio, it was called "Reflections." That was really cool as that was my first kind of intro to being involved with a soundtrack for an animated film. And this one just kind of like is that next level, and it's really, really exciting to be a part of it all again. And the animation family, you know, [laughs] so it's nice.
Q: That's great. You said you saw part of the film. What's your favorite scene?
CA: My favorite scene is the one with me in it. No, [laughs] my favorite scene, definitely is...well I haven't seen the movie yet. So, I'm sorry.
Q: We were talking about your favorite scene in Shark Tale.
CA: Yes. My favorite scene in Shark Tale. Seeing as I haven't seen the movie yet, the only part I've seen is of myself. And so I would say my favorite scene is myself [laughs]. Getting to see myself as ajellyfish was really exciting. But I have yet to see the entire film. I've only seen little snippets here and there. And a little piece with Angelina Jolie. It's going to be just so, so much fun to see that movie. I saw the trailer for it and it was just incredible. It really is. It takes animation to this entirely new height and level, and it's just really exciting. I can't wait to see the rest of the movie. The parts with me not in it [laughs].
Q: Speaking of that, did get to see the scene that you're in. Can you describe the scene a little bit, and tell us, like, what you do?
CA: Oh, the scene that I'm in is kind of the big ending celebration scene of the movie. The song "Car Wash" is being played throughout this scene and basically Will Smith, I guess, comes into the picture and he's like "Okay, Christina, Missy..." and he brings us aboard, so we're kind of part of the party. I guess we're like the highlight entertainment or whatever. It's so funny, what I have been able to see and it's just kind like the fishies are doing their own dance, they're getting down at this point of the movie. It's very, very cute, and really funny. And I think there's something wrong with you if you can't enjoy it [laughs]. It's really, really great.
Q: Okay...
CA: Seeing as I haven't seen it, you know [laughs].
Q: You know, animated films have such broad appeal. How do you feel about your music being heard by people that may normally not listen to your music?
CA: It's always really, really great to be able to come to a table where your music might not have been heard by certain listeners. It's always great to open yourself up to a new genre of people, a new audience. And, you know, that's why soundtracks are so much fun because people that might not buy your record, or might not listen to the radio stations that you're played on, they'll definitely go see this movie. Or they might want to buy the soundtrack to this movie, and it opens up a whole new world in a way. So it's really, really fun to be a part of it and to open up the eyes and ears of new people.
Q: Just on the appeal of the film, who do you think is going to love this film?
CA: Who's going to love this film?
Q: Yeah...
CA: Looking at the appeal of this movie, I mean, I think there's something wrong with you if you don't like this movie.
Q: There's something for everybody?
CA: Okay, yes, which is always a great answer for everything [laughs] my records, something for everybody, there's something on it you'll like. Seeing, the trailer for this movie and whatnot, i mean, there is something for everybody. Everybody's going to take away something different that they're going to love about it, you know? And that's when you know you have something really special on our hands, is when everybody has, like, a different favorite [part]. There's not just one favorite thing. Everybody comes back with a different opinion and a different viewpoint on, like, "Oh my god, that was my favorite, no this..." you know? So, to me, I've only seen many little bits and pieces. Yet not having see the whole thing, I still have just fallen in love with it and I just can't wait to see the whole thing, it's really, really exciting. So this is for a mass audience. There is something for everybody in it.
--IGN Music
|
�WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2004 |
'Tilt Ya Head Back' Audio & Lyrics, Video News
Christina's collaboration with Nelly, "Tilt Ya Head Back," is now available in the Audio and Lyrics sections.
MTV reported that Nelly and Christina would be shooting the music video while in Miami for the MTV Video Music Awards.
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Christina Praised For VMA Appearance
Although Christina left this year's MTV Video Music Awards (Photos) without any of the three awards she was nominated for, she did receive much praise for her fashion, as well as her performance of "Tilt Ya Head Back" with Nelly...
MTV:
The crowd was energized with a dueling duet between Nelly and Christina Aguilera. Aguilera started off with a beautiful piano piece with Nelly interrupting her to begin their duet. Nelly and Aguilera performed "Tilt Ya Head Back" for the first time EVER. This single is from the Nelly not yet released double album "Sweat" and "Suit."
