Christina Aguilera - So Emotional

What this video is

Produced during the peak of the late-1990s teen pop explosion, 'So Emotional' was a deep cut from Christina Aguilera's landmark 1999 self-titled debut on RCA Records — an album that debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and spawned three #1 US Hot 100 singles. The song was originally written by Franne Golde for Selena's Dreaming of You and carries a midtempo gospel-R&B sensibility that stood apart from the album's…

Why it matters

Represents the R&B/gospel undercurrent of Aguilera's debut that was deliberately suppressed in favour of teen-pop singles by RCA. The video documents Aguilera's vocal identity before her 'Stripped'-era reinvention, and is a key artifact for studying the tension between artist intent and…

The director

Clare Grace Davies is a producer and director active in the late 1990s–early 2000s. She is known for directing and producing the Christina Aguilera documentary/special Genie Gets Her Wish (2000) and for producing television productions BioRhythm (1998) and…