Back What a Girl Wants CBK-ZAM What a Girl Wants (Lied) German What a Girl Wants Spanish آنچه یک دختر میخواهد (ترانه) Persian What a Girl Wants (Christina Aguileran kappale) Finnish What a Girl Wants French What a Girl Wants HE What A Girl Wants (lagu) ID What a Girl Wants Italian What a Girl Wants (Christina Aguilera) Dutch
| "What a Girl Wants" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:Christina_Aguilera_-_What_a_Girl_Wants_CD_cover.jpg) | ||||
| Single by Christina Aguilera | ||||
| from the album Christina Aguilera | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | September 4, 1999 | |||
| Recorded |
| |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Guy Roche | |||
| Christina Aguilera singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "What A Girl Wants" on YouTube | ||||
"What a Girl Wants" is a song recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera for her self-titled debut album (1999). Written by Shelly Peiken and Guy Roche as "What a Girl Needs", the song was originally released by French singer Ophélie Winter in 1998. On her album Privacy the song appeared in English[2] and French (as "Ce Que Je Suis").[3][4] The French version was released as a single two years later.[5][6] In the meantime, the song was pitched by Peiken and Roche to RCA Records. Following a change of the song title to "What a Girl Wants", it was recorded by Aguilera for her eponymous debut album.[7]
The first version of Aguilera's song was released as the album's second single in Japan on in 1999, by Arista Records Japan.[8] However, a newly produced re-recorded version was sent to contemporary hit radio in the United States on November 8, and later internationally instead.[9][10] 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". It received positive reviews from music critics, who described it as a "light" song and compared Aguilera's vocals on the track to those of Mariah Carey. It was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 43rd Grammy Awards. Commercially, the song became her second consecutive US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, and also topped the charts in Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, and Spain; the song is recognized as the first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single of the 2000s. The single eventually earned gold certifications in countries including Australia, Belgium and Sweden, as well as being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
A music video was directed by Diane Martel, who had also directed her previous video for "Genie in a Bottle". The video features Aguilera dancing in a room with female friends whilst being viewed by their boyfriends, and includes a scene where she is dressed as a medieval-style princess. 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,[11] as well as her tours including the Christina Aguilera: In Concert (2000–2001), the Stripped Live... on Tour (2003), the Back to Basics Tour (2006–2008), the Liberation Tour (2018), and most recently on both The X Tour and Christina Aguilera: The Xperience in 2019. In 2024, a cover of "What a Girl Wants" was released featuring Sabrina Carpenter.
- ^ "Christina Aguilera carving out her own niche". Jam!. Sun Media. September 29, 1999. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^ "Ophélie Winter – Privacy". Discogs. December 14, 1998.
- ^ "POP STAR AGUILERA'S FRENCH DISS". United States of America: New York Post. February 22, 2000. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
- ^ "Ophélie Winter – Privacy". Discogs. 1998.
- ^ "Ophélie Winter – Ce Que Je Suis". Discogs. 2000.
- ^ "OPHÉLIE WINTER - CE QUE JE SUIS (CHANSON)". lescharts.com. 2000. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (July 29, 2022). "The Number Ones: Christina Aguilera's "What A Girl Wants"". United States of America: Stereogum. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
- ^ "ホワット・ア・ガール・ウォンツ – クリスティーナ・アギレラ" (in Japanese). Japan: Oricon. September 4, 1999. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ "What A Girl Wants - Christina Aguilera" (PDF). Radio & Records. November 5, 1999. p. 42,43. Retrieved February 3, 2023 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Gavin Top40/Rhythm: Impact Dates". Gavin Report. No. 2279. November 8, 1999. p. 8.
- ^ "MTV New Year's Eve Party (1999)", Turner Classic Movies (TCM)