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Posts Tagged ‘pop’

Article by Claire Brown

Pop music may include elements of rock, hip hop, reggae, dance, R&B, jazz, electronic, and sometimes folk music and various other styles. Pop music performers typically make use of state-of-the-art technology and recording studios to achieve the sound they want, and record producers may have a heavy influence. Pop music generally uses a simple, memorable melody and emphasizes the rhythm, often with syncopation, and stripped down to a basic riff or loop which repeats throughout much of the song. Pop music is often criticized for being overly simple and repetitive. Read the rest of this entry »

Though it seems like the tabloid media has been dedicated to advertising the downfall of the ever popular pop mega star Britney Spears, few know her behind what is portrayed in the media. Some would even go so far as to say that her ex-husband and former backup dancer Kevin Federline has little to say about the former Musketeer. But with her 27th birthday celebrations in full gear this month (her actual birthday was December 2nd), an album release and a custody battle that has her children finally seeing their mommy, Ms. Spears is looking forward to the New Year with a whole new outlook. And just as the announcements can’t seem to get any better after a whirlwind of a year, Circus, the star’s sixth studio album, is getting promoted with a 2009 tour! So head on over to http://www.stubhub.com/britney-spears-tickets to get the next addition in the Britney Spears escalading comeback with your own Britney Spears tickets!

Though comeback rumors have been in full swing for months, the star has showed her withdrawal from her former self not in the amount of public appearances that she’s been racking up but in the effort that’s gone into them. One of the most publicized interviews since her breakdown this past year was Rolling Stone. Though the music magazine has interviewed the pop star several times since she first emerged, Jenny Eliscu (Rolling Stone’s interviewer) noted that there was a very specific list of topics that could not be addressed, including her recent psychotic break. The star was constantly surrounded by her company, Eliscu mentioned in a slew of interviews, and was more subdued than ever. Spears mentioned in the interview that more than ever she feels “like an old person now. I go to bed at, like, 9:30 every night, and I don’t’ go out or anything?” Quite a change from the former party-animal parent who was often spotted bearing an alcoholic beverage and without panties ? she’s now turned the volume way down. With a court ordered companion at all times, as demanded by her father, the singer has little, if any, legal rights to her financial fortune.

Though the blonde seems to be back in spirit, there is little that anyone can really understand about her life behind all the paparazzi, the security guards and the makeup. Just as Spears begins living out her return to the positive spotlight on her own terms, Federline is beginning to do the same thing, with a public interview vis-?-vis the day they met to the day she filed for divorce. Talking to People Magazine, the former rapper turned Daddy is making sure everyone knows that he “didn’t give her an ultimatum,” and that his biggest concern is their children. Though Spears has only made side comments regarding their marriage, she too deems her most accomplished moments as giving birth to Preston, 3, and Jayden, 2.

Nonetheless, she continues to spread her wealth in the form of television interviews and live performances in promotion of Circus, and after four years of stage hibernation, is returning in March for her North American tour. She’s already sped off to Europe for the first part of her Circus promotion, but will be whole heartedly welcomed back this spring.

Author Bio: This article is sponsored by StubHub and was written by Meaghan Clark. StubHub.com is a leader in the business of selling Britney Spears tickets, as well as sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Madonna’s high-profile smooch with Britney Spears at the MTV Video Music Awards was enough to spark controversy in the entertainment industry for months to come back in 2003, yet five years later the legendary pop icon is still making waves with her stance on gay rights. Although not of the homosexual persuasion herself, Madonna has taken it upon herself to stand up for gay rights, most recently with California’s Proposition 8, which bans the previously-overturned legality of same-sex marriage in the state. California voters last week upheld the ban, and Madonna’s appearances on the West Coast for concerts came at a strikingly convenient time for the renowned edgy pop singer.

Joining the ranks of celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Brad Pitt, Lance Bass, Barbra Streisand, Melissa Etheridge, Steven Spielberg, Samuel L. Jackson and Pete Wentz, Madonna publicly denounced her views on California’s Prop 8, declaring to all those with Madonna tickets at a concert at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium last week, “If we can elect an African-American as president, we can support gay marriage! Defeat Prop 8! We will not give up!” This outspoken and controversial blast came as no surprise to anyone familiar with Madonna’s edgy ways, and the longtime pop icon continues her drive for gay marriage and rights even after the results from last week’s election came streaming in.

