Rolling Stone interview about MasterClass and new music

[Kirjava 8,953]

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‘There’s Been a Lot to Say:’ Christina Aguilera Opens Up on New MasterClass

Promoting her new online class, the singer gets candid about finding confidence on stage, and teases what fans can expect on her next full-length album

By

Tim Chan

 

Christina Aguilera continues to prep for her big comeback, and while a new album is forthcoming, her first project is decidedly a little more interactive.

The Grammy-winning singer is returning to MasterClass next month for a brand new class on “How to Elevate Your Singing & Stage Presence.” Available to sign up now on MasterClass.com, the new curriculum is part of the streaming platform’s “Sessions by MasterClass” program, which features a more structured curriculum designed to be taken and finished in 30 days.

Whereas most MasterClass courses can be taken on-demand and at your own pace, Aguilera’s latest session goes live August 3 and members are encouraged to take the course together in an effort to build community and engagement.

In addition to learning about personalizing a song and telling a story through your voice, Aguilera will talk about the power of visualization, helping students prepare for a performance with mood boards, journal entries and collages. Members will then have the opportunity actually record a performance from the session.

Aguilera will offer plenty of “hands-on” training too, with a custom vocal warm-up created exclusively for MasterClass. You’ll also get a first-hand account into the making of the singer’s latest Spanish-language album, La Fuerza, and hear her talk about performing one of her favorite songs, “At Last” by Etta James. There are five video sessions in total and everything is designed to be taken at home or on the go with the MasterClass app. Pricing for the Christina Aguilera MasterClass starts at just $15/month.

This is the second time Aguilera has worked with MasterClass. She was one of the first celebrities to sign on with the platform when it launched more than seven years ago and her “Christina Aguilera Teaches Singing” class continues to be a popular pick on the site.

Rolling Stone caught up with Aguilera to find out more about her return to MasterClass, how she learned to find confidence on stage, and what fans can expect on her next full-length album.

What made you want to return to MasterClass and work with them again?
I believe in platforms that encourage and inspire creative voices to be heard. It’s great that MasterClass allows people to share insight and personal experiences in easy-to-access bites of information.

I was an early believer and investor in the company, and am so proud of the work that’s been done, especially the library of education that’s been built by the instructors. There’s also no one way of teaching or learning. Everyone and everybody’s experience is different and unique. And that’s what’s so great about the classes – they are built around individual stories and journeys, and all it takes is that one little line or lesson or word of encouragement that can trigger inspiration for someone… opening the floodgate for an aspiring talent.

How is this Sessions by MasterClass different from your first class on the platform?
I never got any formal training growing up in the business, and I wasn’t taught in any structured school setting. Instead, I was taught by listening and feeling and learning to dig into my own stories and past, to create my vocal sound and future lyrics and albums.

My lessons not only walk you through [the] ways I’ve learned over the years, but to technically open, warm up and sustain my vocal ability. Also, you’ll learn the ways in how I manage the nerves and mental anxieties that come with being a performer, which can be half the battle!

The session in particular dives deeper into breaking down the insight I give and honing in on things I’ve experienced since my last class was offered.

What do you like about a platform like MasterClass? How does it let you connect with your fans?
My fans are already so creative, and I know they appreciate authenticity, being a place that’s important for me to come from. I love sharing and hopefully inspiring future generations through what I’ve built over decades and how they can build from that.

Given that I also grew up in a generation where privacy is valued to the fullest, and not overly sharing on social media or putting out too much content, they know that when I do speak up or release something, it’s something I value and believe in fully.

You didn’t have platforms like MasterClass when you were starting out.. so who did you go to for advice? 
On the flip side of that, when I was coming up, there was a huge lack of information that came directly from artists themselves, whereas now we live in a time where we are inundated with information and access to everything. So I had to really travel and navigate on my own, which is super tricky and hard being a young female doing it alone.

I guess it’s for the best as it really internalized that “fighter” mentality that I have and perform and sing with…which now my fans have related to and call themselves “fighters” too.

What advice do you have for people who want to find confidence to improve their stage presence?
Some of the most introverted, sensitive and shy people are ones that have to perform on a stage or share ideas to get them heard or created. It’s why coming from a place of intention within your own authenticity is so important as your grounding factor for what you put out there.

