To borrow the title of one of her earliest songs, it is "Obvious" that Christina Aguilera is not having a very successful year.
On Oct. 14, Aguilera announced that she was filing for divorce from her husband of five years, music marketing executive Jordan Bratman, citing "irreconcilable differences." Aguilera and Bratman plan to seek joint legal custody over their two-year-old son, Max, and remain strongly committed to raising him together.
This break-up is surprising, as it seemed Aguilera was truly in love with Bratman for the first couple years. Then again, the relationship budded as her album "Back to Basics" (2006) debuted at number one on the charts.
Things started going downhill for Aguilera after the release of her fourth English album "Bionic" on June 8th. The album which has the lowest sales in Aguilera's career was meant to be a mainstream dance/club/pop record, competing with the likes of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, but with a little more retro-Madonna mixed in.
Her attempt to remain relevant with "Bionic" is weak compared to her earlier music from "Stripped" (2002) and "Back to Basics." "Not Myself Tonight," the first single off her new album, sounds like she is trying to revive her "Dirrty" days, this time as a mother, which pushed the limit for some audiences. Influenced by Perry's track "I Kissed a Girl," Aguilera sings "I'm dancing a lot/I'm taking shots and I'm feeling fine/I'm kissing on the boys and the girls/Someone call the doctor 'cause I lost my mind." The single also includes her typical loud belts and a catchy chorus that landed the single on several radio stations this summer.
Yet it was the music video that surprised everyone. With Aguilera clad in dominatrix outfits circa Madonna's "Human Nature" and doing outlandish things like setting a closet full of clothes on fire, she seemed like a rip-off of Lady Gaga.
Although Aguilera is now going through a divorce, she is also gearing up for her first feature film debut in the musical "Burlesque" with Cher, which debuts in theaters Nov. 24. Aguilera also contributed to the film's musical score. "Burlesque" is getting a lot of media buzz with the return of Cher, so this film could help Aguilera make a huge comeback after "Bionic" and get back on top where she belongs.
Maybe she was not herself when she was married to Bratman, or she lost her mind after her first disappointment in the music industry. Either way, the media will always respect the ex-Mickey Mouse Club star for her talents as a musician, her undeniable beauty and her willingness to ignore what other people think of her.
