EAMusic1: Please welcome Christina Aguilera. The 18-year-old beauty will talk about her #1 song, "Genie in a Bottle," her involvement in Disney's animated film "Mulan," and her newfound fame. Welcome, Christina!

Christina Aguilera: Thank you. It's nice to be here. I just came from the Wherehouse from doing an in-store record signing. My album just came out today so I'm very excited. It's absolutely amazing and an incredible feeling to have all those people line up to get my autograph. I remember just going to that store to buy records myself and wondering when will the day come when my records would be there, and that day has now come! I was here once before and that was fun. For the “Mulan” soundtrack.

Question: Did you know that “Genie in a Bottle” would be such a big hit?

Christina Aguilera: Well, you could only hope that your first single would be a hit, let alone a top ten, let alone a number one hit. And to be there continuously. We had a great response from people early on before “Genie” rose to the top. I'm so glad it rose to the top and stayed there, so I'm really excited.

Question: If you are going to have another single coming out, what will it be called?

Christina Aguilera: Yes, there will be another single that will be released sometime in September or October. I'm not quite sure when. It hasn't yet been confirmed which song will be released. There is a Diane Warren ballad called “I Turn to You” that will be released third. And I just came into another song from the writers of “Genie in a Bottle.” Look out for it.

Question: Christina, I think you're very beautiful. I was just wondering, are there any artists you especially wanna work with?

Christina Aguilera: Thank you. And, well, there are artists in particular I'd love to work with. For instance, I was on the air with 98 Degrees, and they're working in studio today with one of my idols, Mariah Carey. I would love to work with her one day, as well as Madonna. She's wonderful and continues to reinvent herself, so those two are people I'd love to work with.

Question: What's it like being so popular when you're so young?

Christina Aguilera: I am 18 years old. I'll be 19 in December. December 18th. I'm a Sagittarius, actually. It's a dream come true. I've wanted this forever, my entire life. So now that it's happening, I'm thrilled and having the time of my life. It is completely draining, and if I didn't love it so much, don't get into it. But the fans make it all worthwhile, and it's incredible.

Question: Hey Christina, are you Swedish? Where's your name Aguilera come from?

Christina Aguilera: Aguilera is not a Swedish name; my father is from Ecuador, South America, so I would be half Spanish and half American-Irish on my mother's side. So I'm a little mix.

Question: Do you have any nicknames?

Christina Aguilera: Actually, my nickname at the moment, given to me by my A&R guy, one day we were going through how can we shorten my name -- and let me explain. You know how Christmas is sometimes spelled Xmas? So X-Tina is sometimes my nickname. Spelled that way, if not said that way. I think it's kind of cute, and some people just hate it. But it's fine for now.

Question: Do you have a boyfriend? If so, who?

Christina Aguilera: Well, actually, you know, my schedule makes me so busy that I don't have time to actually date anybody at the moment. When I do meet people it's like hi, goodbye. I'm in a different city every day. But if I did meet someone on tour that I was crazy about, I'd probably make some time for him.

Question: What was your favorite city on tour?

Christina Aguilera: I'm not quite on tour yet. I'm just out promoting the album now. I'm going to new cities every day and I was just in Dallas the other day. Chicago is really a nice place and I want to go back and explore. I love to perform live and the crowd in Transylvania -- it was an outdoor event. I was 16 years old and participated in a contest called the Golden Stag Festival and it's in Transylvania, and so I went to Dracula's castle. He was a real guy, you know. So I'm on stage and it's a whole outdoor event, and it was really beautiful and there was thousands of people. And the energy was so great that I dove out into the audience and ran out to the crowd for my second number and was on this guy's lap and singing to him, and I was so caught up and had to run back on stage, and it caused mayhem.

Question: Where did you get those awesome orange pants in the video?

Christina Aguilera: Everybody seems to love those; they're from Abercrombie and Fitch, that's who makes them, and you actually don't get to see the coolest part which is on my lower left pant leg by my calf, there's this huge dragon which is so cool. But you all seem to still like them, so it's kind of cool.

Question: Are you considering acting anytime soon?

Christina Aguilera: You know what, I'm very interested in acting, but right now I'm busy promoting my album and going on tour because that's my first love, but I'm very interested in doing some parts that may come my way. I've been offered a few movie parts so far, but I have to really concentrate on singing. But it's something I'm interested in doing eventually. I haven't been offered a part that truly inspires me to take time off, though.

Question: How long has it taken for you to become what you consider successful in music?