Getting in touch with what it is you want to say and stand for is important; digging into who has inspired you and understanding why that is, will help develop your skill and make it easier to make those bigger moves in knowing who you are first, before anyone else.

Everyone will have an opinion of you that you cannot control. It makes it hard to put yourself out there for sure, but when you believe in what you’re doing, others will resonate with that confidence. I touch on this in one of the lessons I teach.

Last time you took the stage was at LA Pride — how did it feel to be performing live again after two years of Covid?
Pride shows are some of my ultimate favorites to do because it is always an environment where I get to feel super free and have fun and explore fantasy, play and freedom!

The costumes were a different level on this one and we had so much fun transitioning with all the themes. And I got to do LA Pride with some fun special guests, reuniting with Mya for Lady Marmalade and [performing with] Kim Petras and Paris Hilton.

And after pandemic restrictions, yes! It’s been fun getting back out there for festivals and shows. There’s nothing like getting to experience fans and music LIVE in person!

What can you tease about new music from you?
Getting back into my Spanish music releases this year has been such a beautiful, long-awaited moment. It had been 20 years since my first Latin debut, Mi Reflejo, and I’d wanted to give fans a substantial follow up for so long.

That is also why I’ve wanted to release the music in chapter form, starting with La Fuerza, La Tormenta and I will be following with La Luz releasing – and ultimately the main comprehensive album, Aguilera— acknowledging, embracing and engaging with my roots in a way I’ve never done. The final chapter shares some closure in relation to my father, and shedding light on any darkness to be left in the past and moved on from.

And of course for the fans that don’t speak Spanish, an English-language album has been in the making and will be released when I feel it’s super solid and of course the most “authentic” work I have to share and offer. I want to give the fans the best of me!

There has been a lot to say… a lot has accumulated and has happened in the past few years… changes in me that will all be voiced and brought to life on the next record.

https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/lifestyle/christina-aguilera-masterclass-review-price-1380873/

[Kirjava 8,953]

The last paragraph is the only interesting part. The song about her father is confirmed for La Luz, and apparently she's already working on the next English record.

Where's the Suéltame music video tho, bitch? Watch her randomly drop it months from now like they did with the Santo alt version

[Disco Darling 4,335]

On 7/13/2022 at 3:57 AM, Kirjava said:

The last paragraph is the only interesting part. The song about her father is confirmed for La Luz, and apparently she's already working on the next English record.

Where's the Suéltame music video tho, bitch? Watch her randomly drop it months from now like they did with the Santo alt version

That english record will be reeleased sometime in 2028, yes? 

Also Roc Nation is doing a pretty stale job ever since she joined them. They really don't know what to do with Pop Stars. 

[Kirjava 8,953]

22 hours ago, All The Lovers said:

That english record will be reeleased sometime in 2028, yes? 

Also Roc Nation is doing a pretty stale job ever since she joined them. They really don't know what to do with Pop Stars. 

La Fuerza was done well imo (she could have performed more but whatever). Idk what happened with La Tormenta.

[Disco Darling 4,335]

2 hours ago, Kirjava said:

Idk what happened with La Tormenta.

She probably got bored...as usual. 

[StrippedX 5,812]

8 hours ago, All The Lovers said:

She probably got bored...as usual. 

This. I'm gonna need her to not let go of her projects a month after release... or in the week OF release 

[Disco Darling 4,335]

5 hours ago, StrippedX said:

This. I'm gonna need her to not let go of her projects a month after release... or in the week OF release 

Well, we all know she does this regularly that's why it was so hard to be her stan. I still do root for her but her constant amnesia when it comes to her projects is just too much. 

Spoiler

 

Also....

I get that she was going through a lot back in 2010 so it was understandable that the BI-ON-IC promotions were halted and the tour was never to be re-scheduled. Lotus was the start of the downward spiral. I mean, the album was okay for a dated 2012 club sound and the sales were expected but her abandoning it after releasing Such A Fool with Blake Smelton was what killed it as well as not touring even for just a few shows. A birth of venus type like of show (or maybe even something like Aphrodite: Les Folies theatrics) show could have saved the era. 

Liberation was abandoned two days after its release but the tour did wonders for her. (TBH, it still is my least fave era because it lacked camp.)

