Christina Milian facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christina Milian
Milian in 2016
Born	Christina Flores (1981-09-26) September 26, 1981 (age 43) Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Other names	Christina Flores-Nash
Occupation	Actress songwriter singer
Years active	1996–present
Spouse(s)	The-Dream ​ ​ (m. 2009; div. 2011)​ M. Pokora ​ (m. 2020)​
Children	3
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Waldorf, Maryland
Genres	R&B pop hip hop dance
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Milianheiress Music Def Jam Def Soul Murder Inc. Interscope Island MySpace Young Money

Christina Milian (born September 26, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, but grew up in Waldorf, Maryland.

Christina Milian became famous for her music and acting. She signed with record labels like Murder Inc. and Def Soul. Her first big song was "Between Me and You" with rapper Ja Rule in 2000. It reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2001, her song "AM to PM" was a top 40 hit in the US and a top 3 hit in the UK.

She also sang the theme song "Call Me, Beep Me!" for the Disney Channel show Kim Possible in 2002. Her second album, It's About Time (2004), had the popular song "Dip It Low". This song reached number 5 in the US and number 2 in the UK.

As an actress, Christina Milian has starred in movies like Love Don't Cost a Thing (2003), Be Cool (2005), and Pulse (2006). She also appeared in the video game Need for Speed: Undercover as Carmen Mendez. From 2015 to 2016, she was in the TV show Grandfathered. She also co-owns a dessert shop called Beignet Box.

Early Life and Dreams

Christina Milian was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her family is of Afro-Cuban descent. Her parents are Don Flores and Carmen Milian.

When she was young, Christina changed her last name to Milian, which was her mother's maiden name. She hoped this would help her get more acting roles. Christina is the oldest of three sisters. Her family moved to Waldorf, Maryland, shortly after she was born.

When Christina was four, she showed a strong interest in show business. Her family saw she was a talented actress, and she decided she wanted to be an entertainer. As a child, she was very imaginative. Watching TV and listening to the radio inspired her.

By age nine, Christina started auditioning for local talent agencies. She appeared in commercials for Wendy's and Honeycomb cereal. She also played the main role in the musical Annie. When Christina was 13, her mother moved with her and her sisters to Los Angeles to help her pursue her dreams.

In Los Angeles, Christina wanted to be an actress. She also dreamed of being in the music business. She hosted the Disney Channel show Movie Surfers under the name Tina. After living in Los Angeles for six months, she met music producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins. They started working together, and Christina began to meet people in the music world.

At 17, she started writing her own songs. She needed a demo (a sample recording) to help her get a record deal. She felt it was important to write and record her own music to show what she could do.

Music and Acting Career

Early Music Success (2000–2002)

Christina Milian's first professional song was "Between Me and You" with rapper Ja Rule in 2000. This song was a hit, reaching number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also made it into the top 30 in the UK.

Her work with Ja Rule helped her get a record deal with Def Soul Records. She went to Sweden to record her first album, Christina Milian. It was released in the UK in October 2001 and did well there. The album's release in the US was canceled because of the September 11 attacks.

Two singles from the album, "AM to PM" and "When You Look at Me", became popular worldwide. Critics had mixed but mostly positive things to say about the album. Christina felt that people expected a certain type of music from her. She wanted to make the music she was truly passionate about.

In the years that followed, Christina sang on the song "It's All Gravy" with British rapper Romeo, which was a top ten hit in the UK. She also sang the theme song "Call Me, Beep Me!" for the popular Disney Channel animated series Kim Possible. She also worked with Hilary Duff on her Christmas album.

Christina Milian always wanted to be an actress first. When asked if she prefers singing or acting, she said both are her passions. But if she had to choose, it would be music. She loves writing, listening, and the challenge of it. She also loves performing live on stage the most.

Her first big acting chance was with the Disney Channel for The Mickey Mouse Club, but she chose to be a reporter on Movie Surfers instead. She had small roles in TV shows and movies like Sister, Sister, Smart Guy, and American Pie. In 2002, she hosted Becoming Presents: Wannabe on MTV. This led to her getting a supporting role in the film Torque. After that, she got her first main role in Love Don't Cost a Thing.

