Fans got the blessing of listening to the beautiful voice of Christina Aguilera singing “Ave Maria,” although it was for a sad occasion. The pop star sang an emotional version of the song at A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant in Los Angeles, California. Aguilera sang “Ave Maria” backed up by a string section, and it was a real revelation to hear her singing in a classical style – I never would have guessed she could sing like this.
Aguilera showed off a powerful and dynamic voice in the performance, and her sombre interpretation of Franz Schubert’s iconic piece was perfect for the occasion. Readers will definitely want to tune into Aguilera’s final take on the refrain, which leads to a gorgeous high note and a delicate vocal run afterward. As noted by the emcee, the New York City star’s handling of the Italian language lyrics was also quite impressive.
Aguilera’s performance of “Ave Maria” proved to be quite popular online, where it attracted 6.4 million views on the News 19 WLTX YouTube channel. Viewers were impressed and added comments such as “She honored him in the best way. Simple, not showy. All black. A Catholic prayer as Kobe was Catholic.” and “Her voice sounded as if it was falling out of the heavenly skies. Her voice filled the whole arena. So beautiful.”
The Kobe Bryant memorial was not the first time Aguilera has impressed with her musical tributes. At the 2017 American Music Awards, she sang a tribute for Whitney Houston. For the event, Aguilera prepared a medley of Houston’s songs from The Bodyguard soundtrack, including her signature hit “I Will Always Love You.” It sure takes a brave singer to take on that song, but Aguilera hit the spot.
A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant was held on February 24, 2020, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The star-studded cast that appeared at the event really spoke to Kobe’s influence on the game. Beyonce opened the event with “XO,” which she noted was one of Kobe’s favorite songs. Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan subsequently gave an emotional and deeply personal speech. Jimmy Kimmel emceed the event, and basketball icons such as Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also made appearances. Kobe’s widow Vanessa Bryant also spoke at the event, memorializing her husband and 13-year-old daughter, who were lost in a helicopter accident along with six others on January 26, 2020, in Calabasas, California.