Nekesa Mumbi Moody, Associated Press:
Christina Aguilera was classy, dressed sexy yet demurely as she debuted a jazzy number, "Tilt Ya Head Back" with rapper Nelly.
AFP:
Shop stoppers: Christina Aguilera, clad in a sexy gold dress, joined Nelly in singing "Tilt Ya Head Back," from his upcoming album. The two put on a high-energy show reminiscent of Broadway's Chicago.
MSNBC:
Best performance: Christina Aguilera and Nelly prove to all the lip-synchers out there, cough Britney cough, that it is actually possible to sing and dance at the same time.
Brian Hiatt, Entertainment Weekly:
Best Makeover: The newly curly-headed and blond Christina Aguilera looked and sounded rejuvenated during a performance of "Tilt Ya Head Back," her "Superfly"-sampling new single with Nelly. Dancing and belting out bluesy riffs with equal proficiency, Aguilera seemed like a rising star again -- not an aging teen-pop act fighting for relevance. Plus, in her flapper outfit, she was sexy but not particularly dirrty.
TV Guide:
I guess the Shirley Temple look was in because the gals broke out the rollers this year � Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera all sported big hair, but Aguilera stole the show with her sexy post-modern flapper look. That hip-hop-in-a-speakeasy production number was dynamite, giving Aguilera a chance to not only sing and dance, but also to grab Nelly's trousers.
Corey Moss, MTV News:
Also impressive on the piano was none other than Nelly, who kicked off "Tilt Ya Head Back" playing the keys while Christina Aguilera sang and danced above him. The "Chicago"-inspired number also featured a couple of impressive dance breakdowns, including a tap routine.
Abbey Goodman, MTV News
Other elegant ladies were Christina Aguilera ... Aguilera was in full-tilt Marilyn Monroe mode, down to a drawn-on mole. She wore a silver chandelier dress with a low-cut back, curly blond hair (short enough to see the "Xtina" tattoo on her neck) and � what else? � a girl's best friend.
Liz Smith, Newsday:
I did think the performances of Usher, Christina Aguilera (with Nelly), Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder and Lenny Kravitz were pretty sensational. In fact, Christina, who was part rocking, sexy, soul sister and part '20s flapper, looks like she is ready for a big-time Hollywood musical. What a voice on that girl!
Kevin D. Thompson, Palm Beach Post:
The Marilyn Meets Shirley Temple Look-Alike Award Goes To... Christina Aguilera. She rocked the Temple 'do, a drawn-on Monroe-like mole and an eye-catching Roaring '20s dress that left little to the imagination.
Nick Catucci, The Village Voice:
Best All-Around People: Lil Jon and Christina Aguilera. Two words: Pimp juice.
The I Don't Know What to Call It: Al Sharpton provocatively complaining to Jon Stewart about the lack of black artists in the viewer's choice category, then saying, "I already voted for my girl Christina!"
Adam Gonshor, andPOP:
Best performance: Nelly and Christina Aguilera were surprisingly tolerable, if not great, in their jazzy performance.
Roger Friedman, FOX News:
The VMAs are a sad story, with much cacophony, preening and lip-synching, and not much music to go around. With the exceptions of Alicia Keys (and guest Stevie Wonder), OutKast and Christina Aguilera, we have on our hands a generation of illiterates and unwatchables.
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VMA Rehearsals Report: Christina's Fear Of Heights
Christina Aguilera has confidently rocked many arenas in her day, but even she looked a bit intimidated by the size and scope of the VMA set. Staring up at the dizzyingly high platform � from which she would descend to present the Best Male Artist award � didn't help the situation. Besides the suspended stage, so many props had been hung from the arena's ceiling that the set designers checked with the building's original engineers to determine just how much weight the ceiling could support. So not only was Aguilera's perch high � it was dangerously close to testing the building's load capacity.
Minutes after her arrival, she was whisked to the upper deck to acclimate herself. When her stage began its descent, she held her handler's hand for security for the entire ride to the ground.
Meanwhile, Nelly was relaxing with friends while waiting for Aguilera to arrive. They said hello to Usher, who had just changed after his rehearsal and was on his way out, no doubt to celebrate in South Beach. Nelly and Aguilera were in the house for nearly a half hour before they finally met with hugs and kisses. After Nelly introduced her to his crew, which includes his sister, the two performers spent the rest of their rehearsal downtime talking by themselves.