Christina Milian is seen as a good role model for young girls. She has said that it's important to be yourself and love yourself. She has worked with the Children Uniting Nations charity, helping foster children. She also supports the Penny Lane Foundation. She received a humanitarian award from the Elton John AIDS Foundation for being a role model.

Growing as an Artist (2003–2004)

Christina felt that her record label was unsure how to present her image. One moment she was singing a pop song like "AM to PM," and the next she was singing a more mature song. She realized this might confuse her audience.

In 2003, her label Def Soul closed, and she moved to Island Records. After her first album was released internationally, Christina went back to the studio. She felt music trends were changing, so she decided to work on a new album. She traveled the world, working with famous producers like Bloodshy & Avant and Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins.

Her second album, It's About Time, came out in the US on July 13, 2004. Critics had mixed reviews. They liked the club songs, especially "Dip It Low", but found the slower songs less exciting. The album's style was compared to artists like Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez.

Christina believed this album was more R&B than her first pop album. "Dip It Low" showed this change, being more of a club and R&B track. She opened for Usher and Kanye West on tour to promote the album. The album reached number 14 on the Billboard 200 chart. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Contemporary R&B Album" in 2005.

"Dip It Low" became her biggest hit, reaching number two in the UK and number five in the US. It was certified Gold for digital sales and also received a Grammy nomination. The second single, "Whatever U Want", did not do as well but reached the top ten in the UK.

Christina also starred in Be Cool (2005), a sequel to Get Shorty, with John Travolta and Uma Thurman. She recorded two songs for its soundtrack. She then played a main role in the horror film Pulse (2006). Christina also appeared in two video games: Def Jam Vendetta (2003) and Need for Speed: Undercover (2008).

New Directions and Challenges (2005–2010)

Christina's third album, So Amazin', was released on May 16, 2006. The main song, "Say I", featured rapper Young Jeezy. This song reached number four in the UK and number twenty-one in the US. So Amazin debuted at number eleven on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Reviews for So Amazin were mixed. Some critics felt it only showed a small part of her personality. "Say I" was praised as "instantly rousing." In June 2006, Christina left Island Records. She later said it was due to budget cuts and that the label wanted to focus more on Rihanna. She found this difficult, but she continued her career.

Christina Milian in 2008

In 2007, Christina worked with the Children Uniting Nations charity, helping foster children. She also starred in the Christmas TV movie Snowglobe. That year, she started working on her fourth album, first called Dream in Color and then Elope. She worked with many producers.

In 2008, Christina signed with MySpace Records. Her song "Us Against the World" was released online. She also appeared in the video game Need for Speed: Undercover as Carmen Mendez.

In 2009, Christina started working with The-Dream and Tricky Stewart. She signed a deal with Radio Killa Records. The-Dream produced most of the songs for her album. Christina felt the album showed her independence and confidence as a woman. She signed a deal with Interscope Records to release Elope in 2010.

Christina and The-Dream became a couple and got married in September 2009. They announced they were expecting their first child. However, they separated in late 2009, just three months after their wedding. Despite this, they continued to work together. Christina also had a small role in the movie Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and starred in the direct-to-DVD film Bring It On: Fight to the Finish.

In 2010, Christina said she would record more music for her album. However, in 2011, she confirmed that the songs for Elope would not be released, and the album was put aside.

Return to Music and TV (2010–Present)

Christina Milian at the premiere of Iris by Cirque du Soleil in 2011

In 2011, Christina collaborated with The Jackie Boyz on the song "Memory," released in Japan. In October, NBC announced that Christina would be the official Social Media Correspondent for The Voice during its second season. She appeared regularly during the live shows and continued this role for four seasons.

In February 2012, Christina signed with Young Money Entertainment, a record label owned by Lil Wayne. In May 2013, she worked with the Stafford Brothers and Lil' Wayne on the single "Hello," which reached the Top 15 on the Billboard Dance charts.

