Back to Basics

Back to Basics is the third full-length English studio album by American singer Christina Aguilera. The 2-CD album was released on August 15, 2006 in the United States and Canada.

It features what Aguilera describes as “a throwback to the 20s, 30s, and 40s-style jazz, blues, and feel-good soul music, but with a modern twist.” The album has yielded three commercial worldwide singles: “Ain’t No Other Man”, “Hurt” and “Candyman”. Aguilera had two nominations for the Grammy Awards in the categories “Best Pop Vocal Album”, “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” (for “Candyman”) and won the category of “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” (for “Ain’t No Other Man”) in 2007.

When Aguilera started working on Back to Basics, she was not just inspired by the sounds of the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s, but by the look of the era as well. When she began shooting for the artwork of the album, she cited Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Carole Lombard, Judy Garland, Greta Garbo, Veronica Lake, among others as her inspirations.

Aguilera handpicked German photographer Ellen von Unwerth, who has captured Janet Jackson and Penelope Cruz, for the photo sessions. They spent three days beginning at a historic hotel called the Hollywood Dell.

Aguilera spent most of the first day in a bed, peering through the iron bars of a headboard, a shot inspired by a famous Marilyn Monroe picture. The Back to Basics cover shot, a sensual image that features her dressed in white and lounging on a bed, was taken during the same session.