Christina Maria Aguilera was born on December 18, 1980, to parents Jim, a military father of Ecuadorian descent, and Shelly, an Irish professional violinist/pianist. Growing up with her brothers and sisters in Wexford, Pennsylvania, Christina always knew that she wanted to be a performer. In her early 20s, this blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty got more than she bargained for.
Her career as a singer started when she began performing at her school's talent shows. She took her soulful voice to the Star Search stage, (like her singing counterpart, Britney Spears), and performed on national television. The next time she performed in front of a live audience was when she sang the national anthem for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins.