Christina Aguilera Becomes Radio DJ

Christina Aguilera becomes DJ, talks music, film

By MESFIN FEKADU (AP) – 21 hours ago

NEW YORK — You'll be hearing more of Christina Aguilera's voice on the radio soon, but it won't be in the form of a song. Instead, the pop singer will work as a DJ.

Aguilera's very own radio station is set to debut Friday. The 24-hour online channel will be distributed across Clear Channel Radio's "iheartradio" network, and will feature interviews, news, personal commentary from Aguilera as well as her favorite tunes.

"It stands across so many different feels and genres from A Tribe Called Quest to the Beatles to Billie Holiday to Bjork to Black Sabbath, Jay-Z," she said in a phone interview from Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The new radio venture, A.P.E. Radio (Artist Personal Experience), will also launch The Eagles' own channel Friday, to be hosted by guitarist Joe Walsh. Weezer's station is set to launch next month.

The radio station is not the only project she's working on. Aguilera, a 28-year-old mother to a 1-year-old son, is also working on a new CD and has signed on to do a movie with Cher; both are due to be released next year.

The Associated Press: How does a radio channel fit you?

Aguilera: In the beginning when I make my CDs, I make inspiration record-CDs and I hand them out to all the producers that I am looking forward to working with. And I hand out these CDs and at the end of the day it's funny because all the producers, or a lot of the producers, are like, "Wow, you should be a DJ." It's a really great mix of songs, and they're so different and eclectic and that's my style in general.

AP: Will you premiere your new music on the channel?

Aguilera: Possibly. I'm really, really excited to release some of my new music and this is actually a great way to let my fans hear maybe a little sneak preview.

AP: You're working on electronic-futuristic pop. Why that sound now?

Aguilera: I kind of had an idea for a futuristic feel for many years now, but I also had that idea that I wanted to do a soul, blues and jazz record also. But I knew I had to do that one first ... It's always been in the back of my mind to do a more futuristic sound. But I felt like it couldn't been a better time or place for me personally also as a new mom.

AP: While you're creating your new CD, are you paying attention to what's on the radio now?

Aguilera: No, that was the funny thing too. I did start to notice that music did start to take a more electronic turn ... But I really don't pay attention to what's going on out there because I want everything I do to have a very original feel. I wanted to keep a good balance of future but still mix it with a very real and believable sound.

AP: Now that you have a family, have you had any issues with paparazzi?

Aguilera: We moved into our new house about a year ago but since I started working on the record, I have a studio in the backyard ... and it just has been so perfect for me to just wake up in the morning, put on my flip flops and sweat pants, and just go back in the studio and pretty much get into my creative cave and zone out that way, so it's been really convenient. So the paparazzi have probably been upset with me. I know they told my husband, they're like, "Is she every going to leave the house?"

AP: Talk about your new film "Burlesque."

Aguilera: I finally believed in a movie enough and a script enough, and a director enough to sign on and do my first feature film. Cher will be starring with me, so it's very exciting for me to step into that project and I'll be taking it very seriously so that's actually what I am diving into filming over the next few months.

AP: What comes to mind when you look back at how your career has gone so far?

Aguilera: I keep trying to test myself and try new things because at the end of the day, I want to look back at a huge body of work and be so excited ... I never like to get too comfortable because I think that's when you start to really fail, when you start believing your own hype so I'm always very reserved in my own praise of myself. ... I always try to shoot for bigger and better basically.

Well, the radio station is an interesting move. We'll see how it turns out.
She makes me laugh with the electronic sound thing. I guess everybody takes this route nowadays.

Therefore, Sia has revealed some information on Aguilera's new album

Pride Source: I know you've been super busy with the recording of this album, but also you were working with Christina Aguilera for a bit.

Sia: Yeah, hello!

PS: A huge gay icon.


S: She's really fun. You would love her.


PS: Yeah? I read a blog post that you wrote regarding what went on behind the scenes, like drinking milkshakes, grammar lessons -

S: And how I wanted to eat her child like corn on the cob (laughs). I still do.


PS: Sounds like it must've been a fun recording experience.

S: It really was. It was so fun. She's a really nice person. I'm going over their house to have game night some time. It's gotta be an odd day, because now I'm trying to get fit so I've got a personal trainer. I'm in Hollywood now, recording the album with a personal trainer. It's hilarious.


PS: You've hit the big time.

S: I'm really, really moving up in the world. So I'm going over (to Aguilera's) one night next week when I don't have to get up early with the personal trainer the next day, because she's a bit of a night owl, so I know it'll probably end up being a late one. She has Super Mario in her house. She has a game room that has arcade games in it and a pool table and stuff. I think when you're that famous, it becomes sort of a necessity. If you were gonna go on a fun excursion, if you're as famous as her, it's sort of impossible without the paparazzi or fans wanting your attention. In her case, it was a smart move to build a room in the house for that sort of thing (laughs).


PS: I would totally have the same if I were famous.

S: Yeah, if I was that famous, and if I could afford it, I would build several restaurants in my house with different themes, and probably a dog park and a Pinkberry (Frozen Yogurt). Maybe a board game haven, with Taboo, Scrabble -


PS: So the material that you wrote for her, is it happy or depressing?

S: It's a bit of both. It's kind of more ballad-y. There's one really beautiful kind of mid-tempo; I guess that's the one they're thinking might be a single. I have a couple of favorites, but my favorite is kind of like a lullaby. I don't remember what we're calling it now, but we wrote it for her son, and it's really beautiful.


PS: Aw! Cute.

S: So beautiful. It's like classical music beautiful. And another one that's called "You Lost Me," which is very sad and awesome. It's my favorite thing to hear her sing since "Beautiful," just the way her voice is. It suits her voice so beautifully, and it's very simple in a way.


PS: A lot of gay people, including myself, love "Beautiful."

S: Me too. That was why I nearly my pants when they called and said she wanted to work with me. I was like, "Ahhhhhh!" That's one of my favorite songs that anybody has ever wrote in the whole universe.