Christina Aguilera & Sabrina Carpenter Duet “What a Girl Wants”

“What a Girl Wants” just turned 25 — and Christina Aguilera is celebrating with a mesmerizing reimagining of the song alongside Sabrina Carpenter!

On September 23, Spotify’s Anniversaries LIVE intimate concert series released its latest production: Aguilera and Carpenter performing a brand-new version of the former Voice Coach’s iconic song! It’s a genuinely wholesome “past meets present” music moment, and it’s been an unexpectedly wonderful surprise for music fans.

The new version of “What a Girl Wants” is powerful, over-the-top, and a full-on sonic sensation for your ears. Carpenter’s rich tone adds such depth to a classic song that fans didn’t know could get even better in 2024. See the duet below at the 19:30 mark.

(No judgment if you need to catch your breath after watching that epic performance. It was that good!)

In a September 18 Instagram video featuring both women, Carpenter told Aguilera the impact the “Genie in a Bottle” singer had on her from a very young age.

“I think the first time I ever heard your voice was [when] my mom played me a video of you singing at 8 years old, ‘A Sunday Kind of Love’,” Carpenter explained, speaking about Aguilera’s 1990 Star Search appearance. 

(The song a young Aguilera sang? An Etta James classic, of course.)

“That was the most inspiring thing for me ever to see as a young girl that wanted to sing but just didn’t think I could do it at that age,” Carpenter continued.

Who would’ve guessed that in 2024, both talented artists would team up to take one of Aguilera’s biggest hits and transform it into something entirely new? What’s next, Aguilera turning Carpenter’s “Espresso” into something equally impressive?

Here’s what to know about “What a Girl Wants”

Originally recorded in 1998 and re-recorded in 1999 as the version most fans remember from the radio, “What a Girl Wants” showed off Aguilera’s powerful vocals after her decidedly-pop heavy debut single “Genie in a Bottle” rocketed her to stardom.

The song, hot on the heels of the success of “Genie in a Bottle,” immediately climbed up the charts, landing at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, further cementing her status as one of the biggest pop stars of the early 2000s. “What a Girl Wants” also topped the charts in countries like Spain, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Countless artists have covered the song over the years — most notably Kelly Clarkson, who memorably performed the song during a Kellyoke segment of The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2021.