Liberation by Christina Aguilera
Liberation is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Christina Aguilera. It was released on June 15, 2018, through RCA Records. It is Aguilera's first album in six years, following Lotus (2012). The singer started recording the album in late 2014, and throughout 2015 and 2017, Aguilera collaborated with a handful of producers and songwriters to reach her desired sound; Pharrell Williams and Linda Perry were in the studio in early stages and ended up not being on the album, while new collaborators such as Anderson Paak, Kanye West, Che Pope, Mike Dean and Tayla Parx were confirmed to be on the album. It features collaborations with Demi Lovato, Keida, Shenseea, GoldLink, Ty Dolla Sign, 2 Chainz, and XNDA. Liberation was preceded by the singles "Accelerate" and "Fall in Line", and other two promotional singles, "Twice" and "Like I Do". Critical reception towards the album was generally positive, with music critics complimenting Aguilera's vocals, the album's experimental styles and the cohesive sound. Comercially, it performed moderately worldwide, and positioned within the top-ten in seven countries, including the United States, peaking at number six on the Billboard 200 chart.
If Christina Aguilera's 2002 album, <i>Stripped</i>, was her definitive statement on sexuality and identity, <i>Liberation</i>, her first album in six years, is her declaration of independence. As executive producer, she takes full creative control here, choosing her collaborators and dipping her toes in new stylistic streams. Her versatility is on full display on “Right Moves”, a simmer-down reggae joint, and “Sick of Sittin’”, an acid-rock throwback on which she taps her inner Tina Turner. And the Kanye West-produced “Accelerate”, with Ty Dolla $ign and 2 Chainz, deepens her relationship with hip-hop. But even more central than these playful experiments are the empowering vibes that the mom of two unleashes throughout: “Dreamers” opens with a chorus of girls' voices stating their ambitions, and “Fall in Line” is a #MeToo anthem with Demi Lovato.
