What a way to end the year!
To celebrate the season finale of The Voice, Christina Aguilera and Lady Gaga performed together for the very first time on Tuesday, Dec. 17, in Universal City, Calif. The long-rumored rivals showed no signs of animosity as they belted out the latter's hit, "Do What U Want," in matching lamé outfits.
The platinum-haired pop stars even swigged champagne during the number, no doubt toasting their newly formed friendship. "I was really excited because The Voice called and wanted me to perform on the finale and I obviously can't refuse," said Gaga, 27. "It's such an amazing show and I said, 'I'll do it, but I want to know if Christina will do it with me."
Aguilera, 33, was flattered by the suggestion. "This is the first time we've ever met and I have to say, when I heard she wanted to collaborate I said, 'Of course! Lady Gaga!' I've been waiting to meet her. She's such an innovative artist and a risk taker and as a fellow female, I have so much respect for that."
"She's the most down to earth real person that I've ever met in this business. Female to female in this industry, it's really hard to find that kind of a person," Aguilera added. "I love you girl, and you deserve everything that you've earned."
After the show aired, Aguilera tweeted about her duet partner. "She is such a powerhouse vocalist and I was honored to join the stage with @ladygaga tonight on #TheVoice!"
The day prior, Gaga spent some time "catching up" on the talent competition and voiced her support for Aguilera's contestant, Jacquie Lee. "Beautiful girl with a beautiful voice!" she tweeted.
Aguilera in turn replied, "Wow!! Thank you for the incredible support for @jacquieleemusic." (Lee, of course, lost to Adam Levine's mentee, reggae/soul artist Tessanne Chin.)
The divas' duel began in 2008, when Aguilera made a series of seemingly sly digs at a then up-and-coming Gaga. Though fans stirred the pot via social media, the singers made nice earlier this year.
"I'm a very big fan of Christina Aguilera," Gaga said on the Sept. 11 episode of Bravo's Watch What Happens Live. "From the very beginning of when my career started, there was all this controversy about the two of us. I always felt that it was very unfair."
"All I know is that people were talking about Christina Aguilera and Lady Gaga in the same sentence, and I was nobody!" she continued. "I just think it's very unfair of anyone to pit another woman against another woman, especially in the space of music when we are all just trying to be taken seriously."
"Christina is an incredible vocalist and an incredible artist," the New York City native added. "From me to her, I'm so sorry for anything that anyone ever said to her because of my existence. And I hope that she never felt any way about it, because when I was 15, I was singing 'I Turn to You' at the top of my lungs trying to hit all her notes. So she was an inspiration to me to have a wider vocal range, and I just think it's all total nonsense the way that they do that."
Hopefully this is just the beginning of many more duets between Aguilera and Gaga!