As news broke that [artist id="509026"]Christina Aguilera[/artist] and her husband of five years, Jordan Bratman, were separating, the singer sat down with

target="_blank">Redbook and opened up about the breakup. And while she didn't delve into the specifics of the separation -- which would later culminate in her [article id="1649988"]filing for divorce[/article] -- she did express sadness over it.

"It's not easy, and there have been a lot of tears and sadness," she says in the December issue of the magazine. "Out of respect for my husband, I prefer to keep the specifics private. Right now, I'm just trying to figure out how to make it through each day."

The singer, who will next be seen in the splashy musical "Burlesque," admits that she's not having an easy time figuring out [article id="1649884"]who she is[/article] now that she and Bratman have gone their separate ways.

"It's impossible to redefine yourself and your life overnight," she said. "Thankfully, I have my mom and a small group of close friends who are there for me 24/7 and whom I can trust and depend on. On days when it feels impossible to even get out of bed, much less function as a mother, their support and encouragement have kept me moving forward."

Always one to credit her son, Max, for keeping her grounded and focused, she says that she is currently paying attention to her duties as a mom. "His needs and happiness are my top priorities," she said. "And my biggest concern is to protect him and make him feel safe."

Since her split from Bratman, Aguilera has been seen out an about. She wore a peach bandage dress to a

target="_blank">party in Hawaii and she was spotted shopping for pumpkins with Max.