Stars: 5/5
Pop diva Christina Aguilera blessed the world with “Liberation” last week, making another mark in the music industry. After the commercial failure of her last two albums “Lotus” and “Bionic,” some fans feared it would be the end of her career. Since her last album, Aguilera has gone through a lot of changes — leaving “The Voice,” becoming a mother of two and getting engaged for a second time — which caused her to grow not just as a person, but as an artist.
The most need-to-listen-to song is “Maria.” Produced by Kanye West, the song samples The Jackson 5, giving it an old and funky vibe. The track is a power ballad proclaiming her own liberation.
Aguilera made her first debut as a star when she was 13 years old on “The Mickey Mouse Club.” This reflective track blasts her long-time identity crisis and explains how being thrown into stardom so young ultimately made her low and cold.
The sixth track on the album “Fall in Line” is a powerful duet with Demi Lovato. The song’s opening track “Dreamers” is 37 seconds of girls saying what they want to be when they grow up. “Fall in Line” begins with Aguilera warning girls of societal pressures.
“Little girls, listen closely ‘cause no one told me, but you deserve to know that in this world, you are not beholden. You do not owe them your body and your soul.”
In the face of the “#MeToo” movement, Aguilera and Lovato, two artists who constantly speak out on behalf of women, beautifully belt out about the exploitation that women constantly experience.
“Shut your mouth. Stick your ass out for me … Who told you you’re allowed to think?”
Listening to these two vocal powerhouses duet restores my faith in today’s pop music. I imagine the walls were rattling in the recording studio as they belted the chorus.
The album features many other artists besides Lovato. 2 Chainz and Ty Dolla $ign make an appearance in another Kanye-produced song “Accelerate.” Also featured on the album are GoldLink, XNDA, Keida and Shenseea.
Even if the lyrical content wasn’t as good as it is, Aguilera’s voice is so strong and powerful, it makes the album an absolute knockout. “Liberation” may just be one of the best albums we will hear this year. In the face of her struggles, Aguilera rose up and became a musical force to be reckoned with.