Christina Aguilera had a very special guest join her backstage in New York City on Thursday, as she wrapped up her two-night Liberation Tour stop at Radio City Music Hall.
The powerhouse singer, 37, told the sold-out crowd that her 10-year-old son Max Liron was watching from the wings – his first time seeing his mom since she headed out on the road last month.
“My son is backstage tonight. He just flew in,” she said, to the cheers of her loyal fans. “The last time I was on tour, I was pregnant with my son. And now he’s back here tonight.”
Max joins his 4-year-old sister, Summer Rain, who has been traveling on the Liberation Tour with their mom. Aguilera explained that the siblings tend to have different views about being around their mom these days.
“Tonight wasn’t easy getting here. Summer was not happy about tonight’s performance at all, but she finally went to bed,” she said. “My 4 year old is dying for me to be off stage so she can spend time with me and my oldest is like, ‘Can I go home and play Fortnite now?’ I’m like, ‘Ugh… thanks.”
It sounded like Max got his way. Towards the end of the night, Aguilera revealed that Max had gone home. “I was like, ‘Go to bed, Mamma’s got things to do,’ ” she recalled.
Balancing motherhood and her career is one of the reasons Aguilera took a break from music. Her new album Liberation was her first new studio album since 2012’s Lotus, and this tour, her first in a decade.
Coming back to the stage and to music has been fulfilling for Aguilera, even if it’s been hard to take time away from her kids.
“It feels so good to be back doing what I need to be doing, doing what I’m meant to be doing,” said the singer, who is engaged to fiancé Matthew Rutler. “I feel the love. Feels so good. Thank you so much for letting me come back here.”
“I’m so thankful for you guys, my tried and true,” she continued. “The forgiveness that you have, the patience that you have, the time that I take with my creative. It’s so hard, the mommy guilt and everything. It’s hard for me. I care, sometimes too much. Just know that I do it with all of my heart and soul for all of you. I appreciate each and every one of you. It really means the world to me.”
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Prior to heading out on tour, Aguilera told PEOPLE why Summer would be joining her.
“She’s a mama’s girl and I’ll definitely be taking her on the road with me,” the Mickey Mouse Club alum said of her only daughter. “She’s going to learn to see life through a different set of eyes.”
Earlier on Thursday, SiriusXM’s Radio Andy also aired an interview with Aguilera where she revealed that Summer was “a natural roadie.”
“She’s just like, ‘Okay mom, where are we going next?’ ” Aguilera said. “Every hotel is a new adventure. We find fun things to do. She’s got her little fort she calls it, which is the cubby on the bus. She’s got her little PJ Masks, her Paw Patrol twinkle lights. She’s good.”
“I didn’t know how to take it at first,” she said. “I wanted to really make things comfortable to her and make sure she was happy. To the point where I’m trying to go comfort her when I came off stage and she’s trying to build her own little area. And she’s like, ‘Mom, get off my stage.’ “
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