Christina Aguilera review — powerhouse entertainer thrills the O2 Arena

From the first notes of her London show, multi-platinum US singer-songwriter and actress Christina Aguilera came out all guns blazing — and confetti and steam cannons billowing. It was hard to believe that her opening number, “Dirrty”, was originally released 20 years ago; this racy R&B/pop smash (and its David LaChapelle-directed video) marked Aguilera’s 2002 transition from bubblegum pop debutante to the boldly provocative diva “Xtina”. Tonight, the track’s insistent thrust (and Aguilera’s trademark acrobatic vocals) drove the crowds to their feet, while her sextet of dancers twerked around a neon stage that resembled both discotheque and art installation.

This OTT entrance was peak Aguilera — so much so, that you might have feared the rest of her concert would pale in contrast. But the 41-year-old is a powerhouse entertainer; she sounded terrific and looked spectacular here (though her PVC bombshell look was demure compared to her outfit at June’s LA pride), and the show exuded a formidable energy. The set list coursed through a mega-mix of her pop catalogue, with lasers and giant glow sticks heightening the clubby atmosphere. The electro-dub blast of “Bionic” flowed into the body positive “Vanity” (“Every time I look at me/ I turn myself on”) and supercharged versions of her late-’90s breakthroughs “Genie in a Bottle” and “What A Girl Wants”.

Aguilera delivered sweetly catchy melodies with supreme attitude. She has long embraced surreal humour, but tonight she also revealed an unapologetically sentimental streak; she thanked her devotees for their support over two decades, and also explained that her return to Spanish-language music (on her recent ninth studio album Aguilera) connected her children with her Ecuadorian heritage. Her latest material proved a highlight here, particularly the persuasive reggaeton groove of “Santo” and the Cuban guaracha-fuelled “Pa Mis Muchachas” (“For My Girls”). In her youth, Aguilera resisted industry pressure to change her “difficult” surname. It felt good to hear her Latin roots resonate, in an era where A-listers from Beyoncé to Justin Bieber now clamour to collaborate on Spanish-language hits. 

There was a fizzy torrent of dancefloor tunes, from “Feel This Moment” (her Euro-rave hit with Pitbull, including a synth nod to A-ha’s “Take On Me”) to the brassy funk of “Ain’t No Other Man”, all slickly backed by her excellent band. “Lady Marmalade” (a Missy Elliott-produced cover for Baz Luhrmann’s movie Moulin Rouge!) proved an electrified revival. There were emotionally raw standouts, too; “Say Something” (her 2013 hit with US duo A Great Big World) featured a surprise duet with Years & Years singer Olly Alexander, who emerged as a fanboy (“You’re an icon,” he told Aguilera) and sang like a pop angel. Her 2002 empowerment/inclusivity ballad “Beautiful” also retained its force.

After a surge of rainbow graphics and the EDM riffs of “Let There Be Love”, Aguilera’s party ended rather abruptly. But the crowd’s sense of joy still hung in the air, along with the confetti drifting through laser beams. 

★★★★☆

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