I'm pretty sure she was happy that the rest of her residency was cancelled because of the pandemic because in some fan videos she seemed bored...

 

I'm afraid that her ep and next album will just be released and forgotten (by her, of course). 

 

[StrippedX 5,812]

7 hours ago, All The Lovers said:

Well, we all know she does this regularly that's why it was so hard to be her stan. I still do root for her but her constant amnesia when it comes to her projects is just too much. 

  Hide contents

 

Also....

I get that she was going through a lot back in 2010 so it was understandable that the BI-ON-IC promotions were halted and the tour was never to be re-scheduled. Lotus was the start of the downward spiral. I mean, the album was okay for a dated 2012 club sound and the sales were expected but her abandoning it after releasing Such A Fool with Blake Smelton was what killed it as well as not touring even for just a few shows. A birth of venus type like of show (or maybe even something like Aphrodite: Les Folies theatrics) show could have saved the era. 

Liberation was abandoned two days after its release but the tour did wonders for her. (TBH, it still is my least fave era because it lacked camp.)

I'm pretty sure she was happy that the rest of her residency was cancelled because of the pandemic because in some fan videos she seemed bored...

 

I'm afraid that her ep and next album will just be released and forgotten (by her, of course). 

 

It’s true. She’s a bit over it but I honestly don’t really care that much. As long as she keeps making music I’m satisfied. I saw her live on The X Tour and it was one of the best experiences of my life so I’m good. But it does itch a little that she so obviously has other priorities nowadays. At the same time, good for her I guess 

[BackToBasics 2,545]

On 7/15/2022 at 1:17 AM, All The Lovers said:

She probably got bored...as usual. 

It's the same with me when I start working out - I work out every 2 days and after a week has passed I'm over it  . Xtina has the same attitude towards music 

[Disco Darling 4,335]

5 hours ago, BackToBasics said:

It's the same with me when I start working out - I work out every 2 days and after a week has passed I'm over it  . Xtina has the same attitude towards music 

Spoiler

I only do yoga now. I tried lifting weights (I still do like ever weekends so I can do yoga poses with ease and not shake all over the place) and Chloe Ting's exercises but it just made me feel awful. It may not give me that social media worthy body but yoga feels good for both physical and mental health.

Her attitude towards unaired live performances these days are just . Especially for her upbeat songs. I live for her ballads when she performs them live but when she performs dirrty she's just walking around doing minimal choreography (sometimes just half baking them).

 I think she moved around the stage and actually somewhat danced more during her stint in Las Vegas. (Well, at least during her first few shows...)

[BackToBasics 2,545]

15 hours ago, All The Lovers said:

  Reveal hidden contents

I only do yoga now. I tried lifting weights (I still do like ever weekends so I can do yoga poses with ease and not shake all over the place) and Chloe Ting's exercises but it just made me feel awful. It may not give me that social media worthy body but yoga feels good for both physical and mental health.

Her attitude towards unaired live performances these days are just . Especially for her upbeat songs. I live for her ballads when she performs them live but when she performs dirrty she's just walking around doing minimal choreography (sometimes just half baking them).

 I think she moved around the stage and actually somewhat danced more during her stint in Las Vegas. (Well, at least during her first few shows...)

I'm just lazy af, too lazy for ANY kind of physical activity, even yoga 

Yes, I agree that her performances of the uptempo songs are tragic...she just walks around, moves her hands and says ''ha'' or ''say, say''...I get it that she's...bigger but the lack of energy is just dissapointing. I can't imagine paying, let's say, $100 to see her walking around the stage. Her voice is priceless but it's not enough, especially when the upbeat songs make for like 80% of her setlist...and the facts that she still sings FTM (while giving up MLJ, NMT or  YB ) makes me nauseous. 

 

[Disco Darling 4,335]

8 hours ago, BackToBasics said:

I'm just lazy af, too lazy for ANY kind of physical activity, even yoga 

Yes, I agree that her performances of the uptempo songs are tragic...she just walks around, moves her hands and says ''ha'' or ''say, say''...I get it that she's...bigger but the lack of energy is just dissapointing. I can't imagine paying, let's say, $100 to see her walking around the stage. Her voice is priceless but it's not enough, especially when the upbeat songs make for like 80% of her setlist...and the facts that she still sings FTM (while giving up MLJ, NMT or  YB ) makes me nauseous. 

