According to Aguilera, Back to Basics was meant to pay "homage and utmost respect" to some of her favorite musicians. The singer stated that her love for retro music was born when she was a child-her mother and grandmother took her to the old vinyl stores in Pittsburgh. Thus, Aguilera took musical inspirations from old-school jazz, blues and soul records performed by her 1920s–1950s idols, including Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald, which she viewed as "music that really had heart". In an interview with Billboard magazine, Aguilera expressed dissatisfaction with contemporary music, as technology "has advanced itself so anybody can be a singer". She stated her main idea for the project was to "evolve as an artist and a visionary", which was taken from a poem she wrote during The Stripped Tour (2003). Aguilera about discovering the music of her favorite artists, including Franklin, James and Fitzgerald, and the impact it made on her life Īt the 46th Annual Grammy Awards on February 8, 2004, Aguilera announced that she was going to work on a follow-up album to Stripped (2002). "(.) It was an education and an inspiration that I would continue exploring-and eventually translate into an album of dedication I made with DJ Premier, called Back to Basics, paying homage and utmost respect to some of the greatest musicians and artists of all time. The album has sold 1.7 million copies in the United States, and over 5 million worldwide, as of November 2013. Back to Basics achieved similar success internationally, reaching the top of the charts in over fifteen countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland and United Kingdom. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 346,000 copies. The album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album, and its lead single "Ain't No Other Man" won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007). īack to Basics received favorable reviews from music critics, who complimented its musical diversity from Aguilera's previous albums while there were others who criticized its length. Back to Basics spawned three international singles: " Ain't No Other Man", " Hurt" and " Candyman" " Slow Down Baby" was only released as a single in Australia, while " Oh Mother" was only released as a single in several European countries. It was further promoted with Back to Basics Tour, which visited countries in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and Middle East from late 2006 until late 2008. She promoted the album by performing at events like the 2006 MTV Movie Awards, the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards and the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. To portray a new persona, Aguilera adopted her new alter ego Baby Jane and made several changes to her public appearance, inspired by classic Hollywood actresses. Lyrically, the album is inspired by Aguilera's previous life events including her marriage with Jordan Bratman in 2005. Primarily a pop and R&B record, its first disc juxtaposes rhythm and blues with hip hop and urban elements with most songs employing samples, while the second contains all original tracks with the exception of " Candyman", which samples "Tarzan & Jane Swingin' on a Vine". Inspired by Aguilera's 1920s–1950s idols, including Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, Etta James, and Ella Fitzgerald, Back to Basics was described by Aguilera herself as a fusion of old-school jazz and soul inspirations with a modernized style. Recording sessions took place between February 2005 and April 2006 at several studios in the United States and the United Kingdom. Serving as executive producer, she enlisted a wide range of producers, including DJ Premier, Rich Harrison, Rob Lewis, Mark Ronson, and Linda Perry. It was released on August 9, 2006, in the United States by RCA Records as a double album. Back to Basics is the fifth studio album by American singer Christina Aguilera.
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