Sie hat alles erreicht. Weltweit mehr als 25 Millionen Alben verkauft, und Fans, die nicht ganz so effektheischend sind wie die von Britney Spears. Nach ihrem zweiten Album "Stripped" geht Christina Aguilera jetzt "Back To Basics": Vintage Jazz, Soul und Blues aus den 1920ern, 30ern und 40ern und Retro-Sound. Mit dabei auf dem Doppel-Album sind DJ Premier als Produzent, Orchester, Chor, Streicherquartett und Jazz-Bläser. Im Interview spricht sie darüber und die letzten Jahre. Den Text können wir nur in Englisch anbieten, dafür gibts das Interview auch als Video, klickt einfach auf die Antworten. Mehrere Antworten sind jeweils zu einem Stream (Windows Media) zusammengefasst...

It’s been four years since you’ve done an album.  How/what’s changed for you in the past four years?

So much has changed in the last four years.  I, you know, I try to take time in between records so that I can live life a little bit in between touring and promoting each record just so that I can come back with a new record with something to say, and regarding my life.  And I like to really incorporate the lyrics and being personal to, and true to my life.  But what’s new?  Well last year I got married.  And new love, new, new outlook kind of.  I’m just, you know, I’m in a very, I’m in a good place.  You know, I’m actually, I’m happier than I’ve ever been.  So you know, I’m really happy to come with this new record, and to be, I’ve taken the last year, year and a half in recording and getting everything ready for, for the vision that I had for this record I came up with on the last tour, which was to do a record based upon the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, kind of what I’m inspired by.  So it’s all positive.  You know, and it’s a number of feel good tracks.  And so it’s good stuff, good stuff. 

Are you using that music or was that an influence for you growing up or…?

It was.  Yeah, I mean the 20s and 30s and 40s had to deal a lot with you know, jazz era is in there, the whole big band kind of element and feel with all those horns and things going on, which I love.  And you know, it’s feel good music.  It has to deal with old soul, blues, and jazz, which I think is the root, kind of, of all music.  So ever since I was 8 years old I used to listen to these old records, the Pearl Bailey’s, the Billie Holiday’s, and Sara Vaughn’s, and Dinah Washington, and you know, I used to call them my fun music to sing, or that my fun music to sing.  And you know, so now I was able to really dive whole heartedly back into those eras and come up with you know, some of the songs are more organic and authentic to the time whereas other ones, you know, they have throw back elements, to the 20s, and 30s, and 40s, but with a kind of a modern day twist or edgy beat of today.  So it was very interesting in collaborating with the producers that really got my vision for this record and what we were able to accomplish.

Do you think people or your fans will be surprised by this?  Do you think it really represents a different Christina? 

It definitely represents I think, every image, or every album I try to come with something different and I try to push my, I challenge myself you know, in pushing my own boundaries and my own limits, and hopefully other people’s as well.  You know, in trying to come up with the whole you know, new visual aspects regarding what the new music has to deal with, and you know, in this in particular, it has to deal with kind of you know, the look of a lot of the old Hollywood actresses and sirens and what not, the style of the old Hollywood you know, glam stars.  So old Hollywood glam style kind of you know, representing you know, elements of, with the red lips and kind of certain platinum blondes actresses and things of those times.  It was a very fun time for dress up, and going in there with the make up and you know, being a woman and accentuating the feminine attributes here and there.  So really, really fun in the video how I can make all that come to life visually and combined with the music it’s, it’s a fun package.

I mean it must have been a really fun image to,  I mean there’s so many fantastic people you can look at…

A lot of great references.  A lot, you know, I’ve collected my tear sheets for days up until like the actual moment where it was time to put them to life for the first video for Ain’t No Other Man.  So yeah, yeah, really, really good references, amazing, amazing people.  Marlena Dietrich, to you know, Betty Page, to God who else, Marylin Monroe, classic one, Gina Harlow.  Who else?  My God.  Veronica Lake. Lots to reference from. 

So do you almost live, the music that you’re doing at the time, you seem to live that image…     …I mean like you don’t go out now without red lips.  Is that something you’ve kind of lived through? 

