Two decades in the making: Finally meeting my idol Christina Aguilera

A moment I have been waiting for since I was young: meeting my idol Christina Aguilera at The X Tour in Europe.

I was ten years old when the whole bubblegum pop explosion took over in 1999. There were so many artists battling for chart positions, sales, and awards. But I was completely swept away by one in particular: a blonde, blue-eyed powerhouse named Christina Aguilera.

Growing up in the Philippines, where big vocals are practically part of the culture, it felt natural to gravitate towards her voice. Her self-titled debut album Christina Aguilera was the very first album I ever bought with my own money. Before I could afford the CD, I had the cassette tape — talk about a nostalgic throwback!

The X Tour: Christina Aguilera’s first European tour in a decade

For the past three years, I’ve celebrated my birthday in Europe, and this year was no different. By pure coincidence, Xtina announced The X Tour, her first European tour in ten years happening in summer.

I’ve already seen her live twice — in the Philippines in 2007 and in Malaysia in 2014. But getting tickets this time was a no-brainer. At first, I planned to catch just the Paris show. But after a friendly persuasion, I ended up buying tickets for the Antwerp and Amsterdam shows as well.

The X Tour 1st night: Paris, France

The opening night was electric. It’s got the kind of excitement that only comes from seeing everything for the very first time: the visuals, the outfits, the staging, the set list. Every diehard fan in the venue was buzzing with anticipation, wondering whether she’d debut something completely new or bring elements from The Xperience, her Las Vegas residency that launched earlier that year.

I managed to snag a front-row seat, and the moment Christina stepped onstage — looking every inch the pop superstar she is — the crowd’s energy skyrocketed. I recorded the entire show, and you can watch it all below.

The X Tour 2nd night: Antwerp, Belgium

#Fighters before the show

I headed to Antwerp the next morning. It was my first time visiting the city so I made sure to explore a bit before the second night of The X Tour. I met more fans there and ended up hanging out with a few of them before the show, which made the experience even more fun.

This time, my seat was on the second floor, but the view was surprisingly great. In fact, it was nice to take in more of the overall stage design, especially after being so close the first night. I recorded the entire show again and even managed to capture the technical glitch that happened during the opening number. Naturally, Christina handled it like an absolute pro!

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The district of Montmartre in Paris

The X Tour 3rd night: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Night three was the big one — the night I finally met Christina Aguilera! Meet-and-greet bundles are extremely limited and disappear almost instantly. The vendor sites would lag, crash, or freeze, and by the time the page refreshed, the passes were often already gone. Clearly, European (and international) fans had been waiting a long time for her return.

I tried to secure one myself but failed. Thankfully, my friend Martin Bautista came through and managed to snag a pass for the Amsterdam show. It wasn’t cheap, but honestly, who knows when she’ll tour again? It felt like a now-or-never moment — and I’m so glad I grabbed the opportunity.

With my childhood idol Christina Aguilera

So here’s how it went: after getting our wristbands, we were asked to line up and were escorted backstage. The entire M&G lasted about 30 minutes and took place while the opening act was performing. I spent those minutes nervously fixing my hair, adjusting my clothes, and rehearsing what I wanted to say. Honestly, it was hilarious in hindsight.

I also kept my expectations realistic. I knew meet-and-greets can be quick, and I was right. But even with the short amount of time, I am genuinely happy with how our photo turned out! As soon as we wrapped up, we were guided to the front of the stage, ready to enjoy the show that was about to begin.

Since this was my last stop of the tour, I only recorded a few performances. I wanted to be fully present, phone down, and just soak everything in. It was a freestanding venue anyway, so filming steady clips was nearly impossible.

A perfect way to celebrate my 30th!

The X Tour was everything fans have been dreaming of — and waiting for — for years. It felt fresh and exciting, with new visuals, updated outfits, and an energy that filled the entire concert venue each night. Aguilera’s voice was flawless, her presence magnetic, and her beauty and charisma onstage were simply unforgettable.

Thank you, Christina Aguilera, for sharing your extraordinary voice with us and for being such an inspiration in everything you do. I’ll forever be a proud fan. 💙