Christina Aguilera: What a Girl Wants (1999) Online

Christina Aguilera: What a Girl Wants (1999) Online

The video's narrative, featuring protagonists Aguilera and then-unknown Superman actor Brandon Routh, unwinds as a performance given by Aguilera to thank her lover. An opening shot shows men cycling and DJ-ing. Aguilera's troupe enters, moves the men towards the far-end of the room, and, after asking the men to cover their eyes, breaks into a tightly choreographed dance as Aguilera introduces the song's hook. Solo shots of Aguilera seated atop speakers punctuate the dance sequence. As the dance sequence in the first room ends, the camera moves over the ceiling of the venue and cuts to Aguilera dressed in medieval garb lying on a chaise longue whilst women dance around her with fans. After the bridge section finishes the video cuts back to the dancers in the first room and the video ends with a bird-eye-view shot of everyone in the room surrounding Aguilera and a male character who are intimately dancing.

The song was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 43rd Grammy Awards held on February 21, 2001.

In the United States, the song spent 24 weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 during which time it topped the chart, becoming her second consecutive US number one single after topping the chart on the issue date of January 15, 2000 for two consecutive weeks, becoming the first #1 song of the 2000s.

The single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has sold over 600,000 copies in the US.

The song was written by Shelly Peiken and Guy Roche.

The song was completed and pitched to RCA executive Ron Fair as "What a Girl Needs" and was renamed "What a Girl Wants".

A Spanish version of the song, titled "Una Mujer," was included on Aguilera's second studio album Mi Reflejo (2000).

The song was described as a pop and R&B track and had similarities to "Genie in a Bottle".

The song became her second consecutive US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, and topped the charts in Canada, New Zealand, and Spain.

The single eventually earned gold certifications in countries including Australia, Belgium, Sweden and the US.

A music video was released directed by Diane Martel who had also directed her previous video for "Genie in a Bottle".

In December 1999, the video reached pole position on the US music video chart TRL.

Aguilera has performed the song at events such as the US Jingle Ball and the MTV New Year's Eve Special in 1999.

Written in the key of C major the track begins with the lyrics "What a girl wants, what a girl needs, whatever makes me happy sets you free" and is set at a tempo 142 beats per minute.

Village Voice critic Robert Christgau called "What a Girl Wants" "clever" adding "but in a far less ingratiating way" than "Genie in a Bottle".

Anthony Violanti from Buffalo News discussed the success behind the record, citing the formula that incorporated teen idols with R&B and pop music releases.

On the Billboard component charts, the song peaked at number one on the US Pop Songs chart where it spent 26 weeks, and peaked at number 18 on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart where it spent 11 weeks.

In Australia, the track debuted at number 21 on the issue date of January 9, 2000, where it stayed for a further week. For the next two weeks the single rose up the charts before making its peak at number five on the charts.

In the United Kingdom, the song debuted and peaked at number three on the issue date of February 26, 2000, the song spent two weeks inside the top ten and thirteen weeks on the chart.

The song was also certified Gold in Belgium, after debuting at number 40 on the Flanders chart on the issue date of January 1, 2000 and after spending six weeks on the chart it entered the top ten at number nine before making its peak of number eight were it remained for three weeks.

The video was choreographed by Tina Landon.