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While her wardrobe or wild-child lifestyle choices have often been the subject of negative criticism, very few will argue the fact that she has the voice of an angel. It’s her voice that has transported her from manufactured “Genie in a Bottle” to the versatile diva she channels on her new album Bionic.

One of the few Mickey Mouse Club veterans who still has a promising career, the now 29-year-old diva’s second effort Stripped saw her separating herself from the rest of the manufactured pop pack with stirring ballads such as “Beautiful” and several R&B-influenced tracks. In 2006, her third release Back To Basics fully established her as a talented musician.

Taking inspiration from Madonna circa 1989 and Lady Gaga circa now, and with booty-shaking beats and girl-power lyrics, Bionic has been fairly well received. The album debuted at number one in the UK and at number three on the Billboard charts, and moved approximately 110 000 copies in its first week in release.

"Bionic is something I'm so proud of. It's an accumulation of all my old records. It revisits my early pop days because it goes into a full-throttle, fun pop record where I can get in touch with that again," Aguilera said in a recent interview with Contactmusic.

Her new superwoman/robot look and sound are inspired by the balance between her on-stage persona and her daily life as a wife and mom. During her four-year musical hiatus, Christina married long-term boyfriend Jason Bratmann and gave birth to now-two-year-old Max Liron.

"Having someone that's your rock and your backbone really helps in my weakest times," Aguilera said of her husband in the same interview. "I'm my own worst critic sometimes. Because I'm such an extreme perfectionist when I'm in the midst of creating what I do.”
But her family isn’t the only inspiration for her new album.

According to Christina, the video for “Not Myself Tonight” was a “deliberate” tribute to pop legend Madonna. She told Q Magazine: “One of my favourite videos ever is ‘Express Yourself' by Madonna, which came across as really strong and empowering. I love the direct reference I made to Madonna with the eye-glass moment and the smoke and stairs. I was paying tribute to a very strong woman who has paved the way before.”

With her eccentric fashion choices and penchant for geeky men, the pop star has been hailed as the new generation’s answer to Cher. Ironically, Christina stars opposite Cher in the new movie Burlesque, due for release in October 2010.

Image: SONY MUSIC

Sources: Movies.ndtv.com | Mtv.co.uk