Madonna’s embracements of her sexuality and edgy public image are staples in her public persona, and have been ever since the performer’s penetration into the music industry back in the early 1980s. A Bay City, Michigan native, Madonna (whose full name is Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone) first rocked the nation with 1982′s club hit “Everybody,” which she quickly followed up with “Physical Attraction” and “Holiday.” After releasing her debut album, Madonna’s second release Like a Virgin is what bolstered the pop vixen up into sheer mainstream success. Her sexy music videos and strong personality were the winds to Madonna’s back, and by 1985 the talented performer had seemingly reached the top of her music career with the crazily popular hit song “Material Girl.” Leaked nude photos of Madonna in the late ’80s only helped propel the singer’s image in the public realm, and Madonna continued pumping out hit singles and albums through the ’90s and into the ’00s, garnering number ones with songs like “Secret,” “Take a Bow,” “I’ll Remember,” “Deeper and Deeper,” “Fever,” “This Used to Be My Playground,” “Ray of Light,” “Beautiful Stranger,” “Music,” “American Life” and many, many more.

Aside from winning seven Grammy Awards in her highly successful career, Madonna has also seen fame in films, children’s books and several live performances, most recently hitting it big with the single “4 Minutes,” a collaboration with Justin Timberlake. Madonna’s performances often feature Timberlake and his ex Britney Spears, and you can see all the action live when you find concert tickets from http://www.stubhub.com/madonna-tickets/. Madonna’s most recent headlines include her divorce from husband Guy Ritchie, and her much-speculated relationship with baseball’s Alex Rodriguez have emerged but have not affected the incredible vocalist’s music career.

Author Bio: This article is sponsored by StubHub.com and was written by Jenna Jay. StubHub is a leader in the business of selling Madonna tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Tina Turner is known best, perhaps, for her wild hair style and her high-energy shows that are guaranteed to leave the audience breathless, even if Turner seems barely winded. Some things just never change. Turner just recently performed a show at Madison Square Garden, and she really let loose her rough ways on the stage. Although Turner isn’t as young as she used to be, she still rocked out in a sequined, sparkly dress and performed all of the fast-paced hits that made her famous in the first place. Tina Turner has not released any new material in years, ever since she announced her retirement a decade ago, and yet there is a magical flair about Ms. Turner, and she certainly is not one to fade silently into the night.

At her recent concert in New York, Turner took fans on a whirlwind trip back to the 1980s when she was enjoying the peak of her success in the music industry. Audience members sang along to ballads like “Steamy Windows,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and “Nutbush City Limits.” Along with traversing energetically around the stage, Turner lit up the speakers with her fiery voice. And at the age of 69, Tina Turner still manages to turn heads. See her light up the stage with your own pair of Tina Turner tickets from http://www.stubhub.com/tina-turner-tickets.

Tina Turner was born as Anna Mae Bullock and would rise to become “The Queen of Rock and Roll,” particularly throughout the 1980s when her pop-music style was in top fashion. Over her many years of performing, she has traveled the world, blowing her listeners away with her powerful vocals and fast-paced live shows. She has been listed in Rolling Stone’s list of The Immortals-The Greatest Artists of All Time, and she is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. She has also been the recipient of eight Grammy Awards. Many people remember Turner for two of her most famous recordings: “River Deep-Mountain High” and “Proud Mary.”

Tina Turner always had a vast interest in music, and in 1960 she had an opportunity to record the song “A Fool in Love.” The song became an enormous R&B hit and reached number two on the U.S. Pop Chart. It was the start of her success and she ran with the opportunity to become a superstar in the industry. She gained mainstream attention in the 1960s and 1970s, especially when she recorded the hot songs “River Deep, Mountain High,” and others including “Come Together,” “Honky Tonk Woman” and “I Want to Take You Higher.”

Although her popularity seemed to decline as the 1970s came to a close and her marriage fell apart, Tina Turner persevered and staged one of the most impressive comebacks in music history when she roared into the 1980s. The song “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” was an immediate smash hit and can definitively go down in history as one of Turner’s most well-known signature songs.

As her recent performance in New York shows, Tina Turner still has the moves and the grooves and it doesn’t seem as if she’ll be slowing down one bit. See her strut her stuff live on stage at one of her upcoming shows.

Author Bio: This article was written by Alexa Evans and is sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells Tina Turner tickets, as well as many other kinds of sports tickets, concert tickets, special events tickets and theater tickets.

