Aguilera is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Christina Aguilera. It was released digitally through Sony Music Latin on May 31, 2022, as the follow up to her first Spanish-language album, Mi Reflejo (2000). As a trilogy album, Aguilera consists of three "chapters" with each being released as a separate extended play (EP): La Fuerza, La Tormenta and La Luz. Titled after her surname, the album pays tribute to Aguilera's Latin-American heritage, her Ecuadorian father, and her childhood and as a means to connect her children with their Latin heritage.
"No Es Que Te Extrañe" Released: September 30, 2022
Essentially a Latin album, Aguilera includes heavy dance-pop, Latin pop, and urbano influences, and features elements of cumbia, tango, tropical music, guaracha, reggaeton. The songs on the album range from beat-heavy uptempo tracks to slow ballads, such as piano ballads and rancheras and features collaborations with Becky G, Nicki Nicole, Nathy Peluso, Ozuna, Tini and Christian Nodal. Five singles were released from the album, including "Pa Mis Muchachas" and "Santo", which both received platinum certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Upon release, the album received positive reviews and reached the top-twenty on the US Latin Pop Albums chart. Aguilera embarked on the EU/UK Summer Series promotional tour in summer of 2022 which featured five festival shows and three standalone shows in the UK. Aguilera and its songs received a combined total of seven nominations at the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards, with the album being nominated for Album of the Year and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, making Aguilera the second most nominated female artist of the ceremony.
Background and production
Despite releasing several singles in Spanish, as well as incorporating Latin elements and Spanish lyrics in her English-language albums, Aguilera hadn't released a full Spanish-language in 22 years, following Mi Reflejo (2000). She began accumulating ideas for a Spanish album while working on her previous album, Liberation (2018).[1] Following her trip to Ecuador, where her father is from,[2] in September 2015 as an ambassador against hunger with the World Food Programme,[3][4] Aguilera appeared on Today, revealing that it inspired her.[5][6] She began teasing an album on Instagram in 2019 and was later asked about it during her promotional appearance for Christina Aguilera: The Xperience on Watch What Happens Live! with Andy Cohen in January 2019.[7] Aguilera responded by saying "It's definitely getting back to my roots again [...] the follow up Spanish album has been on my to-do list forever."[7]
Following the cancellation of the Christina Aguilera: The Xperience due to the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020,[8] Aguilera relocated to Miami, Florida in early 2021, taking part in a writing camp with Sony Latin.[9] Production for Aguilera began in February 2021.[10][11] Recording sessions took place in Julio Reyes Copello's Art House recording studio.[12] Aguilera enlisted producers such as Federico Vindver, Rafa Arcaute, and DallasK as collaborators on the album.[13] Aguilera conceived the idea of a multiple part album, after the album's first part, La Fuerza, was completed four weeks into production.[14][15] The album deals with themes of empowerment, vulnerability, and healing.[16] The themes would be split into three "six song increments", released as themed EPs throughout 2022 until the album was completely released.[17][18][19] The album's production continued into April 2021, as confirmed by Aguilera herself in an interview with Health in April 2021.[20] In the interview, she revealed that she was still working on the album, while simultaneously working on an English-language album.[20]
Composition
Aguilera trilogy
La Luz
The three installments in the Aguilera trilogy: La Fuerza, La Tormenta, La Luz.
Essentially a Latin, Latin pop and dance-pop album,[21]Aguilera's songs incorporate an array of influences and sounds, such as bossa nova,[22] urbano[23][24], cumbia,[25] tango, perreo,[26] tropical music,[22] guaracha,[27] reggaeton[26][28][29], rumba,[30][21] orthodox pop,[31] ranchera,[32] and piano ballads. The songs on the album range from beat-heavy uptempo tracks to slow ballads.
