Christina Aguilera went from being a Mouseketeer to wearing chaps and a bikini in the music
video for "Dirrty." But the path to fame hasn't always been easy. From allegations of abuse
to a nasty divorce, here's her tragic life story.
Dealing with a series of traumatic incidents during her formative years meant Christina
Aguilera was forced to find an outlet to help her cope. She explained to Women's Health,
"My whole life has been about 'fight or flight,' but yoga has helped me to appreciate the moment
and be okay with the now."
Her ability to combat her fight or flight instincts came in handy when she became a
witness of domestic violence. As Aguilera told Women's Health,
"No matter what chaos is around me, it gets me back into my body. [I've learned that]
the stronger you get within yourself, everything else just bounces off."
These days, the singer has turned a negative situation into a positive one by lending her
time to various causes that help victims of domestic violence. After partnering with Verizon
Wireless and the company's HopeLine initiative in 2006, Aguilera told Forbes,
"I know I am not the only person who has experienced such pain and betrayal caused by abuse and
violence. That is why I feel it's so important now to use my voice to support efforts to
spread awareness and encourage engagement against domestic violence."
Since the start of her career, Christina Aguilera has spoken out about the abuse she witnessed
within her family and around her neighborhood in Staten Island. The singer told Paper,
"I watched my mom have to be submissive [to my father], watch her Ps and Qs or she's gonna
get beat up...You can either be, unfortunately, so damaged by it that you take a turn for
the worse, or you can feel empowered by it and make choices to never go down that route."
"It was a chaotic childhood, lots of moving, we moved to a lot of different places. My
dad was in the army."
At an early age, Aguilera made it her mission to raise her children, Max and Summer Rain,
in a loving household, and free from abusive behavior.
VH1's Behind the Music documentary gave fans a close look inside the lives of some of their
favorite musicians. In 2010, the program featured Aguilera, who made a startling confession
about her mental health. The singer revealed,
"I do battle with depression. It's something that is always right below the surface. And
it's almost seductive to go to a place of sadness and darkness. I'm truly thankful for
the darkest times in my life."
Aguilera may be thankful for her experiences, but those in her inner circle may not agree
with her coping mechanisms. The singer's way of dealing with life stressors has reportedly
teetered toward the edge of destruction, with Aguilera saying in the documentary,
"I definitely don't choose the safe way of living or expressing myself but I wouldn't
have it any other way."
By the time Christina Aguilera filed for divorce from Jordan Bratman in October 2010, she knew
her marriage had run its course. But that didn't mean she left her relationship unscathed.
With the relationship in ruins and rumors spreading about her personal life, Aguilera
told Redbook,
"It's not easy, and there have been a lot of tears and sadness...It's impossible to
redefine yourself and your life overnight. Thankfully, I have my mom and a small group
of close friends who are there for me 24/7 and whom I can trust and depend on."
When it came time to put an end to her marriage, Christina Aguilera didn't second-guess her
decision, telling People magazine,
"I knew I had to end it."
After arguments inundated her once-happy home, Aguilera needed to make a change for herself,
and for her family. She revealed to People,
"I knew what I was doing was the right thing for my child because I strongly believe it's
better to have two homes filled with love than one filled with tension. That's one thing
I learned as a child."
The singer went on to reveal that her own childhood improved the day her parents separated.
Christina Aguilera sat down with W magazine to speak about her life and career in 2011.
As she dove deep into her childhood, which was far from picture-perfect, she made a heartbreaking
revelation. The performer revealed,
"I felt caged by my childhood. And unsafe: Bad things happened in my home; there was
violence."
Christina Aguilera doesn't just crank out dance-worthy, body-moving tracks. The Grammy
Award-winning singer also uses music to share the pain she has endured throughout her life.
Sitting down with Dateline NBC, she was asked if she ever felt bullied. Aguilera responded,
"I have definitely experienced forms of bullying, and that's why it's so important for me to
write songs like 'Beautiful' and 'Fighter.'"
She also wrote her 2012 album, Lotus, in the hope that it would be a source of inspiration
for those who may be in a similar situation. She explained to Dateline NBC,
"Lotus is all about being an unbreakable flower that survives the test of time...Throughout
the roughest of surroundings and harshest weather conditions it remains strong and thrives."
But while Aguilera is committed to being a beacon of hope for others, she still has a
lot to deal with.
"'Cause after I'm gone, I want my body of work to speak for itself."
As a public figure, Christina Aguilera is constantly scrutinized. She has been criticized
for almost everything, from messing up the words of the National Anthem at the 2011 Super
Bowl to her spray tan malfunction at legendary singer Etta James' funeral in 2017. However,
the most harsh judgement has been directed towards her weight, which has fluctuated since
the start of her career.
What many fail to realize is that Aguilera was a pre-teen when she first entered the
entertainment business as a star on Disney's The Mickey Mouse Club. So, naturally, her
body would change as she matured. But that hasn't stopped people from bashing her figure
and using every opportunity to put her down about her weight. However, as Aguilera told
Marie Claire,
"Being too thin. Being bigger. I've been criticized for being on both sides of the scale. It's
noise I block out automatically. I love my body...My son is healthy and happy, so that's
all that matters to me."
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