Christina Aguilera – ‘Stripped’

Stripped
Release Date: October 29, 2002
RCA Records | buy now

FV Rating:

Being Christina’s second album, Stripped was already long-awaited. But, after hearing numerous times that she was going for a ‘different sound’ — that tends to make you think. "Will this album be able to live up to her first release?" When, I sat down to listen to Stripped – I was a bit skeptical…the first track which is the "Stripped Intro" seemed sort of pointless to me. Playing clips of different news breaks about the rumors that have circulated around her the last couple of years.

I felt she could have just replaced that space with an energy releasing track…instead the first song is her duet with ‘Lil Kim, "Can’t Hold Us Down" an anthem to all the ladies, I think these lyrics give you idea of what it’s about.. "If you look back in history it’s a common double standard of society. The guy gets all the glory the more he can score. While the girl can do the same and yet you call her a whore. I don’t understand why it’s OK, the guy can get away with it, the girl gets named. All my ladies come together make a change. And start a new beginning for us, everybody sang…"

Christina’s album has many different stages to it. It’s not a man hating album nor a lovesick one. Stripped starts off by showing that you don’t need a man to prove anything, moves on to express her feelings about love like in the song "Loving Me 4 Me," moves on to her "sexy" side like in "Get Mine, Get Yours" and then ends to believing in yourself like in the songs "Soar," "The Voice Within" and her smash hit "Beautiful."

I don’t want to give too much away but Stripped definitely took to my liking. If Christina wanted to show a more mature and deep side of her, she succeeded in showing herself and the true artist she is. I recommend this album to anyone, because lyrically I feel it appeals to just about everyone.

Standout Tracks: "Cruz", "Keep On Singin’ My Song", "Fighter", "Get Mine – Get Yours".

- Courtney Justice

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