Even with a tabloid history that can’t be topped by many, Madonna was able to top herself with the number one ticket sales for 2008 for her “Sticky and Sweet” tour. The pop icon reigned in $105.3 million over the course of her two month North American tour, which began in October in East Rutherford, New Jersey and finished in November in Mexico City. Even amid all the personal controversy that the mother and rocker faced this year, “Sticky and Sweet” finished up its final performances in Brazil last week to total $281.6 million internationally, according to the music trade publication Pollstar. The tour, which visited 17 countries, was promoting Madonna’s 11th studio album Hard Candy, which emerged on the pop charts in April with her number one international hit “4 Minutes.”

“Sticky and Sweet” incorporated Madonna’s love for everything vaudeville-esque, with a Ukrainian gypsy band, a vintage racing car and a virtual duet with Justin Timberlake (though Timberlake appeared in 3-D version for her Los Angeles show ? and to incorporate Madonna’s love for drama, she also had a conservative ex, Britney Spears, pop on stage as well). The show, directed by Jamie King, topped her last big tour, which came in 2006 with Confessions, earning her a total grossing of $193.7 million. Always trying to top herself, Madonna tickets have outlasted every other pop star and will continue to be hot items.

Following close behind was Celine Dion, who drew in nearly just as much in North American ticket sales this year and who had geared toward retirement earlier this year but instead launched her first world tour in eight years. Her total missed the top spot by a mere fifty million, reaching $236.6 million from 24 countries with North America earning about $94.

“Sticky and Sweet” initially had its fair share of skeptics, as the 50 year old “Material Girl” strutted her stuff scantily clad in tight leather and underwear garments. But after her athletic dance routines and veteran conceptions impressed even the most skeptical of critics, the Grammy award winner easily viewed the economic crisis as an uphill battle of her own. According to Pollstar, the least amount of concert goers went to big events this year, though those who did opened up their pocket books like never before. “We’ve had a better year than we really should have expected given the economic environment,” Gary Bongiovanni, editor of Pollstar’s Fresno, California publication, told Reuters. The average ticket price rose nearly eight percent while the number of tickets sold fell three.

This year marks the first that Pollstar incorporated international numbers into their data. Madonna’s concert numbers, which currently ranks her at eighth overall for North American tours, wasn’t the only monetary data collected. As one of the highest ranking performers of all time, Madonna’s donations to her Kabbalah religion were also of high discussion at the end of 2008, with high profile news sources discussing her over $3 million donation, which particularly went to her own Kabbalah Center in Los Angeles.

Even with a Hollywood psychic predicting a publicity romance stunt between Madonna and Alex Rodriquez, the Yankees player she’s most recently been “attached,” and media relations that follow her every move, Madonna’s 2009 will unforgivably be brighter than the last.

Author Bio: This article is sponsored by StubHub and was written by Meaghan Clark. StubHub is a leader in the business of selling Madonna tickets, as well as sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Britney Spears has released a new single, and with her empire finally fixed at the top, it will be no surprise to see “3″ at the top of the charts this week. The new single featured on her greatest hits collection The Singles Collection premiered on September 29th to New York radio stations. The single was produced by her collaborator Max Martin, who helped Spears see success with her first hit a decade ago “…Baby One More Time” as well as the more recent “If you Seek Amy.” The single, much like everything else Spears has been doing since her good girl gone bad school girl outfit in “…Baby One More Time,” will likely cause a media uprising as its content discusses matters of the heart in an unconventional manner.

The single is currently posted on New York radio’s Z 100′s website and features her signature sound and a dance beat as she sings “1, 2, 3/ not only you and me/ got 180 degrees/ and I’m caught in between.” The song is the only new hit to appear on the album that celebrates her 10 years in the business. It is her third greatest hits compilation in four years, following 2005′s My Prerogative and 2006′s B in the Mix: The Remixes.

The newest compilation will appear in two forms: the first will feature 17 of her biggest hits, including …Baby One More Time, the album that spent 103 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and has sold 10,554,000 copies (according Nielson SoundScan); the second will be an ‘ultimate fan box set’ with all 29 of her singles, a DVD of her music videos and a booklet featuring classic images, reports Billboard.

Spears has been out of the tabloids recently, instead making the cover of Rolling Stone and other music magazines for her Circus tour. Though the tour closed at the end of September, Spears has remained in the headlines for her custody case with former husband and backup dancer Kevin Federline. The couple has two children, Sean Preston and Jayden James, and recently learned that they will be splitting custody through the end of the year, according to TMZ.

The instruction is an extension of the already preexisting arrangement that had been ordered while Spears was on tour that enabled the boys to travel with their mom. The plan now allows Spears to travel with her sons outside of California, however she must provide Federline with room and board, as well as an extra $5,000 a month (making the grand total in child support $25,000).

Britney Spears was born in a small town in Louisiana, and she took to the stage at a young age, performing for her family before appearing on the nationally televised Star Search and The New Mickey Mouse Club. After her second season as a Mouseketeer the show was cancelled, so the young star moved to New York and began recording demo tapes, some that eventually landed in the hands of Jive executives who signed the 15-year-old to a recording deal that had her working with producers and writers of established fame (Eric Foster White and Max Martin). Once she was paired up with Jive and Martin, the success came easily, skyrocketing the small town girl into pop star fame that has yet to quell over a decade later.

Author Bio: This article is sponsored by StubHub and was written by Meaghan Clark. StubHub.com is a leader in the business of selling Britney Spears tickets, as well as sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Teen pop idol and Hannah Montana superstar Miley Cyrus has had quite the successful year in the spotlight as her vocal career has taken off alongside her hit Disney Channel television series, and the starry-eyed pop princess is currently in the middle of a whirlwind of awards shows and live performances. Even without Miley Cyrus tickets, fans have undoubtedly seen the vocal wonder perform at live shows and on television, and yesterday was just another day taking care of business for the teenager.

Kicking off her day with a performance on ABC’s Good Morning America, Miley sang a duet with her father Billy Ray Cyrus in New York before traveling to Nashville for the night, where the father/daughter combination presented a trophy at the 42nd Annual CMA Awards show. Donning an elegant but fun Roberto Cavalli halter gown, a sweeping ponytail and her father at her side, Miley Cyrus made an appearance at the 2008 CMAs while her boyfriend Justin Gaston appeared onstage as Prince Charming during friend and fellow teenage star Taylor Swift’s rendition of her newest single “Love Story.” Cyrus’ cameo at the CMAs is just one awards show on the talented artist’s agenda, as she is also scheduled to perform (along with Swift, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, Rihanna and the Jonas Brothers) at this month’s American Music Awards in Los Angeles. The 36th annual event takes place on Cyrus’ 16th birthday, and there will be no better or more fitting way for Cyrus to ring in her sweet sixteenth than onstage in front of millions of viewers.

Cyrus practically grew up in the spotlight, born to mullet-rocking, “Achy Breaky Heart”-singing country music superstar Billy Ray Cyrus. Miley, born Destiny Hope Cyrus, had a bubbly personality from the beginning, and she was nicknamed Miley as a shortened version of “Smiley,” her family’s moniker for her cheerful disposition as a baby. Miley’s entertainment career began in 2003, as the preteen appeared in an episode of the television show Doc, soon thereafter landing a small role in Tim Burton’s film Big Fish. Tasting these first sweet drops of stardom, Cyrus began singing and became known for her title role in the Disney show Hannah Montana in 2005, sparking a Miley Cyrus sensation across the nation. Hannah Montana, a show about a teenage girl leading a double life (the ordinary Miley Stewart by day, pop star Hannah Montana by night), was a smash success, and the show also became Cyrus’ vehicle into the music industry.

In 2006, a soundtrack CD to Hannah Montana was released, including mostly Miley Cyrus songs and also a duet with her father entitled “I Learned from You.” Since then, Cyrus has released several hit pop singles and albums, most recently with her number one-charting album Breakout and the smash singles “See You Again,” “7 Things” and “Start All Over.” When she’s not busy being Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus is jet-setting the nation with her several live performances. If you haven’t yet seen the talented teenager and her booming vocals dominate the stage, look to http://www.stubhub.com/miley-cyrus-tickets/ for your in to a Miley Cyrus concert.

Author Bio: This article is sponsored by StubHub.com and was written by Jenna Jay. StubHub is a leader in the business of selling Miley Cyrus tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Britney Spears isn’t just an American phenomenon anymore. The incredible pop chanteuse has made a comeback on the music scene since her personal problems and batty behavior forced her out of the mainstream in the mid-2000s, and this reappearance hasn’t just been in the U.S. Proving her mainstay ability and international star status, Spears’ recent success has come in the form of European recognition, most notably at this weekend’s MTV Europe Awards. Competing against the best of both European and American music acts, Spears came out on top of the pack at last weekend’s awards show, being the biggest winner of the night taking home awards for Best Act of 2008 and Album of the Year (for Blackout.)

