It Girl Sabrina Carpenter has been brought on board hitmaker Christina Aguilera’s 25th anniversary special for her eponymous album.
The “Taste” singer and the veteran artist gave “What a Girl Wants” new life in a live setting. Aguilera can be seen savoring Carpenter’s rendition of the track as she took on its first verse. Aguilera picked it up at the second verse, and for the rest of the song, the two seamlessly took turns.
Aguilera was an inspiration for young Carpenter, as she disclosed before the duet.
“I think the first time I ever heard your voice was my mom—thank you to my mother—played me a video of you singing at 8 years old. ‘A Sunday Kind of Love,’” she told Aguilera. Aguilera had awed the crowd with her performance of the cherished Etta James song on Star Search in 1990, when she was only about 10 years of age.
“And that was just like the most inspiring thing for me, ever. To see as like, a young girl that wanted to sing but just like didn't know I could do it at that age. At all,” the younger popstar confided. “It was like the main reason that I started singing, that I wanted to become a singer. So I'm just so grateful.”
Aguilera also reminisced about the time she had been working on her first album.
“I was still exploring who I wanted to be as an artist, what style of music. But everything happens for a reason and a time and a place,” the “Genie In a Bottle” singer shared. “I'm not sure ... had I been able to do anything that I wanted with this first album, that I would be able to go on and make ‘Stripped,’ and all those songs that were so personal and specific.”
“Everything leads you to the next place in your life. And it's so important to experience whether it's good, or bad, or messy, or great,” she added.
The seasoned songstress also touched on what makes new renditions special.
“It's fun when you get to reimagine the music. Even doing this with you is just so creatively, a thrilling and just exciting and just to hear it live through other people. You know i think that's really so special,” Aguilera told Carpenter.
“To hear your interpretation of ‘What a Girl Wants.’ And just your inflections on it, to hear your gift on this song. And it's almost like passing it on to new generations. I mean, that's what I love most about music,” she went on.
In an instagram post teasing the collaboration, Carpenter mouthed along to an audio clip of Kylie Jenner gushing about her mom, referring to Aguilera.
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