Who is this famous woman and why is she actually famous?
Now and then, the entertainment industry unveils a face that will always be seen, no matter the fact that they might for sometime be rarely in the limelight. Introducing the woman, better known as Christina Milian, that girl whose 15 minutes of fame translated into more than 20 years of being relevant. Now the question arises that for what specific reason she is considered as a celebrity. To be frank, this thought has come to mind several times when I’m mindlessly browsing through her Instagram, just staring at her obscene thirst traps. In this Christina Milian saga, it is time to find out how this woman has remained in the lime light even when she is no longer churning out hit singles.
The “AM to PM” Beginning
Way before lip-gloss and low-rider jeans were said to be in vogue Christina Milian got into the music scene with her “AM to PM. If you are part of the generation x or younger, know that if you were born after the year 2000, you are like, “what the hell is that”? and honestly, fair question. This reached the chart position of 27 on billboard Hot 100, thus not placing her in the echelion of superstars but gave her the break that she needed.
This was succeeded by her joining forces with Ja Rule on ‘Between Me and You’, easily famous more because of the inclusion of Ja Rule hence. Oh come on: back in the year 2000, having Ja Rule on your record was a guarantee you’d get spins on the radio. Christina was clever, and the first thing that can be said about her is that she was intelligent.
Its self-titled debut album did not help her achieve much popularity, but it was enough to label her as one of the pop princess of the Y2K. You know the kind of girl that would feature on TRL, give Carson Daly a shy stomach show and then vanish the moment the next single is released.
“Dip It Low” and the Peak of Her Musical Fame
Since Christina Milian has always been involved in singing, acting and dancing, it is hard to pinpoint the song most of her fans can easily relate to her with, but it would most definitely be “Dip It Low” in her album “It’s About Time.” Maxwell reached No 5 in the Billboard hot 100 and became her biggest hit in United States. In the music video, Christina was painted black and moves seductively in the way that forced parents to switch off the television when MTV was playing it.
Most would not know that this song is about teaching a man’s partner how to move sexily to keep her man interested enough to stay. Peak 2000s energy right there. The actual dancing depicted by the lyrics ‘Dip it low, Pick it up low, roll it all around, poke until it looks like you have a broken back’ could be considered to represent what passed off as dancing for the clubs in year, 2004. Revolutionary stuff.
As for the album itself the results were quite satisfactory, but the single was far more successful than any other of her productions. Still, here’s a trivia that ‘Dip It Low’ was written in collaboration with Poli Paul, who later sued Christina for failing to pay him royalties. The drama never ends!
The Acting Career That Almost Was
When her music career started taking a downturn slightly, Christina did what any pragmatic pop star whose music records are no longer monopolizing the charts would do – take a blow and become an actress. So, yes, she was not half bad to be honest. Her movie debut in Love Don’t Cost a Thing in 2003 featuring Nick Cannon proved she is a worth actress and is perhaps one of the reasons why the two began dating.
She also acted in a movie called ‘Be Cool,’ which is the sequel to Get Shorty with John Travolta and Uma Thurman actress. It was not far off for her to become a young singer struggling to make her way into the music recording company industry since those were things she already knew she could act.
Other appearances in her acting career include Pulse, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Bring It On: Fight to the Finish. Yes, she was in the fifth part of the Bring It On movie series. Honestly, I had no idea that there are five of them and Christina Milian was clapping to the movie in the fifth part of the series which is a direct to video.
Reality TV and the Social Media Renaissance
When both the music and mainstream acting jobs became scarce for Christina, what did any desperate celebrity seeking more fame do – she joined reality television. The E! television show “Christina Milian Turned Up” depicted her life with her sisters and her mother for two seasons. It was not as culturally significant as the Kardashians shutting it down, but who could forget that Christina Milian was still alive?
This also happened that she managed to plunge into Instagram, which became her salvation for him at that time. She was able to turn herself into a thirst trap queen that encourages her followers to rate her bikini looks and workout videos to boost her engagement. I don’t know much about her careers but one thing that cannot be taken away from her is her ability to play around with cameras.
The Queen of Random Business Ventures
There’s only one thing clearer than Christina Milian’s singing voice and that is her entrepreneurial theory of intila genius. She owns Viva Diva Wines, a range of moscatos and other sweet wines, marketed apparently to people who do not enjoy wine. There is also a food truck of Beignet Box through which they do sell beignet. Or so the thought process goes at the of these great business people with dreams of being the next vito corleone as they engage in the noble business of frying and selling dough from the back of a truck.
She has also designed jewelry line House of Fine Gold, and apart from fashion designing, she has also lent her creative juice to fashion, accessories, so who knows what else? In a nutshell, Christina Milian is a perfect example of a typical Hollywood starlet who needs to try out every possible opportunity to make some luck in the subject field.
The Complicated Love Life
It would be impossible to discuss Christina Milian and her career without touching upon her active personal life that became a subject of gossip more often than once. Vocalist for Rihanna; she was married to producer The-Dream, and they have a daughter; the marriage did not last as long as one of The-Dream’s songs. They parted ways while his wife was pregnant and officially divorced in 2011 due to allegations of infidelity by the star.
She also in a relationship with Lil Wayne for almost a year, and out of this relationship, she was able to produce her second child. Well the relationship was volatile, as most celebrity relationships are described: on and off or in other words, a no brainer. She has been in a relationship with French singer Matt Pokora and they have two kids at the moment. By all appearances, she is content and appeared set, which is great after a series of tumultuous affairs of the heart.
So Why IS Christina Milian Famous?
Finally, the answer to the question that was asked at the beginning of this investigation returns: why is Christina Milian famous? The answer is one of the textbook examples of career reinvention through the pursuit of variety and expertise in multiple fields. This is because she has never depended on one thing alone at anytime. She tries dancing but when that was not feasible, she took up acting. When the acting jobs stopped coming in, she went into doing reality shows. After that she started engaging in business,other important business shows which focused on reality television ended. All the while, she has graced her social media platforms like her work existence relies on it –which in fact it does.
Christina Milian is a celebrity because she cannot afford to be otherwise. Although many others rise to fame and equally fade away, she has been able to stick around this industry by shifting the ways in which she is perceived in the media. Has she hit one of the best talents to be able to deliver a song perfectly? No. The best actress? Not really. A business mogul on par with Rihanna? Please.
So here’s to you, Christina Milian – the woman who made “Dip It Low” and then refused to fade into obscurity. May your beignets be fluffy, your wines be sweet, and your Instagram engagement continue to thrive.