Spears won two of the three MTV Europe Awards she was nominated for, only losing out to Rick Astley for the Best Act Ever award. Nominated with other pop acts Christina Aguilera, Green Day, Tokio Hotel and U2, Astley’s recent spike in popularity due to his YouTube “Rickrolling” phenomenon undoubtedly helped him win Best Act Ever. Astley’s 1987 hit song “Never Gonna Give You Up” has been featured as the YouTube hit of the decade, showcasing clips of Barack Obama speeches pieced together to the tune of Astley’s hit song in what was dubbed “Rickrolling.” While Britney Spears just couldn’t compete with the legacy of Rick Astley, she did come out on top of Alicia Keys, Coldplay, Duffy, Leona Lewis, Amy Winehouse and Rihanna for the two awards she did receive, winning the most number of awards for the night.

While Britney Spears may seem like the all-American pop singer, her hits have been popular all across the globe, and she’s garnered Billboard number ones on charts spanning from Canadian to Latin Airplay and the European Hot 100 in her 10 years of dominance in the pop music realm. Spears first appeared in the musical spotlight in 1998 wearing a Catholic school girl uniform while singing “Hit me baby one more time,” and “one more time” seems to be the ongoing theme in Spears’ fruitful career. The Kentwood, Louisiana native first sped off in the entertainment industry when she appeared alongside fellow Mouseketeers Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez and Christina Aguilera as part of The New Mickey Mouse Club in the early 1990s, and 1998′s “?Baby One More Time” helped boost her image as a big time pop princess. Singles “Lucky,” “Stronger” and “Don’t Let Me Be the Last to Know” sent Spears flying into the spotlight, and her star only got brighter from there.

The late 1990s and early 2000s were a time of experimentation for Britney Spears, and aside from a shocking lip-lock with Madonna at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2003, Spears also ignited controversy with her evolving sex kitten image as the teen pop star started leaning more and more toward the bad girl persona. Hit singles like “Toxic,” “Everytime” and “In the Zone” propelled Spears’ music career in the early 2000s, but a havoc-wreaked relationship with backup dancer Kevin Federline led to a tabloid heyday with images of Spears with Starbucks cups, cigarettes and bare feet in public restrooms. Spears’ two pregnancies and marriage to Federline ended in a nasty divorce in the mid-2000s, and only now is Britney Spears bouncing back, coming into the music industry better than ever while releasing number one pop hits “Gimme More,” “Break the Ice” and “Piece of Me” in 2007 and 2008. Spears is also placating fans by embarking on a national tour, and Britney Spears tickets are always bought and sold from http://www.stubhub.com/britney-spears-tickets/.

Author Bio: This article is sponsored by StubHub.com and was written by Jenna Jay. StubHub is a leader in the business of selling Britney Spears tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

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A recent marriage, an album and now a movie on the way for Beyonce, is there anything she can’t do? The pop star’s cover of Etta James’ iconic “At Last” will be the lead song for the upcoming soundtrack for Cadillac Records which will debut Dec. 2 via Columbia. The film chronicles the rise and fall of famed label Chess Records and Beyonce stars as James. Beyonce told Billboard about the experience, saying: “I realized that Etta James was so unapologetic, bold and strong that playing her was a big risk for me. It gave me the confidence and the push to challenge myself a little more with my music.”

The soundtrack also includes tracks from Mos Def (portraying Chuck Berry), Columbus Short (as Little Walter), Jeffrey Wright (as Muddy Waters) and Eamonn Walker (as Howlin’ Wolf). The album, which will be available in both single- and double-disc versions, also boasts songs from Mary Mary, Nas, Buddy Guy, Elvis Presley, Raphael Saadiq and Beyonce’s sister Solange. Cadillac Records makes its big screen debut Dec. 5 and Sony BMG Music Entertainment chairman Andrew Lack, who produced the film with Sony BMG films executive VP Sophia Sondervan says it will show a different side of the pop diva. “People will be most surprised that the glamorous Beyonce allowed herself to be seen in the desperate straits that Etta went through, including her heroin addiction. That’s a Beyonce I don’t think anyone’s seen yet.”

