In a series called Mondo Appropriato, Culled Culture examines how “on the nose” something is in the pop cultural and/or political landscape.
While some might be taken by surprise at the sudden and ongoing “love-in” between Christina Aguilera and pop’s new “darling,” Sabrina Carpenter, it actually makes quite a lot of sense (in other words, it’s not nonsense). Not just because the two are both “pint-sized pixies” with long blonde hair, perennially “dewy” faces and have three syllables ending with “-ina” in their name, but because, musically speaking, they’re very much aligned. With themes of female empowerment and comfortableness-with-their-sexuality, it felt right when Aguilera was tapped to do a written tribute to Carpenter for her cover on Time magazine back in October. Specifically, for its “100 Next” issue, highlighting “emerging leaders from across the world who are shaping the future.” For, as it should be well-known by now, pop stars have long been leaders in shaping the future.
As for other similarities between Aguilera and Carpenter, it also bears noting that both blondes came up through the Disney pipeline. And while Britney Spears might have been another such “Disney blonde” that Carpenter recently paid tribute to at this year’s VMAs (after which Spears made a somewhat unflattering remark), the Short n’ Sweet chanteuse has a wryer sense of humor about her sexuality than Spears did (and does). After all, she embraced the Lolita male fantasy without a tinge of irony via the “…Baby One More Time” video, establishing herself immediately as an object for the male gaze to ogle. Whereas, with Aguilera, who went into full-on “sex it up” mode when her sophomore album, Stripped, was released in 2002, there was always a stronger feeling that she possessed more autonomy over her sexuality. The same goes for Carpenter, who also favors wearing lingerie like normal clothing…in the spirit of Aguilera in the “Lady Marmalade” video (granted, wearing underwear as outerwear was something Madonna helmed long ago). Besides, Aguilera, too, is a Pennsylvania girl like Carpenter. The latter being born in Quakertown, of all places—hence, the ironic polar opposite direction Carpenter went vis-à-vis being anti-puritan.
And yes, just as Aguilera and Spears before her, Carpenter does receive more than the occasional criticism about the way she dresses from mothers of the child-age to tween-age girls that worship the latest pop princess. In that respect as well, Aguilera obviously sees something of herself in Carpenter (apart from their near equally short stature—as Aguilera noted, “She proves great things come in small packages”). So kindred does she feel with Carpenter that, back in September, she enlisted her to perform a duet of “What A Girl Wants” in honor of her self-titled debut’s twenty-fifth anniversary. Appropriately enough, the album is as old as Carpenter herself, who was born the same year it came out: 1999. Granted, Carpenter is a few months older than the album (the latter released in August, whereas Carpenter was “released” in May).
Aguilera additionally admitted to seeing a certain “full-circle” kind of poetry in that as well, remarking in her Time tribute, “While she is at the tender age of twenty-five, I realize our symbolic, full-circle connection, as my own debut album turns twenty-five this same year. As exciting generations of pop princesses continue to emerge, I feel adoration and protectiveness, knowing the journey at hand and ahead.” A journey that, although perhaps not as venomous as what Aguilera and Spears endured at the height of their fame in the 2000s, is still riddled with plenty of misogyny from men and women alike.
And so, for their friendship/sisterhood vibes to continue to take a spotlight as it did during the November 15th show for the Short n’ Sweet Tour in L.A. (with the duo performing Aguilera’s “Ain’t No Other Man” and, once again, “What A Girl Wants”), well, it’s a beautiful thing. For it’s rare to see something like genuine “mentorship” among “elder” and younger pop stars in the music industry. At least, not anything beyond a one-off level. In fact, the only pop princess who might have gotten a more devoted mentor over the years was Spears with Madonna. Although the two are most remembered for performing together/sharing a kiss at the 2003 VMAs (along with none other than Aguilera, whose own beso with M was largely ignored), Madonna continued to show support for Spears that year and beyond—from appearing on “Me Against the Music” (as well as in its video) to bringing her out onstage during her 2008 Sticky & Sweet Tour for a rendition of “Human Nature” to having an influential hand in securing Spears’ new legal counsel during the peak of the #FreeBritney movement to being among the chosen few guests at her wedding to Sam Asghari (RIP to that marriage).
All of which is to say, having a consistent “pop mother” (or “pop fairy godmother,” if one prefers) on one’s side is as helpful/meaningful as it is uncommon. And one can only hope this particular mentorship continues to endure. If for no other reason than to yield an original duet from Aguilera and Carpenter à la “Me Against the Music.” Though Carpenter probably wouldn’t mind a duet with fellow five-foot(ish) shorty Madonna in lieu of Xtina if her homage to the former’s 1991 Oscars dress was any indication…
