Mastering Christina's Pop Anthem
"What a Girl Wants" helped cement Christina Aguilera as a vocal powerhouse in the late 90s. While it sounds like a breezy pop song, it is technically demanding. The track requires excellent breath control for the verses and significant power for the chorus, all while navigating Christina's signature melismatic runs.
To score high on this track, you need to balance the sweet, breathy tone of the intro with the confident, forward-placed belt of the hooks. Let's break down the vocal strategy.
AI Coach Tip: Clean Up Your Runs
Christina's runs (riffs) are fast but precise. Many users lose points by "sliding" between notes. Practice the ad-libs on a 'Da-Da-Da' syllable first to ensure you are hitting each distinct pitch in the pentatonic scale.
Phase 1: The Verses (Breathy Control)
The song starts in a lower register (around G3). Christina uses a very airy, breathy tone here. It feels intimate.
The Trap: Because it's low, singers often lose energy and go flat. Keep your diaphragm engaged even when singing softly. Think of the phrase "What a girl wants" as a secret you are whispering to someone across the room—projected, but soft.
Phase 2: The Pre-Chorus Climb
As you approach the chorus ("So thank you for standing by my side..."), the melody climbs. You need to switch from that chesty texture into a bright mix.
- Placement: Move the resonance from your chest to your "mask" (the area around your nose and eyes).
- Vowels: Modify your vowels. On high notes, open your mouth taller, not wider, to avoid straining.
Phase 3: The Chorus & Ad-libs
The chorus is pure pop power. The belts hit around C5 and D5. This requires a confident chest mix. But the real challenge comes at the end.
The final minute of the song is an obstacle course of vocal runs. Christina improvises extensively here, reaching up to C6. To practice this, slow the track down. Focus on the rhythm of the run. If you can't sing it slow, you can't sing it fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest belted notes in the main melody are around D5/E5, but Christina hits a C6 in the background ad-libs and vocal runs towards the end.
Yes! The song translates well for Tenors. Baritones may want to transpose the key down by -2 or -3 semitones using the Singing Coach AI app to make the belts more comfortable.
The chorus phrases are long. Make sure to take a quick, deep "catch breath" through your mouth before the line "What a girl wants." Do not wait until your lungs are empty to breathe.
