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"What a Girl Wants" is the second single from Christina Aguilera's self-titled debut album, Christina Aguilera. The song was released as the official second single on 5 October 1999
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. Commercially, the song became her second consecutive US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, and topped the charts in Canada, New Zealand, and Spain. The single eventually earned gold certifications in countries including Australia, Belgium, Sweden and the US.
Background[]
After what was described as an "incredible" response to her debut single, the interest in Aguilera began to grow, at which point her record label decided it was time to release a second single. The label and Aguilera disputed over which track should be released, with Aguilera recalling: "You know, some people do want me to stay in the pop scene, [but] I want to grow from there. I always want to continue growing and getting to that level of, 'Oh, she's a real singer, a real ballad-singer, she can do it'." However the announcement then came that "What a Girl Wants" would be released as the follow-up single, with Aguilera saying "The next single will be 'What a Girl Wants', but a totally cool remix of it". The single was not chosen by Aguilera, but instead her record label RCA and label executive Ron Fair. Aguilera herself had little control over the entire project, and a marketing strategy foresaw that Aguilera would have better success as a "teen idol" so in an effort to maintain her persona, music was chosen and recorded under the basis that she would become the next pop phenomenon.
Music Video[]
The music video for "What a Girl Wants" was directed by Diane Martel, who had also directed the music video for her previous single "Genie in a Bottle." The video was choreographed by Tina Landon. Notably, the lighting in the video was more "defined" than the previous single's allowing a "clearer view" of Aguilera. The video's narrative, featuring protagonists Aguilera and model Paul Forgues, unwinds as a performance given by Aguilera to thank her lover. An opening shot shows men cycling and DJ-ing. Aguilera's troupe enters, moves the men towards the far-end of the room, and, after asking the men to cover their eyes, breaks into a tightly choreographed dance as Aguilera introduces the song's hook. Solo shots of Aguilera seated atop speakers punctuate the dance sequence. As the dance sequence in the first room ends, the camera moves over the ceiling of the venue and cuts to Aguilera dressed in medieval garb lying on a chaise longue whilst women dance around her with fans. After the bridge section finishes the video cuts back to the dancers in the first room and the video ends with a bird-eye-view shot of everyone in the room surrounding Aguilera and a male character who are intimately dancing. On December 16, 1999, the music video reached pole position on the music video chart, TRL. The video also received heavy rotation on January 11, 2000 on BET.
Track listing[]
| Japanese CD single | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "What a Girl Wants (Album Version)" | 3:52 | ||||||||
| 2. | "Genie in a Bottle" | 3:36 | ||||||||
| 3. | "Genie in a Bottle (The Eddie Arroyo Rhythm Mix)" | 4:28 | ||||||||
| UK CD single 1 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "What a Girl Wants (Radio Edit)" | 3:22 | ||||||||
| 2. | "What a Girl Wants (Smooth Mix)" | 3:20 | ||||||||
| 3. | "Christina Aguilera medley" ("I Turn To You", "So Emotional", "Somebody's Somebody", "Genie in a Bottle", "Come On Over" - snippets of album) | 4:55 | ||||||||
| UK CD single 2 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "What a Girl Wants (Radio Edit)" | 3:22 | ||||||||
| 2. | "We're a Miracle" | 4:09 | ||||||||
| 3. | "What a Girl Wants (Video Enhancement)" | 4:06 | ||||||||
| UK Cassette single | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "What a Girl Wants (Radio Edit)" | 3:20 | ||||||||
| 2. | "Christina Aguilera medley" ("I Turn To You", "So Emotional", "Somebody's Somebody", "Genie in a Bottle", "Come On Over" - snippets of album) | 4:55 | ||||||||
| Australian Maxi single | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Producer | Length | |||||||
| 1. | "What a Girl Wants (Radio Edit)" | 3:22 | ||||||||
| 2. | "What a Girl Wants (Smooth Mix)" | 3:20 | ||||||||
| 3. | "Too Beautiful for Words" | Todd Chapman | 4:11 | |||||||
| US CD single | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "What a Girl Wants (Radio Edit)" | 3:20 | ||||||||
| 2. | "We're a Miracle" | 4:10 | ||||||||
| US Remix single | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "What a Girl Wants (Thunderpuss Fiesta Club Mix)" | 6:16 | ||||||||
| 2. | "What a Girl Wants (Thunderpuss Dirty Club Mix)" | 6:36 | ||||||||
| 3. | "What a Girl Wants (Eddie Arroyo Long Dance Mix)" | 8:10 | ||||||||
| 4. | "What a Girl Wants (Eddie Arroyo Tempo Mix)" | 4:11 | ||||||||
Spanish version[]
Aguilera recorded a Spanish version of the song titled "Una Mujer" for her second studio album Mi Reflejo.
