Akon on Lady Gaga/Christina debate...'I miss the old Christina'

Last week, in-demand songwriter Claude Kelly called comparisons between Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera “crap,” citing the latter powerhouse vocalist’s decade plus longevity in a business where career success is fleeting.

Now, multiplatinum artist and producer Akon, who signed Gaga to his Kon Live Distribution label in 2008, is giving his own view on the musical battle that's igniting debate on both sides of the fence.

“Aw man, that’s not even any competition,” Akon tells VIBE. “You are actually giving Christina too much credit. She always had her cool little look and way about how she went about things. But soon as Gaga came out everything switched up. Christina stepped out of her own shell to become something different. And the crazy thing is Christina is really talented. She has unlimited range when it comes to singing. Her voice is out of here. I just think she just needs to believe in herself more. I think sometimes she gets insecure because of all of the success Gaga has had not realizing that she was already successful before Gaga came out.”

Akon hopes Aguilera’s upcoming album Bionic showcases more of her dynamic voice and less of the up-tempo, electro pop bad-girl anthems typified by her latest single “Not Myself Tonight.”
“Christina shouldn’t have anything to prove or anyone to compete with,” he continues. “I miss the old Christina Aguilera. I like the old one better than the new one. Honestly, Gaga and Christina could probably get together and do something that’s amazing. But that’s impossible if they are both trying to do the same exact thing musically.”

Akon is set to release his new album Stadium this summer.— -Keith Murphy