The rumored feud between pop stars Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera reached its height when the two kept getting compared, and the latter made a scathing remark about the then-newcomer.

Celebrity feuds have been an age-old occurrence for the entertainment industry. Pop icons and singer-songwriters Christina Aguilera and Lady Gaga were once rumored to be in one! Whether a by-product of media rhetoric pitting female artists against each other, constant comparisons amongst audiences, or misunderstandings caused by statements made in interviews—the two stars’ shared history generated headlines at the time.

Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera

It all started with Gaga’s breakthrough in 2008. The now 37-year-old’s arrival to the pop scene had sent tremors throughout the industry. Her debut album, The Fame, garnered immense success and made the newcomer a force to reckon with.

However, when Aguilera’s first compilation album, Keeps Gettin’ Better, was released in the same year, the artist was slammed by many for ripping off the Just Dance star’s visual style, fashion, and aesthetic.

In defense, Xtina made a scathing comment about Gaga, questioning the latter’s gender and claiming to be unfamiliar with the star, which many speculate to be the official start of this widely-reported late 2000s-early 2010s celebrity controversy.

Christina Aguilera Retorted To Comparisons By Claiming To Not Know Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga’s The Fame and Christina Aguilera’s Keeps Gettin’ Better: A Decade of Hits

According to Daily Mail, the inception of the rumored feud could be traced back to the accusations Aguilera was met with upon unveiling the promotion material for Keeps Gettin’ Better: A Decade of Hits.

The platinum blond hair, the make-up style, and the aesthetics between Gaga and Xtina were up for constant comparisons around the time of the former’s breakthrough in the industry. Defending herself against remarks of being a copy-cat, the Voice of a Generation claimed (via EW):

“I’m not quite sure who this person is, to be honest. I don’t know if it is a man or a woman. I just wasn’t sure. I really don’t spend any time on the Internet, so I guess I live a little under a rock in that respect.”

Pop icons Christina Aguilera and Lady Gaga

Gaga, after this retort gained traction in the media and amid the endless comparisons, stated how the incident had helped give her a boost and put her on the map (via Daily Mail):

“Well, it was very flattering when it happened. She’s such a huge star … It put me on the map in a way, though, of course, I don’t just want to be remembered for the Christina Aguilera scandal … What it showed me was, even though I’ve only been on the commercial market for seven or eight months, I’ve really burned graphic images of my visuals onto the irises of my fans.”

The comparisons wouldn’t stop there, though. Reportedly, infamous blogger Perez Hilton, once acquainted with Lady Gaga before their falling out in 2011, continued to fan the flames.

According to Daily Mail, the media personality would label Aguilera “Floptina” and disparage her artistic choices, much of what would eventually evolve into a hate campaign against the performer.

Christina Aguilera’s Bionic (2010) Led To Further Tension

Christina Aguilera’s Bionic (2010)

Bionic is the musical sensation’s sixth studio album. With its electro-pop vibe, Aguilera broke away from her previous sound style and attracted more parallels to Gaga. Numerous critics slammed the release, claiming it was a strategy to capitalize on the popularity of electro-pop while mimicking Lady Gaga’s aesthetic and visuals. At the time, most reviewers agreed that the album wasn’t an original endeavor, even if many have since grown to appreciate it.

Some reports even affirmed that Xtina was playing catch-up with Lady Gaga, who had revolutionized the industry with her eccentric, innovative, Baroque self-expression.

Once more, Christina Aguilera had to refute such comparisons and stand up for herself. The star, speaking to Bert Show on Q100 in Atlanta (via MTV), said the following:

“It just comes with the territory. That, in particular, is not even worth wasting the breath to comment on. I’ve been around for over a decade … My work speaks for myself. [When I was younger] I would have engaged, been a little upset [about the comparisons]. There’s a bigger picture out there. I’ve got my son, my family, my work.”

A merry ending to a rumored feud!

Even though things seemed strained at the time, the supposed feud would come to a standstill in 2013 when both artists performed together on The Voice. When questioned about the unexpected collaboration, the two only had gratitude to express to each other.

They maintained they didn’t have ill will toward one another and acknowledged each other’s artistic abilities. Soon, all seemed forgiven. Since then, the two have maintained a decent relationship, and what transpired is now just a distant memory.

Attempts have been made to fan the flames of the past by external influences, but it appears that the world and the two artists have transcended beyond the need to engage in rotten, age-old gossip.