Lyrics[]
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever makes me happy sets you free
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms, yeah, c'mon
I wanna thank you for givin' me time to breathe
Like a rock, you waited so patiently
While I got it together, while I figured it out
I only looked, but I never touched
'Cause in my heart was a picture of us
Holdin' hands, makin' plans
And it's lucky for me you understand
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever makes me happy sets you free
And I'm thankin' you for knowin' exactly
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
And I'm thankin' you for bein' there for me
A weaker man might have walked away
But you had faith strong enough
To move over and give me space
While I got it together, yeah, while I figured it out
They say, if you love somethin', let it go
If it comes back, it's yours and that's how you know
It's for keeps, yeah, it's for sure
And you're ready and willin' to give me more than
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever makes me happy sets you free
And I'm thankin' you for givin' it to me
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
And I'm thankin' you for bein' there for me
Oh baby, oh darlin', I thank you, thank you, oh yeah
I found me somebody sensitive and tough
Somebody down when the goin' gets rough
Every night he'll be givin' his love
To just warm down, warm down, warm
Somebody cool, somebody tender too
Somebody, baby, just like you
Can keep me hangin' around
With the one who always knew
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever makes me happy sets you free
Ooh, I'm thankin' you for bein' there for me
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
Whatever keeps me in your arms
Is what I need
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever makes me happy sets you free
And I'm thankin' you for givin' it to me
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
And I'm thankin' you for bein' there
What you got is what I need
All that you want
What I want, oh yeah
Oh baby, oh darlin', I thank you
Thank you for givin' me what I need
And for what I want, oh yeah
[Incomprehensible] whenever you're not there
[Incomprehensible] oh yeah
A girl wants
Una mujer quiere sentir
Una mujer quiere sentir
Ooh yeah, yea-yeah
Yo te agradezco por insistir, por seguir
Dando tiempo a que me entregue a ti
Comprendiendo mis miedos oh, sin vencerte jamás
Me atrevo a ver pero sin tocar
Yo quiero más que una noche loca
Gracias por comprender
Por no ser impaciente y serme fiel
Una mujer quiere sentir
Que es bien amada y no la harán sufrir
Y tendrás su amor como lo sonaste
Una mujer quiere sentir
Antes de darse que es feliz
Te dira que sí, sin miedo a entregarse
Si tu amor es de verdad
Te ganarás mi corazón
Tuviste fe, sin dudar que serias tú
Mi querer y mi príncipe azul
Por eso es que yo te quiero, oh
Por prevalecer, ah-ooh
Sé que el amor es aún mejor (Aún mejor)
Si se siente entre dos como tú y yo
Fue difícil la labor (Ooh, ooh, ooh)
Pero al fin te has ganado mi corazón
Una mujer quiere sentir
Que es bien amada y no la harán sufrir
Y tendrás su amor como lo sonaste
Una mujer quiere sentir
Antes de darse que es feliz
Te dira que sí, sin miedo a entregarse
Si tu amor es de verdad
Te ganarás mi corazón
Hazme sonar, hazme sentir
Que puedo confiar en ti
Porque yo siento como tú
Hazme sonar, hazme sentir
Una mujer se gana con amor a plenitud
Hazme sonar, hazme sentir
Diciéndome que tus brazos van a ser mi sostén
Que no hay nadie como tú
Una mujer quiere sentir
Que es bien amada y no la harán sufrir
Y tendrás su amor como lo sonaste
Una mujer quiere sentir
Antes de darse que es feliz
Te dira que sí, sin miedo a entregarse
Si tu amor es de verdad
Te ganarás mi corazón
[Intro: Sabrina Carpenter]
Mm, mm-mm
[Verse 1: Sabrina Carpenter & Choir]
I wanna thank you for giving me time to breathe
Like a rock, you waited so patiently
While I got it together
While I figured it out (Figure)
I only looked but I never touched
'Cause in my heart, was a picture of us
Holding hands, making plans
And it's lucky for me you understand
[Chorus: Sabrina Carpenter]
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever makes me happy and sets you free
And I'm thanking you for knowing exactly
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
And I'm thanking you for giving it to me
[Interlude: Sabrina Carpenter & Christina Aguilera]
Now, Christina, show us what the girls want
Love you, Sabrina
[Verse 2: Christina Aguilera & Choir]
There was a time I was blind, I was so confused
Run away just to hide it all from you
Baby, you knew me bettеr, oh
Than I knew myself, love
Thеy say if you love something, let it go (Let it go)
If it comes back, it's yours, and that's how you know
It's for keeps, yeah, it's for sure (Ooh, love)
And you're ready and willing to give me more than
[Chorus: Christina Aguilera, Choir & Sabrina Carpenter]
What a girl wants, what a girl needs (A girl needs)
Whatever makes me happy and sets you free
And I'm thanking you for knowing exactly
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
And I'm thanking you for giving it to me
[Bridge: Choir, Christina Aguilera & Sabrina Carpenter]
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Somebody sensitive, crazy, sexy, cool like you
What a girl wants, what a girl needs (Oh, yeah)
Oh, oh, yeah
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
You're so right, you're so right
You let a girl know how much you care about her, I swear
You're the one who always knew, ooh
Whatever keeps me in your arms is what I need (Oh, yeah)
[Chorus: Choir, Christina Aguilera & Sabrina Carpenter]
Whatever makes me happy and sets you free
(Oh, it's what I need, oh, it's what I want)
And I'm thanking you for knowing exactly
(What I need, what I want is you)
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
(Oh, baby, I thank you 'cause you know, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
And I'm thanking you for giving it
What I want (What I want)
(What a girl wants, what a girl needs)
Is what you got (Is what you got)
(Whatever makes me happy and sets you free)
What you got is what we want (That's right)
(And I'm thanking you for giving it to me)
[Outro: Christina Aguilera, Sabrina Carpenter & Christina Aguilera]
Oh my goodness
It's been such an amazing experience going back and reflecting on the last twenty-five years
Thank you to the fans, thank you to my band
Thank you for everyone who is here and has something to do with this
Sabrina, I love you
What a girl wants, what a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
I'm thankin' you for knowing exactly
25th Anniversary version[]
In 2024 Christina released a live-studio version of the song for the 25th Anniversary of Christina Aguilera | Spotify Anniversaries LIVE special EP with guest Sabrina Carpenter.