She’s Got the Voice
It’s about time for Christina Aguilera’s arrival as a Las Vegas resident headliner. Vegas has seen successful residencies from other ’90s pop sensations like Britney Spears and The Backstreet Boys, and now Aguilera gets her turn with Christina Aguilera: The Xperience. Good timing, too, as this year marks the 20th anniversary since she hit No. 1 with “Genie in a Bottle,” the first of five times she’d top the singles chart. She’d go on to become a five-time Grammy winner (plus one Latin Grammy) and pick up a total of 20 nominations, including two for songs from her 2018 album Liberation.
That album led to touring for the first time in a decade, which set the stage for what Aguilera calls “my most ambitious show yet.” During the years she wasn’t active live, she actively thought about what she wanted to bring to the stage for the next chapter in her concert career as far as songs, choreography, visuals and energy. The Liberation Tour allowed her to refine those ideas for a Vegas residency. By the time Aguilera wrapped her tour in November, she was opening with “Maria” from Liberation before launching into more than 20 songs from her catalog, including “What a Girl Wants,” “Lady Marmalade,” “Ain’t No Other Man” and “Beautiful.”
More importantly, Aguilera showed her voice possessed as much presence and power as it ever had. Aguilera’s style in her pop princess years was often compared to Mariah Carey’s, although she would give as much credit to singers from earlier eras such as Etta James. Both Aguilera and Carey had wide vocal ranges and a penchant for melisma, the syllabic somersaulting of lyrics that would become a convention of singers on television talent competitions (she was also a judge on The Voice).
Aguilera’s soaring, muscular vocal style is very much her own, though, while her drive and determination is a result of overcoming a tough upbringing. She is demonstrating solidarity with Southern Nevada’s women and children in crisis by donating $1 from every Xperience ticket sold to Las Vegas emergency shelter The Shade Tree. Aguilera may have reached the pinnacle of success, but she hasn’t forgotten where she came from. –Matt Kelemen
Planet Hollywood Resort, 9 p.m. June 5, 7-8, 13 & 15-16, starting at $60 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
Hot Picks
Relax and Rejuvenate
The Spa at Four Seasons upholds the hotel brand’s longstanding reputation for luxury. Find unique treatments like the head-to-toe candle massage that uses coconut oil and natural waxes spread over the entire body, leaving relaxed muscles and silky smooth skin. There’s all-the-rage treatments, too, like cupping therapy, which helps detoxify and stimulate circulation. –Kiko Miyasato
Four Seasons Hotel, 6 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. 702.632.5000
Intimate Nightlife
It might be on the small side for a nightclub in Las Vegas (16,000 square feet), but 1 OAK at The Mirage packs a huge party within its walls. Highlights here are the plush and spacious VIP tables and stripper poles placed strategically throughout the club. This week, catch a special performance from Maria Romano (June 5). DJ Karma (June 7) and J.I.D (June 8) round out the week. –KM
The Mirage, 10:30 p.m.-4 a.m. Wed. & Fri.-Sat. 702.792.7900
Back on the Strip
A steakhouse classic has returned to Las Vegas. The newly opened Smith & Wollensky is serving up the same USDA Prime dry-aged steaks it’s famous for, but now in an all-new two-story environment inside The Grand Canal Shoppes. On the ground floor enjoy an art-deco-designed bar and lounge, while the second-floor highlights include views of the canals, the butcher shop and cozy booth seating. –KM
The Venetian, call for reservations. 702.637.1515
