Christina Aguilera will celebrate the 25th anniversary of her eponymous debut album by releasing live studio re-imaginings of its hits for an episode of Spotify Anniversaries. Slated for Sept. 23, the special episode will hear Aguilera sing with Sabrina Carpenter and MGK, and share stories of the album’s making, Rolling Stone can exclusively reveal.
“I wanted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of my debut album in a way that brings together the past and present,” Aguilera tells Rolling Stone. “I’ve always enjoyed reimagining my songs with different styles and audiences, as well as playing with sounds and arrangements that showcase how all music can be timeless.”
The trailer for the project sees Aguilera in a golden bodysuit sitting in a warm living room as she holds one of her signature notes and sings, “Celebrating 25 years.” Along with the video, Aguilera will release a six-track EP, recorded from Spotify’s Mateo studios in Los Angeles. Christina Aguilera, which dropped in 1999, earned the musician the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2000 and included seminal hits such as “Genie in a Bottle,” “What a Girl Wants,” and “I Turn to You.”
“Recording this project with Spotify was both magical and nostalgic, resurfacing some of my sweetest career memories,” Aguilera says. “I laughed, I cried, I reconnected with old friends, and I made some very special new ones.” Along with the collection of live recordings, the Spotify Anniversaries episode will also weave in interviews with Aguilera about the making of the iconic album. “I hope this anniversary gift is just as special for you to watch, as it was for me to make,” she says.
The collaboration with Carpenter will be extra meaningful for the Short ‘n Sweet pop star, who has long been an admirer of the “Genie in a Bottle” singer. “That was one of my very first idols and icons. I was 11 years old and you couldn’t get her name out of my mouth,” she told Paper last month. “She’s very special to me. Those songs raised me.”
The flashback to Christina Aguilera follows Spotify Anniversaries episodes with Isaiah Rashad, who rerecorded songs from Cilvia Demo for its tenth anniversary, and Weezer, which went back to The Blue Album for its 30th anniversary.