Christina Aguilera: Well, I'm on my way to being the kind of successful that I want to be one day. It's taken me a long time and I've worked very hard. It seems like forever, even though I'm 18. I've worked hard and even though I've doubted myself, I'm happy with where I am now.

Question: How have you noticed your music making an impact on others or on you?

Christina Aguilera: Well, you know, that's one of the things that keeps me going sometimes. I get these letters from kids all over that say that I inspire them or encourage them to do something or get into music professionally or aspire to do that one day, which is really cool. Being out there and seeing those kids, and when I'm on stage and performing “Genie in a Bottle,” there is no feeling in the world like having thousands of kids singing it back to me. It's amazing.

Question: Hi, Christina! I love your music and you're very talented. I heard you were half Spanish; do you speak Spanish too?

Christina Aguilera: I speak very little Spanish. But I grew up in my household hearing my mother and father speaking it. My mother went to college to be a translator and she was very fluent, and I was able to pick up on it and understand it. I am not able, unfortunately, to speak it yet. But I will. And I'll be releasing a Spanish album.

Question: What celebrity do you have a crush on?

Christina Aguilera: You know what, I have a crush on celebrities that aren't very well known yet. Like, if I see an independent film, I'll have a crush on the guy who doesn't get a lot of camera time. But I do have a crush on Enrique Iglesias, and I put in a request to present an award with Freddie Prinze, Jr.

Question: First off, I gotta say you are awesome. Do you have an AOL account? Do you come online to chat with your friends?

Christina Aguilera: Actually, I would love to go online more often than I do. Occasionally I get the opportunity to. I'll be on a lot more once I get that laptop in my possession. I really don't know what kind I want, I have yet to go laptop shopping.

Question: I was wondering if the car in the video “Genie in a Bottle” is yours.

Christina Aguilera: I kind of wish it was mine. No, we totally rented out those cars. It was funny because one scene I had to get on top of the car and interact with the lead guy, and they were so worried about me denting the car, because it wasn't ours. But I don't have a driver's license, so I'm working on that so I can get my own car. I just haven't had the time to practice driving enough so I'll be confident enough to go in there and pass the test. But for now, I'm being driven around.

Question: Hi, Christina, this is Luke, and I'm from London. I love your music -- you're the best!

Christina Aguilera: Thank you so much. That means a lot to me. I'm actually going out there again. I was in London for the first time last month for a couple days. Whenever I go out there, you'll have to show me around. I think I have a lot of international fans, and more than I realize. Well, at least I hope so. When I was 16, along with the Transylvania event, I had a track that was a duet with a Japanese artist and it was out as a single, and I did a couple dates with him on tour, and that was the last time I was in Japan before becoming a number one artist.

Question: How long have you been singing? How long did it take you to get this far?

Christina Aguilera: I have been singing... well, I started singing as a love and it was a way that I could release any bad energy, from a very, very young age. So at age five I started singing from my first inspiration of Julie Andrews in “The Sound of Music,” and I fell in love with it. It's been an ongoing love for a while, and now a career choice. Actually, one interview that I did for I think MTV, the interviewer told me that “Sound of Music” used to give her nightmares when she was a child. I was like, how can “The Sound of Music” scare anybody?

Question: Christina, how long did it take to film the video for “Genie in a Bottle”?

Christina Aguilera: I think that most videos take about 2 or 3 days at the most. But in my case, it did take 2 days to film the video for “Genie in a Bottle,” and I'm sure you heard this in other interviews -- it was freezing cold and not as glamorous as you'd think. The next video I'll be in will be in a very warm location. Even though it was on a beach, it was cold.

Question: What do you do for fun?

Christina Aguilera: What I'm doing is fun, but of course I like to go to the movies and go shopping. Museums are a big thing for me. I love museums. So if a guy wants to melt me, take me to a museum. I haven't even seen “Blair Witch Project” or “Sixth Sense.” Actually, it's been a while since I've been to a movie. I think the last one I've seen was when “Austin Powers” was out.

Question: Who was your inspiration?

Christina Aguilera: My inspiration, I've had many, again, starting with Julie Andrews at a young age. But growing up I sang Whitney Houston songs in talent shows. But when I discovered Mariah Carey and “Vision of Love,” that was a breath of fresh air, and I adored her from that moment on and idolized her. It's really amazing that in articles I've been compared to her. It's truly unbelievable, because whenever I was younger I would ask my mom, do you think I'll ever be as big and sing as well as Mariah Carey. And now that it has happened, my mom says, I knew it would happen. She actually runs my fan club. It's a lot of fun. So a lot of you guys may have chatted with her.

