BEVERLY HILLS, California — Christina Aguilera has laid relatively low since canceling her tour with Chingy a year ago, but not because there's nothing to talk about.

"I'm finishing the next record, planning a wedding, searching


"It's very important that I don't play myself in a film." — Christina Aguilera

for the [perfect film] role — there's lots going on," the singer said last month at Vanity Fair's annual Oscar party (see "The Oscars Party: An Inside Look"), which she attended with music executive Jordan Bratman, who proposed to her in February (see "Christina Aguilera To Marry Music Executive").

Aguilera is nearing the finish line on her as-yet-untitled follow-up to Stripped, and the sound might surprise fans.

"It's very special for me," she said. "It's a retro blues/jazz/soul record, but a really meaty, gritty, real raw record of soul. So it'll feel good — a feel-good record."

Aguilera kept the production details to herself, but revealed that she has yet to re-team with Linda Perry, the former 4 Non Blondes singer who co-wrote and produced "Beautiful" and has since gone on to work with one of Aguilera's rivals, Kelly Osbourne (see "Kelly Osbourne Revels In Freedom With The Matrix, Linda Perry On New LP").

"I would love to [work with Aguilera again], but I don't force myself onto people," Perry said recently. "If she calls, I would look forward to it. If she doesn't, I'm sure she'll make a great record no matter what."

As for Aguilera's movie debut, it looks like that might have to wait another album cycle.

"I've been [reading scripts, but] I'm waiting for the right role," she said. "It's very important that I don't play myself in a film."

The singer has also been watching a lot of movies and was happy about the Best Actor and Best Actress winners at last month's Academy Awards.

"Jamie Foxx is great," she said. "I got entranced in his performance. I thought we were watching Ray Charles. He was pretty amazing. And [I have] a lot of respect for Hilary Swank for putting on 19 pounds of muscle. I mean, that's nuts. That's crazy. Good inspiration for whenever I take that path myself."

Good for her! It shows that she is at least trying to evolve and try something new.Let Britney continue to release the predictable pop/dance crap,Christina is onto bigger and better things.

That could be interesting. I was shocked how much I enjoyed her "Stripped" album. Let´s see what she does with this one.

I dunno about this...

It should be nice cause I like the soul cuts on Stripped. Impossible and Underappreciated were my fave 2 songs on the album.
[Edited 3/8/05 10:57am]

oh no, does this mean it will be filled with boring ass slow jams? i liked her better when she was "dirrty"!

Provided she curbs her urge to oversing, this could be a decent album. I've yet to buy a single one of her recordings, because she doesn't know how to use her voice.

Christina is such a POSER, Britney may be the lesser talented one but at least her trash image is her.
Christina tries and reinvents her image like madonna, only thing is Christina is not convincing and just comes off as a fake.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Bitch will probably cover "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman". I'd love to see her melisma fuck that one up royally.

She has a voice, but she doesn't know how to apply it!

I admire her for following her muse, but I think her 'big' voice would sound better with a latin-jazz band.

DavidEye said:

britney is more fun to watch tho lol

as for xtina....shes a great singer.just needs to find things that fit her voice.

.

CinisterCee said:

Agreed.

This doesn't seem to be working for Latifah,so I don't know about that...

i think she can pull it off in a pop way she is head over shoulders in voice talent over most pop acts.

Janfriend said:

I thought the same thing.

I will say I do like the new look though, the short curls, compared to the rats tails stapled to her head for Stripped

CinisterCee said:

Well, I don't think it worked for Latifah because she doesn't have the pull in the industry that she once had. She's not released a high profile record in many years, and she should have released her album several years back when people were still hyped over her actually singing on a track. I think she's got a great voice. It's just the timing of the whole project and the selection of songs was all off.