Aguilera finds truth in 'Voice'

Christina Aguilera's looks certainly never hurt her career.

She's a great singer, beyond a doubt. But as a judge and coach on the reality-competition series The Voice -- which returns for its second season Sunday, Feb. 5, on NBC and CTV, in the coveted post-Super Bowl time slot -- Aguilera is well aware of the ironies at play.

"I've been on all spectrums, I've been in this for a long time, I came out on the scene when I was 17 years old," said Aguilera, 31. "You can never be too perfect, too thin, too curvy, voluptuous, this, that.

"I've had as much criticism as any female in this business at one time or another, due to a flaw in a hairstyle or (something else). And I'm always a risk-taker too. I'm very confident in my body. I think my video works over the years have spoken to that.

"Women, we're definitely under a microscope and under massive scrutiny. And I think as long as I'm happy in my own skin, that's all the confirmation I need. I love my body. I have a boyfriend that loves my body."

At this point, Carson Daly, host of The Voice, cracked up reporters at the Television Critics Association tour by turning his head away from Aguilera and saying into his microphone, "How much does your boyfriend love your body? ... Answer that question ... This is Steve from the Texas Telegraph Star in the back row ... You can't see me ... Talk slower ... Oh, yeah ... I love you."

Kidding aside, despite her "video vixenry" through the years, Aguilera genuinely believes she is a positive influence for female competitors on The Voice, which purports to be about sound and not l! ooks.

"You've got to be a strong, powerful, very confident woman to be in this business," Aguilera said. "So being in a position to coach these young girls coming up, it is really a great thing for me to be able to share that with them, and also share, you know, my highs and lows along the way. I'm very open on the show about all of that."

The Voice kicks off with its "blind audition" phase, when Aguilera and the other three coaches -- Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton -- have their big chairs turned away as they listen to auditioning singers.

Based on voice alone, the coaches decide whether they want each individual singer on their team. If two or more judges want the same singer, then it's up to the singer.

Gamblers have gone broke in recent years predicting that an oversaturation of talent-competition shows would bust the genre. The market is more fragmented, obviously, but there's no doubt that The Voice was a substantial hit in its first season, to the surprise of many.

"I think the truth speaks for itself," Aguilera said.

"I don't really watch anything else (other shows such as American Idol or The X Factor). All I know is that I believe in the sole purpose of this show and standing behind its title.

"It's called The Voice for a reason."