Christina Aguilera opens up about hardships as a child star: 'You're all pitted against one another'

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Christina Aguilera's decorated singing career began when she was just 9 years old as a contestant on "Star Search," before starring in "The All New Mickey Mouse Club" with Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears a few years later.

Now, at the age of 40, the "Beautiful" songstress is reflecting on how far she's come in her career and credited her "fighting spirit" for helping her to overcome obstacles in the public eye.

Navigating fame at an early age wasn't easy, Aguilera attests in a May cover story interview for Health. Despite the '90s appearing much different to the lives young entertainers lead these days due to social media, the "Lady Marmalade" singer recalled her early years were full of "successes, childhood trauma, [and] hardships."

She also admitted that there were certainly times when her endurance was put to the test. She was working around the clock and her skills were also being compared to that of her peers in the industry.

CHRISTINA AGUILERA SAYS SHE ‘HATED BEING SUPER SKINNY’: ‘I HAVE A HARD TIME LOOKING AT THE EARLY PICTURES’

Singer Christina Aguilera recalled being 'pitted' against other former child stars. (Reuters)

"That grind is praised, but I think we're all understanding that having moments to self-reflect and just breathe are crucial. I've been working since I was 7 years old. When I'm not working, there's a heavy amount of guilt that I feel. It's been embedded in me since I was little—you're shamed if you don't want to keep up. As a child [entertainer], you're all pitted against one another, and other children are all about that grind too. It's a weird space to grow up in," Aguilera shared.

The scrutiny child stars face has been a heavily talked-about topic in recent months, in part due to the release of the "Framing Britney Spears" documentary that examined the "Toxic" singer's life and career as well as her well-publicized public meltdown that occurred in 2007. Aguilera, who did not directly discuss Spears, recalled her own setbacks having "grown up under a microscope."

She commended her ability to stay truthful to herself.

"I'm proud of my honesty. It's a really hard thing to stick to in this business, especially when you've grown up under a microscope at a time when society was very critical of young women. I've had to work through a lot of insecurities in front of everybody. Every setback has catapulted me forward. I think that's my fighting spirit. And, at the end of the day, living that truth and being honest has always propelled me forward," she said.

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Aguilera has two children -- a 13-year-old son Max and six-year-old daughter, Summer. She reflected on how the last year during the coronavirus pandemic has helped her to just settle down with her kids and take a step back from the constant grind.

The 'Beautiful' singer was just 9 years old as a contestant on "Star Search" before starring in 'The All New Mickey Mouse Club' with Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. (AP)

"It was a great time to be hunkered down in my house with my kids. I really got a moment to do little things, like be in my backyard, read books that had been on my to-read list, and go through my old diaries. I have this massive trunk of old diaries that I've literally kept from the past 20 years of my life. I was able to catch up on them and do some self-reflecting. It really forced me to be silent and take a look at myself. In some regard, I wasn't happy with a lot of things, and it's scary to face those feelings that, under normal circumstances, you don't have time to face because everyone is going, going, going," she said.

The Grammy winner said she's simultaneously working on recording two albums, one in English and the second in Spanish. The latter she says is "about 20 years overdue."

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"I'm a perfectionist and want to give everything my best—especially because of the soul-searching I've done over the past year and the new perspective I have. I am reinspired and have reconnected with myself. I've fallen in love with music all over again, which is a really big thing to say, having spent my entire career in music," she said.

The 'Genie in a Bottle' singer admitted she 'hated' being skinny during her early years in the spotlight. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Elsewhere in the interview, Aguilera touched on her body image, admitting how she initially felt "so insecure" about her body until she "started filling out a little bit."

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"I think we all have our good days and our bad days in how we feel about ourselves," the singer explained. "Entering this business, I hated being super skinny. Once I turned 21, I started filling out a little bit, and I was loving my new curves."

Aguilera shared that growing older has made her look at her body differently – and appreciate it more.

"I would never want to relive my 20s – you’re so in your own head and finding your confidence," said Aguilera. "As you age, you stop comparing yourself to other people and start appreciating your own body and owning it."