 

This is the reason why I'd like her to do a more jazzy-lounge or even Bossa Nova type of album as opposed to doing trap and other trend chasing songs because it doesn't suit her and her voice at all. I'm not saying that she should recycle her 1920 to 40's baby Jane alter ego but just re-capture the sound of the second disc of B2B and have an imagery that maybe like that of Jessica Rabbit or even Marilyn Monroe again. 

And it won't require her to move around so much. Plus, I really miss her more sophisticated aesthetics and sound from 2006 to early 2008 when she was still in her Back to Basics era.  

[BackToBasics 2,545]

8 hours ago, All The Lovers said:

This is the reason why I'd like her to do a more jazzy-lounge or even Bossa Nova type of album as opposed to doing trap and other trend chasing songs because it doesn't suit her and her voice at all. I'm not saying that she should recycle her 1920 to 40's baby Jane alter ego but just re-capture the sound of the second disc of B2B and have an imagery that maybe like that of Jessica Rabbit or even Marilyn Monroe again. 

And it won't require her to move around so much. Plus, I really miss her more sophisticated aesthetics and sound from 2006 to early 2008 when she was still in her Back to Basics era.  

THIS  I love nmt, yb, accelerate, sueltame, pa mis muchachas etc. but if she doesn't give a fuck about perfoming them properly, I don't want her to record this type of songs anymore.

[Disco Darling 4,335]

18 hours ago, BackToBasics said:

THIS  I love nmt, yb, accelerate, sueltame, pa mis muchachas etc. but if she doesn't give a fuck about perfoming them properly, I don't want her to record this type of songs anymore.

BIONIC is a great album and a tour could have saved the era but she not promoting it because she was going through a lot but Lotus and Lubricant (despite being lack luster albums) could have been promoted more. 

 

I think her best performance in the 2010's is this and she is still yet to top it:

Even a piano driven album or traditional vocal album will be great for Christina. Maybe she could collaborate with A Great Big World , Andrea Bocelli and Chris Mann (a contestant from the voice.) again as their musical styles suits her a lot.

Plus, Her ballads always had more impact than her faster more upbeat songs.

 

[BackToBasics 2,545]

On 7/24/2022 at 5:14 AM, All The Lovers said:

BIONIC is a great album and a tour could have saved the era but she not promoting it because she was going through a lot but Lotus and Lubricant (despite being lack luster albums) could have been promoted more. 

 

I think her best performance in the 2010's is this and she is still yet to top it:

Even a piano driven album or traditional vocal album will be great for Christina. Maybe she could collaborate with A Great Big World , Andrea Bocelli and Chris Mann (a contestant from the voice.) again as their musical styles suits her a lot.

Plus, Her ballads always had more impact than her faster more upbeat songs.

 

Yup, I've also noticed that she gaves up on her projects when singles tank but at the same time does nothing to promote them before& after accelerate came out she was all excited, attended events etc. and then dissapeared for weeks when the single flopped. I've had high expectations of the spanish era promotion bc X seemed inspired as fuck and then she just dropped promoting the project after 2 or 3 interviews and the latin grammy performance.  Liberation and the material she has released this year are amazing and worth promoting but she just doesn't give a fuck  also the fact that she never performed yb live between late 2012 and 2018 and subsequently forgot about accelerate after the 2018-2019 tours makes me mad as fuck.

I can't understand how such talent was wasted, I mean she's basically forced to perform at festivals to gather a Spanish-speaking crowd or in theaters when it comes to English-speaking/European fans (apart from the UK when she's still able to sell out arenas...i wonder for how long) while way less talented artists are able to sell out arenas easily. 

[Gabe. 45,159]

exciting times ahead! 

[Disco Darling 4,335]

On 8/21/2022 at 7:53 PM, Gabe. said:

exciting times ahead! 

Did she announce anything? 

[Kirjava 8,953]

On 8/21/2022 at 1:53 PM, Gabe. said:

exciting times ahead! 

She needs to finish this Spanish era first.

[StrippedX 5,812]

15 hours ago, All The Lovers said:

Did she announce anything? 

2028 

[Gabe. 45,159]

2 hours ago, Kirjava said:

She needs to finish this Spanish era first.