The world has seen many versions of Christina Aguilera over the years: as a child star of The Mickey Mouse Club, as a doe-eyed young pop sensation, as the bold and unapologetic Xtina, and finally, as a seasoned veteran songstress.
As Aguilera returned to Abu Dhabi for the first time in 17 years, performing at Saadiyat Nights on Saturday, she brought versions of those past selves with her and performed a one-hour and 15-minute show that featured some of her greatest hits.
The six-time Grammy winner took to the stage at 9.15pm, kicking off the night with an energetic rendition of her 2002 track Dirrty, electrifying the sold-out crowd from the get-go. She then transitioned to a shortened version of Can’t Hold Us Down before performing her 1999 debut single Genie in a Bottle, another crowd-pleaser which raised people from their seats to dance along.
However, this enthusiasm highlighted one of the evening’s few drawbacks: the intimate, open-air venue wasn’t designed for standing audiences, as it risks obstructing the view for those behind. This meant that security and staff spent much of the night urging people to remain seated even though both Aguilera's energetic performance and impressive discography made it difficult to do so.
Regardless, Aguilera powered through two decades worth of hits. This includes What a Girl Wants, Moves Like Jagger and Feel This Moment, the latter two in which she collaborated with Maroon 5 and Pitbull.
And while her vocals impressed during each song, she understandably had some breaks in between. Even during those brief intermissions, the audience remained entertained by the dynamic performances of her dancers. After the first such break, Aguilera returned to perform her Spanish-language track Santo, and her electro synthpop songs Bionic and Vanity, complete with lasers and smoke machines.
She brought back the hits with Ain’t No Other Man and Candyman before shifting the mood. Aguilera took a moment to speak to the crowd, reflecting on the song she was about to perform next.
“It’s a song for when you’re at your most vulnerable, when you’re not afraid to ask the universe for help and guidance in searching for what’s next,” she said.
“And whatever that may be, for each and every one of you out there, I know we all have something we’re dealing with in our daily lives, something we may be struggling with … because things get complicated. Just know that hope is always around the corner.”
The music video for Say Something, her 2013 duet with A Great Big World, then began to play. She watched the opening moments alongside the crowd, facing the big screen behind her before turning around to deliver a tender performance.
After the emotional track, there was another dance break as her dancers and backup singers prepared to transition to the next song. Next up the singer played tribute to her acting and musical career, singing Show Me How You Burlesque and Express, two tracks from the Burlesque soundtrack, a 2010 film Aguilera starred in alongside Cher.
The evening's momentum just kept growing. Aguilera proclaimed, “You know this!”, as the snappy opening lines of Lady Marmalade got crowds on their feet once more, the willing audience singing and dancing along.
She closed the show as powerfully as she began, revisiting songs that helped shape her career. This included performances of Beautiful and Fighter from her 2002 album Stripped.
Throughout the night, Aguilera took fans on a journey through the many phases of her career, performing songs from the past 26 years. As she closed with Let There Be Love, one thing was clear: no matter the era, her powerful voice has remained the same – and it's just one reason why she is so beloved by her fans.
