Singer-songwriter Christina Aguilera embraces her role on the televised talent show “The Voice,” but it’s not a career move the five-time Grammy winner ever anticipated. During a Tuesday morning interview on TODAY, Aguilera admitted she wasn’t a fan of other music competitions and never even sat through an entire hour of “American Idol” before joining “The Voice.”
“I don’t normally watch a whole lot of television — you know, especially music shows,” she said. “I would feel bad for the contestants they’d poke fun at just for TV sake. But when (television producer) Mark Burnett actually proposed the idea of doing this show, conceptually, it just struck me as a genius concept because it almost takes it back to before you had music videos or internet access to your favorite stars. You really have to be moved by the voice. So this was special to me, genuinely.”
Another part of the appeal for Aguilera is that she isn’t a judge on “The Voice.” She’s a coach. As such, the “Bionic” singer is able to use her real-life ups and downs to the show vocal hopefuls the ropes of the business they want to break into.
“Part of my being inspired is helping these people along with their journey,” Aguilera told TODAY host Matt Lauer. “I just hope to be a positive influence and all of that. And I think it comes from a great place, because this was a year of many highs and lows and different things — going through a divorce in the public eye, where things are going to be magnified and speculated about and judged. These people have to know that going in to (this).”
For Aguilera, those highs and lows have included not only her divorce, but also a botched performance of the national anthem, an arrest for public drunkenness and a Grammy night stumble — all in the last year. It’s just more fodder for the advice the star can offer “Voice” contenders.
“Hey, if you want a career doing this, you have to roll with the punches,” she explained. “You know, you’re going to have your highs and lows, but you keep going. And every single time you take that stage that’s another opportunity for you to prove to, not only the world but to yourself, that you are stronger and (can) get up there a better person.”
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