Christina Aguilera performs "Genie in a Bottle' at Live Park in Rishon Lezion
(Video: Ran Boker)
Christina Aguilera performed in Israel on Thursday for the first time in her career, in a concert at Live Park in Rishon LeZion.
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Aguilera came on stage with a coat and sunglasses and 10 dancers by her side, shouted to the crowd "Israel" and performed "Stripped, Part 2." Immediately after that, she moved naturally to Dirrty, as flames appeared from the left and right. "Can't Hold Us Down" followed immediately after and the pyrotechnicians worked overtime with some fireworks going off over the crowd.
"Hello!" she shouted in Hebrew. "You are so beautiful, so much fun to be here. It took too long."
Then came the moment many were waiting for, when Christina brought Eden Ben Zaken on stage, and the two performed the song "Hurt" together, which Ben Zaken performed in her audition for the X Factor program a decade ago. "She's so stunning," Aguilera said of Ben Zaken.
Eden Ben Zaken joins Christina Aguilera to perform "Hurt"
(Video: Ran Boker)
Aguilera claimed she injured her knee before getting on the plane, and said there were many things she wanted to do and couldn't. "Your love always helps me. It is an honor for me to be here in your country," she told the enthusiastic audience.
Before the performance of "Say Something" she said: "Every day there are things we think we can't do and try to figure out what we want to do, and at the end of the day you have to understand that no matter how hard today was - tomorrow can be better. You are stronger than you think."
One of her most loved songs is "Beautiful," and before she performed it slides appeared on the video screen explaining how social networks have damaged body image. At the end she said: "I love you Israel."
About 14,000 fans came out for Aguilera's performance, according to organizers.
SUPERSTAR CHRISTINA AGUILERA MAKES ISRAEL DEBUT TONIGHT