Christina Aguilera is one of the few singers in the industry blessed with the ability to sound powerful and strained on the same song. Proving that she is indeed the personification of the term ‘paradox’, Aguilera has released a new song called ‘Blank Page’.
‘Blank Page’ was written by Sia and produced by Chris Braide for Aguilera’s ‘Lotus’ album, which will arrive in stores on November 13th. Similar to her performance on ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon’, the diva had both shining moments and rough notes in the passionate song. Listen to it below:
Since Aguilera’s fans have problems understanding simple English and continuously lie to themselves by saying that anybody with an opinion about her poor singing is a “hater”, let’s analyse ‘Blank Page’ with the most basic terms. This song is beautifully written and the simple production is a welcome change from the current radio hits but the vocal performance has several glaring flaws.
Aguilera sounds great at speech level and in her falsetto but the moment she starts belting, there is an undeniable strain on her voice. There is no true resonance to her belts and she is literally croaking the notes from her throat without proper breath support. Basically, she is singing an Adult Contemporary/Pop ballad like a Rock artist.
Don’t agree with that explanation? If not then listen to a young Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey or Celine Dion belt the exact same notes without any strain in their songs. After that, if you’re still convinced that Aguilera isn’t doing any wrong then it’s time for you to purchase new headphones.
Subscribe to these comments by RSS
You can change your comment avatar at Gravatar.com.
Using this site means you agree and will adhere to all rules, terms, and policies.
This is one of the few moments I can over look the strain because the song is so beautiful
When it comes to Mariah’s competiton, TRENT is bias. He gives not props whatso ever to any female vocalist who sounds remotely like mariah. Other than Mariah’s fly like a bird or Vanishing or If it’s over – she rarely belts and live- well she sings the low parts and then chimes in lipsinging. Christina aguilera ROCKED that fallon acapella performance of YOUR BODY. She is the better singer at this time. We need to honestly lay mariah’s voice to rest.
I am happy with Xtina for this song. She sang it elegantly and beautifully (even with a minor-glitch straining). I hope she promotes this song so it does well.
She’s really going to do serious damage to her voice if she doesn’t stop! Such a pity because she could be so great!
This was supposed to be a Leona Lewis song! I imagine Leona’s version would have been better. This is good though.
Basically, she is singing an Adult Contemporary/Pop ballad like a Rock artist. <— That's what she's going for…She has said that she wants the roughness in her voice on THe VOice, whether that's an excuse or a legitimate sentiment…is an opinion. She may not sound like Etta James, but the roughness of her voice is something she latched onto. She may execute it poorly, but i think it's obvious that her intention is not to sound pristine like Leona or Celine, which is why I prefer her, it's more interesting to have that gruffness, it gives her voice character that stands out.
Diss to an artist – Check
Mariah reference – Check
Vocal tips – Check
Sia is acting as X-Tina’s replaced fairy songwritingmother (see: Linda Perry). These great songs are going to waste on wilting vocals. She would’ve sounded great on this in 2002, but now it’d be better if passed on to Leona or Kelly Clarkson.
UM… if you think these vocals are “wilting” you are on crack… and sit the fuck down because if it wasn’t for Xtina hardly anybody would know who Sia is and she’d still be known in just Australia and underground elsewhere, she wrote the song and can give it to whoever SHE thinks best… you seem pressed like Pink when Linda gave “Beautiful” to Xtina lol
Lol. Her vocals are fading and it’s crystal clear that you, among others, are in DENIAL about that. I just think she should sing differently in her songs and capitalize on that lower register some more… FYI: Sia wrote “Diamonds” for Rihanna and her fan base > so of course those that didn’t know of her, know now. She’s also co-written songs with David Guetta, Ne-Yo and Flo-Rida (to name a few) #pow
HELLO… I didn’t say she doesn’t need to take better care of her voice but even now her voice is so far from “wilting” it’s a joke for you to even say.
Yeah sia wrote all those songs… after Christina brought her to the attention of the mainstream… Without Christina that wouldn’t have happened.
Trent just be quiet… I agreed with most of what you said on your Xtina video but now you really are just being a hater…
The song and her performance are beautiful, not everybody has to sound pristine, in fact sometimes a bit of roughness can give added shine, this was more of an emotional performance than Leona will ever give so sit.
And PLEASE there is no need to bring Mariah into every post…
wasn’t ms. trent fired from grapejuice because he was bashing female artist and they would not give interviews?
I love it the vulnerability of the songs, and vocal gives it an added emotional factor. I love her, and I can’t wait for the album. As for the critic….opinions are like asses…
There is a reason that nobody is here for Leona, she’s generic.
I don’t know why people keep mentioning Leona but this being emotional? Are we listening to the same thing?
The 30 second snippet that Sia sang was simply better than Christina’s full version. Sia connected with the song rather than screaming at the top of her lungs to create some sort of ‘emotion’. In this case less is more, a lesson Christina hasn’t learnt yet.
If the performance doesn’t resonate with you, it doesn’t resonate with you. I’ve loved Sia long before she worked with Christina, they are different kinds of singers. Christina’s screaming has some emotional effect in moderation…and on this song it’s in moderation.
Y trini hate xtina so muc,xtina is da real deal girl can hit notes like no other not to mention her riffs and runs…xtina is the voice of our time and ppl jus dnt get her singing styles…love ms aguilera #lotus
I actually liked it a lot. When she holds back she’s fantastic, so I give her props.
I heard the demo Sia recorded for this song on YouTube and I’m telling you, it needs to leak because it’s great and who knows, it may be even better than Aguilera’s. Sia was feeling it!!!
