Christina Aguilera Declares ‘You Are Not a Crime’ Throughout Biggest Hits NYC Pleasure Island Set

Overlooking the Higher New York bay on a moist night Sunday (June 25), throngs of sweating concert-goers decked out in a sea of rainbow colours cheered one title: “CHRIS-TI-NA! CHRIS-TI-NA!”

They didn’t need to cheer lengthy earlier than pop famous person Christina Aguilera appeared on the stage at Brooklyn Military Terminal for her headlining set at NYC Pleasure Island 2023. Hanging a formidable pose heart stage — wearing a rainbow rhinestoned jumpsuit and bedazzled wrap round shades along with her hair styled in three large pigtails — Xtina welcomed her adoring crowd. “What the f–k is up, New York Pride?!” she bellowed into her microphone.

What ensued for her cheering followers was a continuous tour-de-force of the pop phenomenon’s biggest hits. Kicking issues off with high-energy renditions of fan-favorites like “Your Body,” “Dirrty” and “Cant Hold Us Down,” the star pranced across the stage along with her backup dancers, ensuring to cease and provides followers a tasty vocal riff every so often.

After all, the star made positive to throw it again to a few of her oldest hits for her day one followers within the crowd, delivering renditions of “Genie in a Bottle” and “What A Girl Wants” early in her set. “It has been such a long and beautiful journey in my career, and I feel like I’ve come full circle today at this point,” she advised the gang, beaming. “Thank you guys so much for giving me everything a girl could have asked for … I want to give everything back to you at this point — you deserve all of it and more.”

A part of what made the present so intoxicating to look at was the shortage of fanfare when it got here to the staging — backed up just by three jumbotrons and set of metallic stairs heart stage, Xtina and her once-in-a-generation voice remained the point of interest of an in any other case sparse stage.

That’s, till, she made a concerted effort to shift that focus. In one of many extra touching moments of the night, Aguilera introduced out Ian Axel of A Nice Huge World to assist her ship a young rendition of their 2013 duet “Say Something.” Chatting with the gang beforehand, the pop famous person made it clear precisely what she hoped they might take away from their emotive efficiency.

“There’s times where we’re looking for answers and looking for hope. There’s a lot of bleak things out there right now. We are here tonight and we stand in unison to be free to be ourselves,” she declared, eliciting roaring cheers from the gang. “Sometimes we have to remember to stay hopeful and wish others well even in the darkest times. So let’s put well wishes into the world. Here’s hoping for a beautiful future.”

Axel was not the one particular visitor to affix Aguilera for the night’s occasions — throughout a raucous rendition of “Lady Marmalade,” the singer introduced out pop-rock sensation and American Idol alum Adam Lambert to carry out P!nk’s verse. Wearing a swanky inexperienced leopard-print prime and sporting vivid purple hair, Lambert supplied his personal taste on the long-lasting Moulin Rouge monitor, a lot to the viewers’s delight.

However Aguilera wasn’t merely in attendance to present an amazing present — she got here ready to unfold just a few necessary messages. Within the lead as much as a heart-wrenching rendition of her iconic single “Beautiful,” the backdrop of the stage bore a message immediately from the singer, calling out social media’s destructive influence on the physique picture for kids in the present day.

The set’s most potent second, although, got here in its penultimate quantity. As information clips overlaying the outbreak of anti-LGBTQ laws in the US flashed across the backdrop of the stage, Xtina’s voice obtained indignant. “One thing about us; we never quit. We never stop raising our voices,” she declared, earlier than launching right into a fiery rendition of “Fighter.” As she growled the empowering lyrics, messages flashed throughout the stage, declaring that “we are fighters,” and that in the end, “you are not a crime.”

That theme of self-love permeated Aguilera’s set on Sunday night time — as she delivered second after second of vocal acrobatics to thrill her viewers, she additionally made positive that they felt simply as heard as she did. As her track “Let There Be Love” performed and a barrage of fireworks exploded overhead, Xtina supplied one ultimate message to her throngs of adoring followers; “Always love yourself, and love one another!”

Take a look at the complete setlist from Christina Aguilera’s 2023 Pleasure Island efficiency under: