Exclusive: Christina Aguilera Steps Into The Light, "Latin Women Are a Force To Be Reckoned With"

Singing in Spanish soothes Christina Aguilera's soul and fills her with memories. "I grew up in my early childhood hearing Spanish predominantly spoken in my home," the singer, 41, whose father is from Ecuador, tells People Chica. "My mom was fluent also, so I was surrounded by Latin music, Latin culture and the language since I was a baby. It has always stayed close to my heart and has never left me."

Aguilera, the singer's latest album, is her first Spanish-language record since Mi reflejo in 2000. Nominated to the Latin Grammys under Album Of The Year, it includes the trilogy of EPs "La tormenta", "La fuerza" and "La luz." This ambitious Spanish-language project includes rancheras like "Cuando me de la gana" with Christian Nodal, female empowerment anthems like "Pa mis muchachas"—a collab with Becky G, Nathy Peluso and Nicki Nicole—and urban-flavored tunes like "Santo" with Ozuna.

"I have always had a soft spot for rancheras, they are heavily filled with passion and power. They move me deeply—from the tortured heartbreak to the joy and triumph they exude," says Aguilera, who is a fan of late Costa Rican-Mexican singer Chavela Vargas.

Like Vargas, the singer has some heart-wrenching hits of her own. Her father Fausto Xavier Aguilera, who was a soldier, inspired the song "No es que no te extrañe."

"[It] touches on some of the family tension and distant memories that I feel many have also shared with family," Aguilera says. "While it is deep-rooted and complicated, I touch on a very real subject that I imagine many have a hard time dealing with and healing from. After we go through certain things as a young child, it's nice to have a community for each other to not feel alone in our experiences."

In 2019, the "Fighter" and "Beautiful" singer opened up on social media about being a domestic violence survivor, after being honored with the Community Hero award from the Shade Tree, a refuge for domestic violence victims in Nevada. "It's just disgusting and it happens far too much to people that we do love," she said in a video on Instagram. "And it is very dear to my heart because I did grow up in [violence] and I'm a survivor of it—as I'm sure many of you are—and I'm affected by it."

She has revealed in previous interviews that her mother was physically and mentally abused by her dad when Aguilera was growing up. "I remember often having to up and escape in the middle of the night with my mom and little sister, having just the clothes on our backs, to drive cross-country for shelter at my grandma's house," she wrote in the Instagram post.

Her mother, Shelly Loraine Kearns—of German and Irish descent—has been a big influence in her life. "My mom was and is a very loving woman. She sacrificed a lot and fought to protect us when many wouldn't be able to find the strength to do so. I respect her a lot for that," she says. "The older I get the more I grow to understand and appreciate on a deeper level much of what she taught me and the culture she exposed me to, from our travels to language and music, instilling a passion in me for learning and facing my own fears."

The singer hopes to inspire her own kids—Max Liron, 14, and Summer Rain, 7—and make them feel proud of their Latin heritage. "The stress and worry as a parent is overwhelming. I can be a bit overprotective and I'm extra big on safety precautions, but I always try to keep it silly, laughter is really important in our house," she says. "I try to keep things in order, while not taking things too seriously. Life is serious enough. You have to have fun along the way."

She doesn't need a genie in a bottle to bring her excitement or make her wishes come true. At 41, the pop icon, who will be performing at the Billboard Latin Music Awards in Miami airing on Telemundo on September 29, has many reasons to celebrate. "The older I get, the more aware and grateful I become. I love that I've built a life and home for myself. I keep pushing myself to shed things that don't feel right and gravitate towards what does," she says. "I value so many core people and experiences in my life that have built me to where I am today. Grateful is an understatement!"

Next, Aguilera talks to People Chica exclusively about her new projects and her true loves.

Congrats on your Latin Grammy nominations! Your new Spanish-language album Aguilera is nominated for Album Of The Year. What does that mean to you?

Christina Aguilera: It's beyond incredible to come back to Latin music in this way…touring parts of Spain, getting an opportunity to see my fans and sing the new material live. But to be recognized by the Latin Grammys in this way—Album Of The Year being the highest honor—feels like a dream, and I am humbled to be amongst such great talent.

Why is this album and singing in Spanish so close to your heart?

CA: I grew up in my early childhood hearing Spanish predominantly spoken in my home. My dad a native of Ecuador, my mom was fluent also, so I was surrounded by Latin music, Latin culture and the language since I was a baby. It has always stayed close to my heart and has never left me.

Aguilera is also a tribute to your dad. What was your relationship with him like? What memories do you have of him growing up?

CA: I have a song called "No es que te extrañe," which touches on some of the family tension and distant memories that I feel many have also shared with family. While it is deep-rooted and complicated, I touch on a very real subject that I imagine many have a hard time dealing with and healing from. After we go through certain things as a young child, it's nice to have a community for each other to not feel alone in our experiences.

The song is actually about internal forgiveness for ourselves and understanding a bigger picture and coming full circle in life. In order to truly move forward and find real peace, at some point I felt the need to let go of being stuck in my own anger and move on for my own mental wellness, and to be better for my children. I have found ways to redirect my pain and turn it into productivity and expression within my career, but on a deeper level, I needed to make amends for and with myself.

"Pa mis muchachas" with Becky G, Nicki Nicole and Nathy Peluso is a major female empowerment anthem. Tell us about the women in your family and how they give you strength.

CA: Women are the backbone and glue that holds down the fort in many families. Latin women are a force to be reckoned with, so it only seemed natural to kick off the project celebrating strong, talented women. Joining forces with other women set the tone in the messaging within "La fuerza" (The Strength), the first chapter of the musical releases this year.

"Cuando me de la gana" with Christian Nodal is so powerful. How did you fall in love with rancheras?

CA: I have always had a soft spot for rancheras, they are heavily filled with passion and power. They move me deeply—from the tortured heartbreak to the joy and triumph they exude. I originally got the inspiration for Cuando's concept from one of my favorite movie scenes—Frida with Salma Hayek, where she goes out to a bar and makes a celebration of her grief, while raising shot glasses with the crowd, singing with her sass and charisma—not caring, letting loose. I love that scene and Salma! I am also a huge fan of Chavela [Vargas] and the song "Paloma negra." It's beyond!

What was it like recording with Ozuna? Tell us about the song "Santo."

CA: "Santo" is one of my favorite songs to perform live. The video with Ozuna was so fun and his verses on that song blew us all away when we first heard what he added. He brought the energy to a whole new level!

What can you tell us about "La luz" and how do you find that inner light through difficult times?

CA: "La luz" (The Light), is summed up in a spoken-word intro I wrote that encompasses coming full circle with facing your past, yourself and choosing to step forward into "the light" and not dwell in the hurt or darkness of the past forever. It's a hard process to forgive one's self, take ownership of what life is now in the present, and take charge of what's ahead. You never forget, but I refuse to stay stuck in a painful place, and constantly work towards doing the personal work to push forward.

How do you celebrate your Ecuadorian roots? Why is it important to you for your children to be close to Latin culture?

CA: One of my greatest joys has been sharing this music and journey with my kids so that they can experience their roots on this level, from the studio to stage, them coming on tour and seeing audiences around the world. They've watched the process firsthand, and even my own challenges along the way with committing to doing my best, even though Spanish is not my first language—and it's not just going to come easy and be perfect. It's important that they know an important part of who they are, and have a deeper understanding in celebrating what that means to and for them.

Tell us about you as a mom. What do you do for fun with your kids? What are they like at this stage of their lives?

CA: As a mom I only want my kids to enjoy finding who they are and who they want to be while helping them navigate as their biggest cheerleader. The stress and worry as a parent is overwhelming. I can be a bit overprotective and I'm extra big on safety precautions, but I always try to keep it silly, laughter is really important in our house.

I like to prioritize fun and letting loose over appearance or prioritizing things that really don't matter at the end of the day—just enjoying life. I like to keep value systems in check, which can be hard given social media and today's pressures with that. I try to keep things in order, while not taking things too seriously. Life is serious enough. You have to have fun along the way.

What do you want your children to learn from you?

CA: From me? I hope they take away feeling ultimately loved and safe, cozy and supported, no matter what happens in life. Seeing the work I put in so that we can have the special things we do, and not take those things for granted. Knowing the importance of kindness and compassion, integrity [and] authenticity.

Encouraging [their] drive and to be inspired to find passions of their own. Being able to learn from any of my mistakes along the way, and choosing life paths wisely—knowing what's important to them. Feeling empowered to face anything with confidence and fearlessly, knowing it's OK to be exactly who they are, even when they think it's not perfect. Never forcing themselves to fit into a box or fit in. And teaching them that hurdles are always going to come, but that they're fully capable of getting over them.

What did you learn from your mom? What does she mean to you?

CA: My mom was and is a very loving woman. She sacrificed a lot and fought to protect us when many wouldn't be able to find the strength to do so. I respect her a lot for that.

The older I get the more I grow to understand and appreciate on a deeper level much of what she taught me and the culture she exposed me to, from our travels to language and music, instilling a passion in me for learning and facing my own fears.

What are you most grateful for? How would you describe this time in your life?

CA: The older I get, the more aware and grateful I become. I love that I've built a life and home for myself. I keep pushing myself to shed things that don't feel right and gravitate towards what does.

I have lived a long life in this business since I was a kid, to see and know what different chapters feel like and what the real things in life are that matter to me now. I value so many core people and experiences in my life that have built me to where I am today. Grateful is an understatement.