Christina Aguilera reimagined her biggest hits by transforming them into unique classical renditions over the weekend thanks to the assistance of the LA Philharmonic. The “Beautiful” singer officially marked her comeback by performing before two sold-out crowds Friday and Saturday at the Hollywood Bowl.
According to Billboard, the show’s first night on Friday was a resounding success with Philharmonic’s music director Gustavo Dudamel likening Aguilera’s intimate performance to a “beautiful, beautiful resurrection.”
The Grammy winner modified hits such as “Genie in a Bottle,” “Dirrty” and “The Voice Within” so they could be complimented by a full orchestra.
Aguilera became emotional by how strongly the audience reacted to her reimagined classics and called her show “a moment of a lifetime,” adding that her mother “was a violinist” who fostered her love of classical music.
“I was originally, of course, inspired by the great Rodgers and Hammerstein and The Sound of Music being the first thing that ever spoke to me musically. I wanted to be Julie Andrews on the hills and tonight is that moment for me,” she told the audience before bringing out A Great Big World so they could perform their 2013 hit “Say Something.”
Aguilera didn’t perform just her songs, she also sang Etta James‘ “At Last” and James Brown‘s “It’s a Man’s World” — among others.
It was later revealed that Ariana Grande and her husband Dalton Gomez were among the sold out crowd.
The “Positions” singer took to Instagram Stories to share her favorite highlights of the night and wrote to Aguilera, “Screaming. I love you. Congratulations to you & the @laphil on a STUNNING show.”
Later Stories show Grande actually screaming as the “What a Girl Wants” singer unleashes her signature powerhouse vocals.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.