Christina Aguilera is determined to conquer her touring fears by embarking on her first trek in over a decade.
The singing superstar is gearing up to release her long-awaited new album, Liberation, in June, and she is planning to hit the road to support her first studio project in six years – but the thought of disrupting her two children's lives makes her nervous.
"Touring is so frightening to me, because I am a mom first," she tells Billboard magazine.
Christina admits keeping a daily routine for her 10-year-old son Max and her three-year-old daughter Summer was a priority for years, and was partly why she chose to serve as a coach on Los Angeles-based talent show The Voice for six seasons until 2016, even though she was no longer enjoying the TV gig.
"It's easy to get comfortable and cushy in the same place and not have to worry about uprooting your kids," she says. "I've been putting myself on the back burner."
"It needs to happen," she adds of heading out on tour. "I'm looking forward to getting back out and actually showing my kids what Mummy really does!"
Promoting her new music will keep Christina busy for months to come, further delaying any plans to wed her fiance of four years, Matt Rutler, Summer's dad, but the pop icon admits she's happy with their family life as is, for now.
"When I'm onstage, there's not a bigger high, when I'm in connection with my voice and my heart and my soul," she gushes. "But at the end (of a performance), I want to wipe it (makeup) all off, get in my sweatpants, make silly noises with my kids and have someone comfort and cuddle me."
When the couple finally does tie the knot, it will be Christina's second marriage. She finalized her divorce from Max's father, Jordan Bratman, in 2011 after six years as husband and wife.