The public was first introduced to Beyonce when she was part of Destiny’s Child, the group formerly known as Girl Tyme that she formed with her cousin Kelly Rowland and school friends LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett in her native Houston. The quartet burst into the R&B/pop mainstream with “No, No, NO,” off their eponymous debut album is 1997 and their breakthrough came two years later with The Writings on the Wall. The album spawned radio mainstays “Jumpin’ Jumpin’,” “Bills Bills Bills,” “Bug a Boo” and “Say My Name,” which earned Destiny’s Child two Grammy awards. Despite the girl group’s fast-paced ascent to stardom, Luckett and Roberson left the group and were replaced by Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin (who would leave the group within a year).

In 2000 the trio released the girl-powered single “Independent Women Pt. 1″ on the Charlie’s Angels soundtrack and their subsequent album, 2001′s Survivor, went straight to the top of the charts thanks to “Bootylicious” (yes, the term is actually in the dictionary thanks to Beyonce). Long-since the leading lady of Destiny’s Child, Beyonce dipped into the acting pool with a starring role in the MTV “hip-hopera” Carmen and a spot alongside Mike Myers in the Austin Powers sequel, for which she recorded her first solo song, “Work It Out,” that was included on the soundtrack. “03 Bonnie & Clyde,” another solo single featuring then-rumored beau and now-husband Jay-Z was followed by Beyonce’s solo album debut, 2003′s Dangerously in Love. The album won five Grammys thanks to popular singles like “Baby Boy” and “Crazy in Love” and then Destiny’s Child reunited for their last album. The aptly titled Destiny Fulfilled spawned hits “Soldier” and “Lose My Breath” and all three girls went on to pursue solo work, with Beyonce starring in 2006′s Dreamgirls and releasing her sophomore solo record, B’Day, in 2006. Beyonce is set to release her third solo album in November and singles “If I Were a Boy” and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” are already creating buzz. So hurry up and get your Beyonce tickets soon because this talented diva is sure to pack arenas when she hits the road.

Author Bio: This article is sponsored by StubHub.com and was written by Kirby Brooks. StubHub is a leader in the business of selling Beyonce tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Since appearing on MTV as a teen-friendly pop singer in her video for “Genie in a Bottle,” Christina Aguilera has gone through a lot of changes. She’s gone from innocent to trampy, dabbled with a classic glamour queen look, and, with a new record due out in 2009, surely will come up with a surprising role to take on for that. But what’s surprising many of her fans is the recent revelation that Aguilera is experimenting with electronica. According to Billboard, she’s looking to work with artists as diverse as Sia, Goldfrapp and Ladytron-all colorful chanteuses from the world of electronic indie-pop. Aguilera apparently is a big fan of each, and will feature them on her new album.

This is a pretty notable change in musical direction for her. Aguilera rose to fame in the late ’90s, fast on the heels of Britney Spears but proving, in the long run, to be far more mentally stable. Her professional career began in her teens when she appeared on Star Search and, later on, The Mickey Mouse Club. The Disney Channel show was also a spawning ground for other musical pop acts, including Spears and two of *NSYNC’s members. After recording a song for the Disney film Mulan, Aguilera inked a recording contract and put out her first record. The debut’s hit single, “Genie in a Bottle,” was a number one for numerous weeks. “What a Girl Wants,” another smash single, made her even an even bigger star.

Because of her Ecuadorian heritage (on her father’s side), she was lumped into the “Latin” pop movement of the late ’90s along with acts like Ricky Martin, Shakira and Enrique Iglesias. Listeners would have never guessed that she didn’t actually speak Spanish. She did record a Spanish-language record, Mi Reflejo.

In 2002, something seemed to shift in the young pop star’s world. She did a nude photo-spread for Rolling Stone, and her public image became one saturated with sex. She released Stripped that year as well, with the single “Dirrty” emphasizing the hyper-sexual message she was broadcasting. This was not the same artist who at one time appeared to be a more family-friendly version of Britney Spears. It probably alienated quite a few former fans, but it also attracted others. Regardless, the record was widely panned.

Aguilera did another about-face in 2006, turning from the image she’d created for Stripped to a Marilyn Monroe lookalike on the aptly titled Back to Basics. She seemed to have rediscovered herself after exploring hypersexual territory. Her music was respectable adult contemporary pop, and highlighted her voice. It proved a successful recipe, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and becoming a huge seller.

With her new album due out in 2009, no one is entirely sure what Aguilera will surprise the public with. Surely everyone holding Christina Aguilera tickets will enjoy her always entertaining live shows, but the music itself will probably be a departure. Get down with Christina with tickets from http://www.stubhub.com/christina-aguilera-tickets/.

Author Bio: This article was written by Andrew Good and sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells Christina Aguilera tickets as well as sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.