Question: What was it like working with Britney, JC, Justin & Keri in the “Mickey Mouse Club”?

Christina Aguilera: Working with all those guys was a great experience. What most thrilled me was to be around so many kids at once who were as passionate about performing and were really driven. That's why I'm not so surprised about a lot of the success. We'd pal around, but me and Britney were the babies, so we didn't get to participate as much. But it was cool.

Question: Are you planning to go to college and pursue your schooling?

Christina Aguilera: As you may know, I just graduated high school, so I'm proud of that. That's one of my accomplishments this year. Right now I'm playing it by ear. I'm going to ride this amazing trip that I'm taking in my career that seems to be blowing up... all the way. And college is something I want to do but probably not major in music, but maybe psychology or something that I was interested in.

Question: Do you have any brothers and sisters? If so, what are their names?

Christina Aguilera: That's a cute question. I'm the oldest of five, including stepbrothers. I have a 3-year-old half brother, Michael James, and he's the most adorable. My sister Rachel is 13. My stepsister Stephanie is 13, and a 16-year-old stepbrother named Casey, and he takes pleasure in rubbing it in my face that he has a driver's license and just bought a car. But I'm happy for him. Being the oldest can be hard, because my little sister gets away with so much more than I did. My mom says cut her some slack, and I think, why didn't you cut me some slack? But I like being the leader.

Question: What is your favorite sport?

Christina Aguilera: I'm a fan of ice hockey and, as far as playing goes, my five siblings would go in my backyard and get a game of baseball going -- not softball, baseball -- and it backfired. I got hit in the jaw with a baseball and my face swelled up and [it] was so embarrassing.

Question: Hey, Christina! What's up? I was just wondering if you like 'N Sync, and if you do, who is your favorite guy? Thanks a lot, and I totally love your CD!

Christina Aguilera: I grew up with JC and Justin on the “Mickey Mouse Club.” They're all cool guys, but there are some that stick out more than others. Of course, Lance is the quiet one and Justin is a ham and I think JC is sort of the thinker. He sits back and looks like he's the thinker. Joey's the flirt, of course. Many of you may know that. They're all cool.

Question: Do you have a favorite memory?

Christina Aguilera: Well, I guess one just popped in my head. The holidays are coming up, and I love that time. When I was 7 years old, I was at my grandmother's and I walked downstairs and there was a Barbie Kitchen waiting for me, and I always wanted one, so I was so excited about that. So that's a good childhood memory for me.

Question: How do you like the reactions that you're getting, positive and negative?

Christina Aguilera: Obviously, all the positive are very flattering, and being compared to Mariah, and I get a lot of Britney comparisons as well, and she's extremely talented, but we are two different artists. And even when I'm doing radio interviews and stuff, they want to ask me very personal questions about her, and you have to be a little protective of yourself and what you say, because there are so many people wanting to get you to say things and pulling you in so many directions.

EAMusic1: The rivalry was created by the media?

Christina Aguilera: Absolutely, the rivalry was created by the media AND the fans. There is room for everybody. Britney is a very talented young lady. And the more people get to know us as artists, you'll get to know how truly different we are.

Question: What's your favorite song that you sing?

Christina Aguilera: Well, I do have a favorite song, a song that I covered when I did a few dates with Lilith Fair with just a piano and a microphone. And I'm a big lover of blues and Etta James, so I covered one of her old classics, “At Last,” which is one of my favorites to sing.

EAMC Host: Do you visit any fan sites online?

Christina Aguilera: Sometimes I definitely visit the websites and hear all the comments that you're making and appreciate them and take them into consideration. And, yes, my mom loves you too. She always reports on what you're saying and she loves to read your mail.

Question: Who are you most starstruck by?

Christina Aguilera: If I were to meet Madonna, I seriously don't know what I would do. She's just almost like a goddess to me. This is a woman who's been in the business for so long and been able to stay in it and reinvent herself and make smart decisions. So if I met her, I think there would be such an amazing energy around her, too, that it would just strike me as amazing.

EAMusic1: Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans?

Christina Aguilera: I want to thank you all so, so much. I love whenever I do shows in any city and you guys come up to me. And I do apologize if you've come up to me to give me something to sign and a lot of times it's out of my hands and I feel awful if I can't. But I know none of this would be possible without you, so I do appreciate you. So I look forward to seeing you all on my tour. And the album is out today, so go out and buy it. Thank you!

EAMusic1: Thank you, Christina, for chatting with us!

Christina Aguilera: Bye-bye!

EAMusic1: And thank you all for all of your great questions! We are sorry we could not get to them all!