Lyrically, Aguilera contains themes of strength, vulnerability, and healing,[33][34] deriving from Aguilera's own personal life and troubled childhood, particularly her relationship with her estranged father, Fausto Aguilera.[35][36] Formated as a trilogy, the lyrical matters of the album are organized into separate chapters: La Fuerza is centered around female empowerment, strength, and independence.[33]La Tormenta focuses on vulnerability, where songs like "Brujería" (transl."Witchcraft") and "Traguito" (transl."A Little Drink") focus on unhealthy relationships.[33]La Luz is themed around healing and closure.[37][38] The chapter's spoken intro is about "understanding that everybody has a different story that leads us to why things happen the way that they do and it's not meant for us to get it to understand it".[39]
The album features guest vocals on several songs. Singers Becky G, Nicki Nicole, and Nathy Peluso join Aguilera on the album's lead single "Pa Mis Muchachas", while Ozuna and Tini are featured on "Santo" and "Suéltame" respectively. "Cuando Me Dé la Gana" was originally released as a solo recording on La Tormenta, but following the release of the album, a version with Christian Nodal was released as the sixth track on the second disc.
Title and artwork
The album title and original artwork were revealed on the day of the album's initial release on May 31, 2022.[40] Naming the album after her father's surname, Aguilera expressed that she had the intention of "acknowledging, embracing and engaging with [her] roots "and with the intention to share "some closure in relation to [her] father", and to have her children reconnect with their heritage.[41][42] On the album's title, Aguilera noted that,
I am proud to be an Aguilera. This is a name that has been tried to be taken away from me on numerous occassions, you know, coming up in this business. But I was like 'No, I'm Aguilera.' I'm proud of who I am, I'm proud of my name, I'm proud of where I come from, my father being from Ecuador. It was important. I mean why not come full circle and on all of the chapters and close it on a name. My name I'm so proud to own.[43]
The artwork used for the original release is a black and white image that portrays Aguilera in a room, seen through a balcony archway with her face obscured by a shadow. She's wearing a white dress with a long train which is flowing behind her. The top of the archway displays the album title "Aguilera" in all caps. On June 29, 2022, the artwork was changed to feature a front on view of Aguilera as a statue in a similar setting.
Release and promotion
The album was first teased on October 4, 2021 on Aguilera's website which stated, "Redescubriendo raices. Nos vemos pronto!" (transl."Rediscovering roots. See you soon!") and featured alongside teaser videos of the album's lead single, "Pa Mis Muchachas".[44][45][46][47] During an interview with Los Angeles Times, Aguilera revealed the album's trilogy concept, and how each part of the trilogy would be released separately, before the album's final release in its complete form.[48] Aguilera attended the 22nd Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas on November 18, 2021, where she performed the album's second single, "Somos Nada" with Julio Reyes Copello playing the piano, followed by "Pa Mis Muchachas" alongside Becky G, Nicki Nicole and Nathy Peluso.[49]
Aguilera (pictured) promoting La Fuerza in January 2022
The first part of the album, La Fuerza (transl.The Strength), was released on January 21, 2022 as an EP.[50] Shortly after its release, a series of shows in support of the album were announced, taking place in Europe throughout that summer.[51]La Tormenta (transl.The Storm), originally set for release on May 27, 2022, was postponed following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, before being released on Monday, May 30, with no prior announcement.[52] Aguilera took to her Instagram story to announce the postponement, saying,
I will be postponing the release of my new music as we mourn with the community of Uvalde. My heart breaks for the families and loved ones of the children and educators affected by this tragedy. I urge our leaders to make immediate changes on laws around gun control.[53]
Aguilera's initial release was in a double album format on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, four days into the tracking week.[40] The double album featured the songs from La Fuerza and La Tormenta organized in separate discs.[54][55] The next day, Aguilera announced that the final part of the trilogy of EPs will be called La Luz (transl.The Light).[56] Aguilera promoted the album through the EU/UK Summer Series, a short promotional tour which featured five festival shows and three standalone shows in the UK.[57]
Aguilera hosted "Premiere Party with Christina Aguilera" as part of Billboard Latin Music Week on September 27, 2022, where she premiered the album's fifth single and first single from La Luz, "No Es Que Te Extrañe".[58][59] On September 29, 2022, "La Reina" was performed for the first time at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards.[60] On September 30, "No Es Que Te Extrañe", was released as a single.[61][62][63][64] "No Es Que Te Extrañe" alongside an intro were both included as the third disc on the standard track list of Aguilera.[citation needed]
Singles and music videos
Five singles have been released from Aguilera; three of them are featured on La Fuerza, one on La Tormenta and one on La Luz.
