NYC Pride Island 2023’s packed crowd was heavily surprised by headliner Christina Aguilera. As the culminating event of pride weekend in the city, the talented singer graced the stage on Sunday, captivating the crowd with a dazzling one-piece outfit and a career-spanning repertoire. Amidst singing her iconic hits like “Genie in a Bottle” during the first half of her impressive 13-song setlist, Aguilera pleasantly surprised the crowd with an unexpected guest appearance by Adam Lambert.
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Together, they flawlessly performed the beloved track “Lady Marmalade.” The combination of Aguilera’s electrifying presence and the surprise collaboration with Lambert made for an extraordinary finale to the pride celebrations.
“Who knew that a friendly ‘have a great show’ text would turn into an invitation to perform with the iconic diva Xtina?!” Lambert went on to write on Instagram after the performance. “Like many of you know, I’ve been a stan for her since like…. ‘2000!!! I learned how to truly wail listening to her. Thank you Xtina for this surreal moment to celebrate NY Pride!!! I adore you!”
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During the earlier part of the evening, Aguilera surprised the audience by inviting Ian Axel from A Great Big World to join her on stage. Together, they delivered a heartfelt rendition of their 2013 hit ballad, “Say Something,” creating a rare and poignant slow-tempo moment within the energetic set.
However, the majority of Aguilera’s performance was filled with high-impact hits, including crowd favorites such as “Show Me How You Burlesque,” “Dirrty,” “What A Girl Wants,” and “Ain’t No Other Man.”
Speaking to the crowd, Aguilera went on to acknowledge her career as a singer, saying, “It has been such a long and beautiful journey in my career, and I feel like I’ve come full circle today at this point. Thank you guys so much for giving me everything a girl could have asked for … I want to give everything back to you at this point — you deserve all of it and more.”
She continued, “There’s times where we’re looking for answers and looking for hope. There’s a lot of bleak things out there right now. We are here tonight and we stand in unison to be free to be ourselve. Sometimes we have to remember to stay hopeful and wish others well even in the darkest times. So let’s put well wishes into the world. Here’s hoping for a beautiful future.”
(Photo Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Billboard)
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