In September 2013, Christina competed on Dancing with the Stars (season 17). She was partnered with professional dancer Mark Ballas. She was eliminated in the fifth week, finishing in ninth place. In November 2014, she worked with Lil' Wayne again on his single "Start a Fire."

Christina Milian speaking at the 2016 Arizona Ultimate Women's Expo

On January 18, 2015, Christina's reality show, Christina Milian Turned Up, started on E!. The show followed Christina, her mother Carmen, and her two sisters, Danielle and Liz. It was renewed for a second season. In March, she released the songs "Rebel" and "We Ain't Worried." The latter promoted her clothing line, "We Are Pop Culture."

In July 2015, she announced she would release a 5-track EP (extended play) and video set. She performed the National Anthem at Americafest and released a new song "Like Me" featuring Snoop Dogg. A few months later, she released "Do It" with Lil' Wayne. Her EP 4U was released on December 4, 2015. She released it independently through her own label, Milianheiress Music.

In 2016, she worked with MC Harvey on the dance track "We Own the Night." In June 2017, she was a judge on the Fox TV show Superhuman.

In 2019, Christina starred in the Netflix romantic comedy Falling Inn Love. This was the first Netflix movie filmed entirely in New Zealand. In 2023, she joined another Netflix romantic comedy, Meet Me Next Christmas, as an executive producer and cast member. The film was released in November 2024. In 2024, Christina was cast as María LaGuerta in Dexter: Original Sin, a TV show that is a prequel to Dexter.

Business Ventures

Christina Milian is also a businesswoman. She co-owns Viva Diva Wines with her mother and manager, Carmen Milian, and her publicist Robyn Santiago.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Christina Milian has faced challenges as an Afro-Latina.

She met actor Nick Cannon on the set of their movie, Love Don't Cost a Thing, in 2003. They dated for two and a half years before breaking up in 2005.

After working on her album So Amazin in 2006, Christina started dating Andre Lyon from the production group Cool & Dre. They dated until February 2009.

In February 2009, reports said Christina was dating musician The-Dream. They got engaged in June and married on September 4, 2009, in Las Vegas. On September 11, 2009, they announced they were expecting their first child. They separated in late 2009. On February 26, 2010, Christina gave birth to their daughter. This was Christina's first child. Their divorce was finalized in October 2011.

In September 2010, Christina began dating James "Jas" Prince, Jr. They got engaged in April 2013 but ended their engagement in June 2014.

In July 2014, she was rumored to be dating rapper Lil Wayne. They confirmed their relationship in mid-2015 but split in August 2015.

Since 2017, Christina Milian has been in a relationship with French singer M. Pokora. In July 2019, they announced they were expecting a baby boy, who was born in January 2020. In December 2020, they announced they were expecting their second child and got married that month. In April 2021, they welcomed their second son. Since 2023, Christina Milian lives in France.

Musical Style

Christina Milian has a soprano singing voice. Her singing style has been compared to artists like Paula Abdul and Aaliyah. Early in her career, she was known for urban pop and teen pop music. As she grew, her sound changed to include more hip hop soul and R&B styles on her later albums, It's About Time (2004) and So Amazin (2006).

She described her first album's sound as "hip hop under-toned with nice, pop melodies" and "bubble-gum pop." She called her song "AM to PM" a "very pop" and "fun, party/club song." Critics said her first album had "light-hearted, energetic R&B pop tunes."

Christina described It's About Time as more R&B compared to her first album. She said "Dip It Low" was more of a "club/party kind of vibe" and showed her growth. She felt her previous album's mix of pop and urban influences confused her audience. For her next album, she wanted a more consistent feel.

Other Projects

In 2010, Christina Milian started managing Australian singers Kasey Osborne and Kelsey-Maree. She said the duo had everything to become big international stars. She called them the "most exciting project" she had worked on.

Discography

• Christina Milian (2002)
• It's About Time (2004)
• So Amazin' (2006)

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Christina Milian para niños