Fighter

"Fighter" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera for her fourth studio album, Stripped (2002). The song was written by Aguilera and Scott Storch, and produced by the latter. It was released by RCA Records as the third single from Stripped on March 10, 2003. Inspired by Guns N' Roses' song "November Rain", "Fighter" was characterized as a hybrid of rock and R&B that incorporates elements of arena rock and rock and roll. The track sees Aguilera thanking a man who had done her wrong for making her a "fighter." "Fighter" received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who praised Aguilera's vocals and the song's empowering lyrics. The single peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As of September 2014, "Fighter" has sold 1.184 million copies in the United States. Elsewhere, the song reached the top ten of several national music charts, including those in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands. A music video for "Fighter" was directed by Floria Sigismondi. Aguilera performed the track on four of her major concert tours: The Justified & Stripped Tour (2003), The Stripped Tour (2003), Back to Basics Tour (2006–2008), and Liberation Tour (2018). "Fighter" was notably covered by American actor Darren Criss for the TV show Glee. Background and composition In the book Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song, Aguilera revealed the occasion, theme and meaning of "Fighter". She talked about her "very chaotic and abusive" home, where she did not feel "safe". In school, Aguilera was picked on and alienated because of her musical passion. However, it made her become "smarter and stronger". To release herself, Aguilera started to write songs at the age of 15, both music and lyrics; and it was the way how she found her voice. The writing process of "Fighter" began during her promotion for her debut album in 1999, when she was "a part of the big craze pop phenomenon". According to Aguilera, her debut album helped her a lot to develop the process. She wanted to make an "emotionally rich and positive empowering" song, especially for women, in order for them to speak for themselves be strong. About the idea of the track, she revealed, "I was coming up with titles and ideas and deciding what I wanted to write about. I had to sit down and make sense of my feelings and experiences.