Last night I sent Trent a nice little email telling him to quit being a hater. I’m the one he was referrig to in this post when he commented on her fans being delusional etc…I simply told trent the fact he’s so biased towards Christina shows how threatened he is by her talent and because his fave Mariah is struggling to regain elevancy and Triumphant flopped hard!
Christina has a beautiful soulful and powerful voice to be reckoned with. so many people hate her because she outshines most of their faves in the vocal dept. Trent just doesn’t like that Mariahs voice is shot and christinas isn’t. I reminded him hes not a vocal coach and he’s tone deaf when it comes to vocal ability.
@christinastherealtalent, “Last night I sent Trent a nice little email telling him to quit being a hater” sooooo…you needed to come on his site and comment some more? Why can’t you fans just have a healthy debate and leave it at that. Trent’s opinion of Christina’s vocal ability isn’t going to make or break your personal life. Why does he have to be a hater when ever he critiques an artist? It’s his opinion not the holy grail of music, sheez people! If you don’t like his opinion don’t come on to his site, unfollow him on twitter. Would you consistently continue to go to a restaurant if you thought the food wasn’t any good and just complain about the food as you are eating it? I like his site, I may not always agree with what he says but I love his humor.
Well if your intention is to magically reverse his position, then you’re better off finding unfounded Christina praise elsewhere.
I will say that he [Trent] has been exceptionally kind to Christina’s singing, given his background in the craft (whatever that might be), because frankly, to the naked ear, Christina’s singing merits no further explanation other than it induces severe migraines. Musically, she is worth even less. Always part X [often Madonna] and part Y [even more often Mariah], never earning her own letter. It’s no wonder she’s had the ‘always the bridesmaid-never the bride’ complex attached to her since her career’s inception. This isn’t to say she doesn’t try – she does; but her work is light years away from the praise you Christina fans forcibly demand.
OMG TRENT! THOSE NEW FOLLOWERS ALL LOOK LIKE SPAM O_O
Although most of what you are saying it probably true, most these stans will come for ur posts cuz they don’t care about all that technical stuff. Just wanna hear great music. This song is beautiful. But u could ease up of the Mariah references sometimes. Lol. She too has lost some of her glory.
What Trenty Flop is failing to realize is that Christina WANTS that rasp or “strain” to be in the song. It gives it the raw effect you hear and adds so much more emotion. Don’t you think they could have used Pro Tools or whatever its called in the studio to fine tune the rasp and make all her belts sound extra crispy and without rasp? Of course! But SHE left her HEART out with this song and for this fool aka Trent to come and start over-analysing chit like he’s Randy doesn’t make any sense to me. You cannot be comparing Christina to Whitney, Mariah or Celine. She loves those divas but she doesn’t want to SING like them, she wants to sing like Christina. Let her. Geez the hating from this LIZARD literally is getting too much.
Trent is probably one of those people Christina dissed during her Billboard Keynote conference the other day about how sad, pathetic bloggers sit behind their computers criticizing everything but its like what are you doing with your life really?
I actually like the song and don’t have any problems with her voice on it. It reminds me of the ballads on Bionic which I loved.
She has you so pressed Trent, I almost feel sorry for you how do you not get that you’re only hating on her because you’re a lamb and her voice can do more today than Mariah’s? Look at the comments trent, for the most part you are ALONE. I guess thats part of what makes you hate her, most everybody else loves her….aw….
Its not even a strain, It’s a rasp smh
She is straining hard here & it takes away from the song a lot! I’ll stick with Sia’s demo. Christina sounds great on a lot of records but I’m not feeling this at all. Maybe it will grow on me…..
Why is Adele struggling so much with this song? Wait a sec.
JUST BEAUTIFUL! no need for any further comments, haters are gonna hate no matter what…
I think the song is beautiful and flawless. I think there was no straining involved. I think it’s just alot of rasp in it. I think she should have used her whistle register on this song in the background. the song is beautiful and she should perform this live. but a little bit of clarity in her high notes should be a great addition live.
This song has such a beautiful medley. I was in love from the first piano riff. I think the lyrics are great, as well, and Christina sang it beautifully, until she tired to belt the high-belts at the end.
Also, the immaturity in this comment section is so uncalled for. If you “stans” do not like what was said about Christina’s singing, then just don’t come to this site anymore. There are plenty of music blogs that will lie and kiss artists’ asses to get on their good side. You “stans” need to realize that it’s just Trent’s opinion. If you don’t agree just say that, and move on!
Lastly, I love the honestly in your posts, Trent! Don’t ever change the way you run your blog! Let the “stans” stay mad. You can’t please everybody.
Honesty and foolishness are NOT the same thing. Trent is steady being foolish and ignorant.
When it’s clear you don’t know what you’re talking about, in this case SINGING, shut up and enjoy what you wanna enjoy. But when you’re starting to say one of the best singers in the game should sing like this or that, its like “really? Who are you? What can you sing?”
I agree wholeheartedly. Also you should’ve mentioned that she over-sings a lot which is INCREDIBLY ANNOYING!!!!!!!!
Wasnt this a Leona song first?
LOOOOOOOOL the gif! But its true! Falsetto and soft notes she sounds gooooooood but those belts….. boy, strained and croaky!
This was Leona’ s song and journalists wrote about it.. one of them was astounded by Leona’s version of this..Xtina’s version isn’t good
Leona’s version would have been incredible, such a shame.
[...] weekend, Aguilera shared the beautifully written ‘Blank Page’ from ‘Lotus’ with the hopes that her fans would remained satisfied until November 13th. [...]