Aguilera "Back" with ambitious album

While she may seem eager to distance herself stylistically from her 1999 self-titled debut now, the album did sell 12.5 million copies worldwide, according to her label, and launched the teenager into instant stardom via such songs as "Genie in a Bottle," "What a Girl Wants" and "Come On Over (All I Want Is You)." She followed with "Mi Reflejo," primarily a Spanish remake of her debut album, which sold 2.2 million copies worldwide.

Breaking away from the restraints she felt on her first album informed 2002's "Stripped," where she says she was "stripping all the elements I felt weren't me on that (first) record away." Through the sexualized "Dirrty," rocker "Fighter," touching ballad "Beautiful" and "I'm OK," which addressed growing up watching her father abuse her mother, she unflinchingly expressed different sides of her personality. Worldwide sales reached 9.5 million.

On this, her third English-language studio album, Aguilera says, "I still feel the need to open myself up."

Indeed, on "Back to Basics," she sings poignantly about walking down the aisle alone on her November wedding day in "The Right Man."

"I never really had this father figure, which never bothered me," she says. "I had my mom, I had people that did love me and care for me." With what turned out to be false bravado, she thought, "I'm a performer. I can totally walk myself down the aisle." But when the time came, "I just realized it would be really nice to have that male protector in your life, to have felt that your entire life and to have that one person give you away to the next man that's going to take care of you."

TRIBUTE TO MOTHER

On "Oh Mother," she praises her mother's bravery and courage. When asked about her mother's reaction to the song, Aguilera pauses and says, "What's interesting is I haven't really been able to play it for her yet."

Aguilera has no qualms about revealing her most vulnerable feelings, and, in fact, draws strength from it. "I feel a responsibility almost to share some of these things that aren't kind of the brighter sides of my life," she says. "If I can give (people) something that they can relate to they might not feel as alone in the circumstance."

First single "Ain't No Other Man" bows with old-time horn blasts and a sample from "Hippy, Skippy, Moon Strut" by the Moon People before exploding into an irresistibly fast-paced, toe-tapping declaration of love. The song reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and is currently No. 8.

RCA was initially concerned when it heard the project was a double album because of "today's marketplace," said Caron Veazey, the label's VP marketing. But "when the music was turned in and you look at the music you're getting for $21.98," all doubts were quashed, she added.

Aguilera's reintroduction started with her performance at the MTV Movie Awards in June to perform "Ain't No Other Man." She debuted the video on "TRL," a 30-minute interview with John Norris begins running on MTV in August, and she will also host an hourlong launch special on the network August 14. She's slated to appear at VH1's "Fashion Rocks" concert September 9.

Aguilera plans to kick-start the album by playing a limited number of intimate U.S. jazz clubs, followed by a European tour that will include private showcases in London and Paris. A full-scale U.S. tour will start next year.