Aguilera looked cool and composed, an air she carried over to the big show.
�Joe D'Angelo
Source: MTV News
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VMAs Backstage: Xtina Startles
We see it every year, the backstage area of the MTV Video Music Awards just brings it out of people. They're free, friendly and ready to explore.
Christina Aguilera did some startling too. As she warmed up her pipes, the power of her vocal exercises caused people standing outside her dressing room to jump. Her performance partner Nelly lounged nearby, trying to decide which afterparties to attend. After they finished their duet, fellow St. Lunatic Murphy Lee congratulated them, yelling, "That sh-- was hot!"
Source: MTV News
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Christina's VMA Fashions
Christina wowed fans at the MTV Video Music Awards by dressing in no less than five show-stopping outfits.
The outrageous star arrived at the Miami event in a spangly '20s-style flapper dress, reminiscent of Roxie Hart in the hit musical 'Chicago.'
She [rehearsed] on stage in a red and white polka dot dress before changing into a gold mini-dress and pink cycling shorts to perform a duet with hip-hop star Nelly.
Christina also wore a glamorous black satin dress with chiffon sleeves, and finished the evening at Usher's after-show party in a green and black basque-style dress with lacy frills.
The singer said of her outfits: "My stylist got me racks and racks and racks of outfits and I managed to get it down to five.
I'm hoping to go for a sophisticated classic historical and movie-star look."
Source: FemaleFirst.co.uk
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Christina Attends Usher VMA Party
Usher led the VIP section of his VMA after-party (Photos), held Sunday night at the Shore Club, to an Olympic-size swimming pool, where Christina Aguilera was led in to say hi to Mr. Entertainment. A few minutes after they started talking, the Neptunes came in and joined them and everyone started taking photos.
Source: MTV News
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Nelly's Camp Not Making Nice
Feuding posses caused fireworks behind the scenes of the MTV Video Music Awards' big planned duet between Nelly and Christina Aguilera.
Over the weekend, there were serious questions as to whether the two artists would take the stage together.
A backstage blabbermouth tells me, "Nelly and Christina Aguilera's camps are having serious issues about the VMA performance.
"Both artists' entourages are fighting over the least little thing. Twice, Nelly's camp thought Christina was going to pull out of the show."
Nelly's peeps have been making it hot for Christina's side. The Aguilera faction charges that his minders are playing dirrty because they want him to have more of the spotlight.
"The sad part is that both Nelly and Christina get along fine; it's the handlers that are causing all of the fuss," says the source. "Everyone has their fingers crossed for this thing."
Source: New York Daily News
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Down 'N' Dirrty At The VMA
Christina Aguilera may be dating Jordan Bratman but she was definitely working that lesbian vibe Sunday night in Miami. The "Dirrty" girl and some mannish ladies did their best to turn heads at the party Tommy Puccio threw in the Raleigh Hotel.
"Christina was leaning back in a director's chair while the girls danced between her fishnets," a witness tells us. "She even hitched her ankles up on one of her girlfriend's shoulders."
No one was more riveted by this 5a.m. spectacle than Paris Hilton.
"Paris clearly wanted to get in on this," says our spy. "She sat next to Christina, who dropped her three girlfriends and put her arm around Paris, who leaned into the crook of her neck."
Source: New York Daily News
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Christina's 'Shark Tale' Character
The official Shark Tale movie website has posted animated fish characters of some of the artists appearing on the soundtrack, including Christina. Missy Elliott, Christina's partner on their remake of "Car Wash," is also included.
Check out the Soundtrack section of the site (http://www.sharktale.com) for all the characters.
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Christina's Eco-Friendly Attitude
Dirrty singer Christina Aguilera has been praised for her clean living, environmentally aware lifestyle.
The pop superstar supports America's National Resources Defense Council, and has contracts ensuring those working with her contribute to her positive impact on the environment - all of which have won praise from hip eco-stylist Danny Seo.
He says, "The Dirrty girl actually cleans up. Her contract rider for a recent concert tour requested organic fruit, organic soy milk and no disposable plates, dishes, cups."
Source: contactmusic
