Why Christina Aguilera Realized She Had To Split From Jordan Bratman

Superstar Christina Aguilera is no stranger to having her life broadcast online – from her music career to strained marriage to Jordan Bratman, Aguilera is always ready to support any artist struggling amidst the industry.

Aguilera recently spoke out in support of Britney Spears’ newfound freedom since the end of Spears’ thirteen-year conservatorship.

The ‘Genie in a Bottle singer, wanting to make sure Britney was aware of her full support, said she would “always be there” for her fellow pop star, adding:

“I love being able to connect like that with other women. It’s very important now more than ever, now that we do have the ability to connect, that that happens and that we always feel unified.”

Fans of both singers will be familiar with the ongoing pop war between the two, who happened to experience their trajectories at the same time.

Aguilera, herself to stranger to controversy and scandal, may not have experienced the same level of control Britney was tortured by.

Her marriage to producer Jordan Bratman was one of the most exciting things about her personal life to Christina Aguilera fans, and the former couple has proven things can remain amicable in the advent of a split.

Who Is Jordan Bratman?

Aside from being known as Christina Aguilera’s ex-husband, Bratman has built an impressive career in his own right.

He is a well-known music producer and executive that has introduced many world-famous artists to his own record label.

Having been in the industry since the 1990s – in part, thanks to his father, producer Jack Bratman – he has worked with artists like Boyz II Men, Michael Jackson, TLC, PInk, and Madonna.

Jordan Bratman and Christina Aguilera

Bartman first met the up-and-coming pop icon when she was just 21 years old, and their whirlwind romance led to a wedding three years later.

During her early career, Aguilera spent much of her time writing personal songs, often mentioning her family and the abusive home environment she grew up in.

Since this was not particularly pop music-friendly content, she often cited her relationship with Bartman as an escape from feeling lost. 

Their wedding was truly an event fans had been waiting for, as the couple spent a whopping $2 million on the ceremony in Napa Valley, accommodating around 150 guests.

Aguilera wore an $80,000 wedding dress, a figure that seemed insane for an outfit worn only for a couple of hours. 

In an interview with People Magazine given after the divorce, Aguilera opened up about the early days of her relationship with Bratman.

“At the time, it felt absolutely right,” she shared, “Jordan and I were best friends first, and then it grew to be more. He represented stability and love and safety-qualities I never got from a male figure growing up. I felt we could share the rest of our lives together. I wanted to marry someone who would be a good father. And he is.”

Aguilera gave birth to their son, Max Liron Bratman, in January 2008.

Though the couple had not planned to have children, they decided to keep the news of the pregnancy quiet until Paris Hilton accidentally told the world at the 2007 Video Music Awards.

When asked why she and Bratman kept the news to themselves, Aguilera revealed that she wanted to take precautions while on her Back to Basics tour, not wanting anyone else to stress about the baby.

“There are so many things that could go wrong — somebody could slip, somebody could fall, I could fall,” she admitted. “There was no way in hell I was going to jeopardize my baby for my show.”

The singer also said that she wore a hidden heart monitor on stage, “[I took precautions, but] I didn’t want to make the audience uncomfortable, like, ‘Pregnant lady onstage! Is she going to be OK?’”

What Went Wrong?

Due to the trauma she had experienced in her younger years, it seemed as though Aguilera was reluctant to believe that her marriage to Bratman was meant to last forever.

In 2009, Aguilera filmed her musical drama film, Burlesque, where she finally learned what it meant to be independent.

Taking Max with her, the singer-turned-actress was distanced from Bratman and realized more about herself than ever before, saying:

“I had an independence I’d never felt before. I was growing leaps and bounds daily. I went from being a girl to a woman.”

According to Aguilera, going back to her marriage with Bratman was challenging to readjust to, as she felt there was a lot the two had been suppressing. 

Despite trying to make things work, she and Bratman decided it was best to separate for their son’s sake.

Having watched her mother stay in an unhealthy marriage, Aguilera knew that her respect for Bratman was no excuse for staying unhappy for the rest of her married life.

How Have Things Been Since the Divorce?

During the People interview, Aguilera admitted things had been difficult after her still-raw split from Bratman.

When asked how she and her former husband were communicating, Aguilera stated:

“For Max’s sake, we keep in communication and try to be as civil as possible, but there’s some pain. There’s discomfort when we’re together. But I know in my heart we’ll find some sort of ground where we’ll eventually laugh together again and be okay for Max.”

It seems as though all is well between the singer and her ex-husband in the years since.

Aguilera posted a photo of Bratman, their son, and herself on her 40th birthday in January 2020, captioning it with “we make blended families work. It’s a beautiful thing.”

The pop icon has another child, daughter Summer, with her fiancé, Matthew Rutler.

If anything, Bratman and Aguilera are a great example of coparenting-, proving that a high-profile divorce has not prevented them from enjoying life as a family.

The most important thing for Aguilera is to be a hands-on mother for her kids, noting that:

“I made the decision for quite some time not to tour for a while because I thought it was the best thing to make a more stable, routine life for my children. Even when I took the spot on [The Voice], it wasn’t really something I wanted to pursue. I just decided, ‘It keeps me in L.A. and in a place where I can focus on my kids.’”

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