As fans have seen recently with Christina Aguilera’s stunning bare-faced photo, she is updating her image and stripping away everything that she considers “fake.”
Now she’s telling the world exactly how she feels about her time as a judge on The Voice.
And she is not holding back.
In her interview with Billboard, Christina Aguilera says that being on The Voice felt like a prison.
She describes the experience and the show as an “energy sucker,” and compares churning out episodes to running a “hamster wheel.”
Speaking of that time, she says:
“I was longing for freedom.”
She had a self-care routine when she would get home from the set.
“I would just take everything off — the makeup, all of it — and would blast hip-hop, or Nirvana, ‘Creep,’ Slayer.”
So … rebellious music for old people.
“Anything like that to get me out of that zone, that TV mode.”
Christina says that one of the things that she did not enjoy was the limitations forced upon her.
“I didn’t get into this business to be a television show host and to be given all these [rules].”
Some people find comfort in the clarity that rules provide. Christina is not one of those people.
“Especially as a female: You can’t wear this, can’t say that. I would find myself on that show desperately trying to express myself through clothing or makeup or hair.”
Sometimes, little acts of rebellion go a long way.
“It was my only kind of outlet.”
Hey, whatever works.
She says that her experience on The Voice got worse as time went on.
“It became something that I didn’t feel was what I had signed up for in Season 1.”
Sometimes, shows change.
(And it probably didn’t help that her $ 17 million starting salary got cut down to a paltry $ 12.5 million)
“You realize it’s not about music.”
Well, if it were about the music and not about making a show, then it probably wouldn’t be on television.
“It’s about making good TV moments and massaging a story.”
Yep.
Christina talks about her own upcoming album, Liberation.
“To me, there’s nothing like an amazing hip-hop beat.”
And she’s not just saying that because hip-hop has really climbed up on the charts since her personal musical heyday.
“At the end of the day, I am a soul singer.”
Sure.
“When you strip back the words ‘pop star’ and the many things that I’ve done, singing soulfully is where my core, my root and my heart really is.”
Well, some people strongly prefer pop stars. But Christina is her own person and can make whatever kind of music she likes.
“And as you can see, it’s what I’m inspired by.”
She does admit that she finds touring a little daunting.
“Touring is so frightening to me, because I am a mom first. It’s part of why I stayed in the position I was [at The Voice].”
So she’s leaving her comfort zone for her art.
“It’s easy to get comfortable and cushy in the same place and not have to worry about uprooting your kids. I’ve been putting myself on the back burner.”
Plenty of people would have been happy to do The Voice for decades if given the option. But Christina is an artist.
“It needs to happen. I’m looking forward to getting back out and actually showing my kids what Mommy really does!”
That’s so exciting!