2004–2005

Aguilera later decided to embrace a more mature image; this move was met with more praise than criticism, with articles using punch lines such as From Crass to Class. She eventually dyed her hair cherry blonde and recorded a jingle, Hello, for a Mercedes-Benz ad, becoming the new face of Mercedes-Benz. However, the jingle was never completed, as Aguilera has already started working on new material. Shortly after, she dyed her hair blonde and cut it short, and took on a Marilyn Monroe look; many of her fans believe she is one of the main proponents (along with Dita Von Teese, Gwen Stefani, the Puppini Sisters and Ashley Judd) in bringing back the 1920s-1940s Hollywood glamour look.


Image used in the Declare Yourself billboard campaign. Photograph by David LaChapelleIn the run-up to the 2004 United States presidential election, Aguilera was featured on billboards for the Only You Can Silence Yourself online voter registration drive run by the nonpartisan, non-profit campaign Declare Yourself. In these political advertisements, shot by David LaChapelle, Aguilera was shown with her mouth sewn shut, to symbolize the effects of not voting. She appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss the importance of voting.

In late summer 2004 Aguilera released two singles. The first, Car Wash, was a remake of the Rose Royce disco song recorded as a collaboration with rapper Missy Elliott for the soundtrack to the film Shark Tale. The second song was also a collaboration, but this time as a second single from one of Nelly's double-release albums, Sweat, titled Tilt Ya Head Back. Both singles failed commercially in the U.S., but did considerably better in other parts of the world. After much delay, Aguilera's first DVD live-recording from a concert tour, Stripped Live in the UK, was released in November 2004. In late December she officially released a fragrance, Xpose, which has only been available in a few European countries.

Aguilera collaborated with jazz artist Herbie Hancock on a cover of Leon Russell's A Song for You recorded for Hancock's album Possibilities, released in August 2005. Aguilera and Hancock were later nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Aguilera went back to her Mickey Mouse Club roots when she helped open the 50th Anniversary for Disneyland by performing When You Wish Upon a Star, and she also collaborated with Andrea Bocelli on the song Somos Novios for his album Amore, released in early 2006. In late 2005, she performed at Unite of the Stars, a charity banquet in aid of Unite Against Hunger in Johannesburg, South Africa, with stars such as Diana Ross and Westlife. She also performed at the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund at the Coca-Cola Dome in November.[