Should Have Been Bigger: Christina Aguilera & Nicki Minaj’s “Woohoo”

Mike Nied | May 15, 2018 2:43 pm

In this franchise, we look back on songs that deserved a little more love and attention.

2010 was not kind to Christina Aguilera. After delivering more than 10 years of pop perfection, the icon hit a stumbling block with the release of Bionic. Upon its arrival, the electro-kissed LP drew unfair comparisons to Lady Gaga. Critics were not fond of the eclectic and sometimes brash collection. Despite soaring into the top 10 with her 2008 futuristic anthem “Keeps Gettin’ Better,” the hitmaker struggled to find a hit with the new project.

The rip-roaring lead single “Not Myself Tonight” made a respectable debut on the Billboard Hot 100. Bowing out at the number 23 spot, it picked up where 2002’s “Dirrty” left off. Over a grimy production, Xtina delivered some unapologetic lyrics. She tossed on her best BDSM gear and diamonds in the scintillating visual; however, it failed to find true longevity.

She hoped to turn things around with the selection of “Woohoo” as the project’s second single. Featuring a collaboration from Nicki Minaj, it was a thinly veiled and timeless cunnilingus advocacy anthem. Fresh on the scene, the femcee had already established herself as a budding rap queen. She had dominated the charts on “BedRock” and just missed out on the top 10 with Ludacris on “My Chick Bad.” Her confident flow and creative rhymes made her the perfect collaborator for Xtina’s raunchy banger.

Boasting a writing credit from Ester Dean, the track delivered an instantly memorable chorus. “You know you really wanna (hey), wanna taste my. You know you want to get a peek, wanna see my. You know you wanna put your lips where my hips are. Kiss on my woohoo. All over my woohoo,” Christina belted over a rubbery production. Capping off the chorus with the brilliant line “you don’t even need a plate, just your face, ha,” the tongue-in-cheek bop seemed destined to hit it big.

Christina performed a portion of the song during a medley at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. Transforming the stage into a futuristic landscape the icon vogued along to the feisty title track before she and a crew of dancers delivered some scandalous choreography to the lead single. Closing out the set with “Woohoo,” she belted along to the chorus. Ever the pop provocateur, the diva ended the evening with a salacious moment as the camera zoomed in on a flashing heart strategically placed over her woohoo.

Unfortunately, “Woohoo” never really had a chance. The track debuted at number 79 on the Billboard Hot 100 and fell off the chart entirely by its second week. After her appearance at the VMAs, it reentered at number 99. But for whatever reason, the “Genie In A Bottle” siren and her team never rolled out a video for the single. Without a visual, the ladies first bop was pretty much doomed upon arrival.

Things took a turn for the worse as Christina cancelled plans for a tour to focus on promoting her acting project alongside Cher in Burlesque. Although she treated fans to her standout ballad “You Lost Me” as a final single, it missed out on the charts entirely and effectively brought an end to the embattled Bionic era. Looking back, the LP truly was ahead of its time and helped usher in a new age of electo-pop. But its tenure was short and challenging.

Although it failed to find traction on the charts, “Woohoo” remains a beloved release and is a gem in both divas’ discographies. The sex-positive single really should have been propelled into the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and we were robbed of a chance to see Nicki and Xtina bring it to life either onstage or in a video. I can only hope that Legend X is able to recapture the limitless energy of her sexy and under-appreciated hit on Liberation this June. Revisit the iconic cut below!

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