USA: Pop star Christina Aguilera comes clean about child abuse, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake

While recording her upcoming album "Back to Basics," a project inspired by music and images from the '20s, '30s and '40s, Christina Aguilera wrote a personal song about child abuse. "You know what, the most emotional song for me to write was probably the song "Oh Mother," which does have to deal with opening myself up to being extremely vulnerable to talk about my past and my childhood regarding domestic violence. I grew up in a very abusive environment, you know, at a very young age and it's about, really the positive twist on it is thanking my mom for getting us out of that situation and staying out of that situation. It's a topic that I really will always feel strongly about and will always try to encourage to get the word out and let people feel that they're not alone, that they have a voice to get themselves out of the situation. So it's something that I feel very passionate about, and that I definitely went there on this record to completely open myself up to be extremely vulnerable, and it's very very personal, a personal song," Aguilera told Reuters on Thursday (August 11). The 25-year-old's new two-CD, 22-song set, executive-produced and co-written by Aguilera, is a homage to her musical heroes while inventing something completely new. The first disc, primarily produced by DJ Premier, combines old-song sensibilities with hip-hop elements, samples and modern technology. Disc two, produced by Linda Perry, with whom Aguilera most famously collaborated on "Beautiful", features all live instrumentation with no samples. "Back to Basics" is the third studio English album, after 1999 self-titled debut the album and 2002's "Stripped", and the singer has sold over 25 million records worldwide. Aguilera who has seen her fair share of controversy and who got her start in the business with fellow Mouseketeers Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake said it is hard to watch the media pick on Spears. "You know, I mean I definitely can relate, it's a crazy business, things are thrown at you, judgement, you know, and that's what I always say, until you've walked in the shoes of that particular someone, don't judge them, don't judge their decisions, you know? But my heart goes out to anyone that's struggling or going through a difficult time, but I think she's in a really beautiful time right now, god. Mother, new mother - beautiful things," Aguilera said in Los Angeles, California. Spears, 24, has seen her marriage to dancer Kevin Federline and parenting skills for son Sean Preston under a media microscope and in an interview aired in the United States in June she admitted to being an "emotional wreck". Aguilera is eager to distance herself stylistically from previous albums and respects other artists, like Timberlake in his new video "SexyBack", that take a different stylistic approach. "Oh I think he's great. I like, what I do like about it is I always, myself as an artist, I'm always challenging myself in new directions, trying to think outside my own box, and think left field, and it looks like with him, you know, he's going for a different look. He looks a little more mature and dressed up now in his little suit in the video - so cute. But he's such a gentleman, and he's such a blast to be around too, that, you know, I wish him the best with this record, and you know, he looks like he's thinking outside of his own safety zones as well, so, taking it to a different place musically, and I can appreciate that as an artist as well - Can't wait for the new album," Aguilera said. Aguilera plans to kick-start the album, due for release August 15, by playing a limited number of intimate U.S. jazz clubs, followed by a European tour that will include private showcases in London and Paris. A full-scale U.S. tour will start next year.

ITN Source | July 31, 2006

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