Claim: In Belgium, What a Girl Wants earned a gold certification.

`` What a Girl Wants '' is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera , taken from her self-titled debut album -LRB- 1999 -RRB- . A re-recorded version was released on November 28 , 1999 by RCA Records as the second single from the album , following the commercial success of the lead single `` Genie in a Bottle '' . The song was written by Shelly Peiken and Guy Roche . The song was completed and pitched to RCA executive Ron Fair as `` What a Girl Needs '' and was renamed `` What a Girl Wants '' ; Fair later gave the track to Aguilera . A Spanish version of the song , titled `` Una Mujer , '' was included on Aguilera 's second studio album Mi Reflejo -LRB- 2000 -RRB- .   The song was described as a pop and R&B track and had similarities to `` Genie in a Bottle '' . The song received positive reviews from music critics , who described it as a `` light '' song and compared Aguilera 's vocals on the track to those of Mariah Carey . Commercially , the song became her second consecutive US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single , and topped the charts in Canada , New Zealand , and Spain . The single eventually earned gold certifications in countries including Australia , Belgium , Sweden and the US .   A music video was released directed by Diane Martel who had also directed her previous video for `` Genie in a Bottle '' . The video presented Aguilera dancing in a room with female friends whilst being viewed by their boyfriends and saw a scene of her dressed as a medieval-style princess . In December 1999 , the video reached pole position on the US music video chart TRL . Aguilera has performed the song at events such as the US Jingle Ball and the MTV New Year 's Eve Special in 1999 , as well as her tours including the 2000 -- 01 Christina Aguilera : In Concert , the 2003 Stripped Live ... on Tour , and her 2006 -- 07 Back to Basics Tour .