There’s only one Christina Aguilera — with a very powerful and distinct voice, it would be hard to imagine how the music industry would have been if she didn’t carve her name a long time ago. Despite her success and undeniable talent, she didn’t have a smooth start to her career, pretty much like most up-and-coming stars who try their luck in the showbiz.

While some singers struggle to make it big because of their versatility, execs had a problem with Christina’s last name. In an interview, the artist recalled how businesspeople seemed to have found her surname a cause of debate.

When ‘Mi Reflejo,’ her second studio and first Spanish album, was released in 2000, bosses were suddenly critical of her last name, which they feel was too long, ethnic, and complicated. Then there was a suggestion of a new stage moniker: Christina Agee.

Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock — Christina would have had the stage name ‘Christina Agee’

However, the singer was firm in sticking with her real name because it pays homage to her Latina roots, so there was no way the suggested one was going to see light. Christina was heavily against the idea because she said it was a way of honoring her heritage and is a representation of who she is.

Christina has also released Spanish versions of some of her hits, including ‘Genie In A Bottle’ – this, she said, was just a way to showcase her heritage . The message she wants to send across, even in her music, is to be brave in exploring yourself.

S_Bukley/Shutterstock — Christina was previously a judge in ‘The Voice’

She added that there’s no such thing as too late when it comes to traversing new paths even though it may be scary. As for her, exploring other languages didn’t undermine her roots. Instead, it’s a way of self-expression in ways that intrigue and inspire her.

Upcoming Music

Meanwhile, Christina also opened up about how she is celebrating her roots even more in her upcoming work. She said she is getting honest about her experiences in the entertainment industry, how she survived the business, and how much it means to her.

Not Latina Enough

Throughout her career, the former ‘Voice’ judge has struggled with public scrutiny about her roots. Her father is half Ecuadorian while her mom is Irish – this is not something that’s widely known about the singer, which is why she is frequently accused of ‘not being Latina enough.’

Everett Collection/Shutterstock — The singer wasn’t happy that people were questioning her ethnicity

The nasty rumors were also fueled by the fact that she is not fluent in speaking Spanish. These statements don’t sit with Christina nicely and as such, she called foul on people asking her to prove her ethnicity. She also underlined how people would not be skeptical of her heritage if she looked like the stereotypical Latina.