For the most part, yeah.  When I’m recording my records it’s almost, you know, I guess you could compare it to, someone told me I guess you know, actresses before they go into a role some of them, what is it called, you know, there’s a certain acting method that you know, method acting where you live kind of what your character is about.  And for me whenever I’m recording you know, my album, I kind of really dive into the whole world of what I’m trying to accomplish, and that’s you know, when it’s regarding the 1920s and 30s and 40s you know, the style that they, it’s such a specific, you know, look for those time periods that it was easy to kind of lend myself into that, that frame of mind.  And whenever you know, I’m executing the vocals and what not, there wasn’t a moment that I didn’t have red lips on because it helps me get into the whole method singing, method, you know, way of doing it.

I mean some people would look at this image now and think that it’s a more grown up image, perhaps a more classy image… Do you think of it that way? 

I don’t think of it in that way at all.  You know, I kind of just like to take things spontaneously as how I’m inspired.  And for this really it’s just kind of me referencing the old with the new, which is what the music was about.  So again, you know, I dive whole heartedly.  But by no means am I you know, ever trying to be maybe a little more sophisticated or laid back.  And yeah, it’s quite, quite, quite funny, people’s takes on things. 

I mean I did see the GQ spread.  I mean you don’t, no embarrassment about showing your body…     It’s a fantastic body.  Do you feel that’s artistic expression or it’s really just a marketing thing these days? 

Well I’m sure for some people maybe it’s a marketing thing.  But for me I definitely, uh, sexuality is definitely a part of my artistic expression.  I think as a female I think it’s important for me personally to exude kind of feeling empowered with, in your sexuality, and exuding it in a strong, powerful way.  So that will always be an element of what I do artistically.  It will just show itself in, in different ways and in different forms regarding where I’m at image-wise with each record and where I’m at in my life.  And for this one you know, it kind of goes, references back to kind of the old pin-up look in a way, you could reference the sexuality on this one. 

Does marriage give you more confidence to express it? 

My husband is just so supportive you know, I mean, I don’t think I could have married someone that kind of made me feel confined and unable to express myself how I feel I need to as an artist and as a person, and as a woman.  But you know, my husband he’s just so, he gets that, and he gets what I need to do as an entertainer, as a woman, and for myself, and he’s just, he backs me up 150%.  And I think when it is the right person, it is, you know, when it’s, I mean he’s my best friend along with my husband, and he’s my backbone and support, but you know, I think there is a level of extra exuded confidence when you feel support and love from someone that means a lot to you. 

I saw the pictures from your wedding.  It must have been a fairy tale wedding.  Was it everything you imagined? 

You know, I never was one of those girls, or women even, that always daydreamed about what my wedding would be like, or I couldn’t wait to rush to the altar.  You know, if you would have asked me last record would I be married by my next one I never would have said, you know, I thought I would be.  But you know, when it, when it’s the right person and it feels right, you know, I mean, it’s you know, it’s right. And you know, it was an amazing wedding.  We worked closely with a planner.  And it was quite a task, let me tell you, combining that with recording my album at the same time.  Planning your wedding and recording an album are huge things for me, or huge things in life, period.  But you know, I think we pulled it off. And I feel stronger because I was able to pull it off at the same time. 

Was there anything in particular about your wedding that you were just really proud of, that you went, my god, I can’t believe that was, that came off? 

You know, what I really, really loved actually I loved, I mean the whole thing was, it really was magical and it was, it was a three day destination wedding in Napa.  I love Napa because it’s very warm and kind of cozy feeling, and all of our guests.  I wanted to keep it pretty intimate as well.  I didn’t want to have some you know, you know, 500, 300, even 200 people wedding.  You know, we definitely kept it small.  There was a group of 100 people that gathered.  We built a chapel on top of someone’s private property and in Napa, and it was just, it was really, really, amazing, and we had a Japanese themed night the second night of the three days.  And that was actually my favorite night.  It was so wonderful.  Me and my husband we, we honeymooned in Japan actually.  What was one of the places we honeymooned.  We have such a love for it, love of the culture, the people, and just love it, love it, love it.  So Japanese night was really, really special in particular.  We had lots of geishas running around and it was just very colorful and beautiful.

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