La Fuerza
"Pa Mis Muchachas" (transl."For My Girls") was released on October 22, 2021, as the lead single from the album. The song is a collaboration with Becky G, Nicki Nicole and features Argentine singer-songwriter Nathy Peluso. The second track featured on La Fuerza, the song is in theme with the EP, as it is lyrically a "girl-power anthem".[65] It was compared to Aguilera's 2001 version of "Lady Marmalade" with Mýa, Pink and Lil' Kim by Paige Mastrandrea of Ocean Drive. "Pa Mis Muchachas" debuted and peaked at number three on the Billboard Latin Digital Song Sales on the chart issue dated November 6, 2021, and was certified platinum (Latin field) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[66][67]
"Somos Nada" (transl."We Are Nothing") was released as the second single from La Fuerza on November 18, 2021, to coincide with her performance at the 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards, where she performed both "Somos Nada" and "Pa Mis Muchachas" alongside Becky G, Nicole and Peluso. Music videos for "Somos Nada" and "Pa Mis Muchachas" were filmed simultaneously in Los Angeles and were released with their respective singles.[68] They were directed by Alexandre Moors and tell a continuous story, with "Somos Nada" serving as a prequel to "Pa Mis Muchachas.[68][69][70]
"Santo" (transl."Saint") was released as the third single from the album on January 20, 2022, one day before the release of La Fuerza.[71] "Santo" is a collaboration with Ozuna, and was released alongside a music video.[72] The video for "Santo" was directed by Nuno Gomez and is the continuation of the visual storyline between "Pa Mis Muchachas" and "Somos Nada".[73] An alternate video for the song was released on June 15, 2022.[74] "Santo" was certified platinum in the Latin field by the RIAA.[75]
While not officially a single, a music video for the final track on the disc, "La Reina" (transl."The Queen"), was released on May 6, 2022.[76][77]
La Tormenta
"Suéltame" (transl."Let Me Go") with Tini was announced as the fourth single, alongside with the announcement of its parent EP, La Tormenta. It was made available to presave with La Tormenta. It was then postponed until its release alongside La Tormenta on May 30, 2022, one day before Aguilera. The murder mystery themed music video was first shown during Aguilera's performance of the song at the Mallorca Live Festival and was eventually released on July 22, 2022.[78]
La Luz
"No Es Que Te Extrañe" (transl."It's Not That I Miss You") was announced and was released on September 30, 2022.[79]
Upon release, the album released positive reviews. In his review for Latina, Lucas Villa praised the album, stating that "Xtina really gives it her all on this album that pays homage to her Latina roots". He particularly applauded the song "Cuando Me Dé la Gana", recorded with "Mexican crooner" Christian Nodal, noting that "Aguilera once again sounds incredible while tackling the ranchera genre with her mighty voice".[80] BroadwayWorld writer Michael Major noted that Aguilera has "honoured her Latin roots in the best possible way".[81] He adds that Aguilera "promises to delight Christina's fans, since she manages to fuse different Latin musical genres without losing that essence that has made her one of the most important and respected artists of her generation".[81]
Accolades
Aguilera and its songs have received seven combined nominations for the upcoming 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards.[82][83] The album itself was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal album, and Album of the Year.[84][85] The lead single, "Pa Mis Muchachas" received three nominations: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and was nominated along side Aguilera's third single, "Santo", for Best Urban Fusion/Performance. The duet version of "Cuando Me Dé La Gana" with Christian Nodal was nominated in the Best Regional Song category. With a total of seven nominations, Aguilera was the second most nominated female artist, behind Rosalía's eight, and third overall, tying Jorge Drexler.[86]
The album debuted at number 18 on the Billboard US Latin Pop Albums chart and at number 70 on the German's Digital Albums.[87][88]
Track listing
Aguilera consists of the previously released EPs La Fuerza and La Tormenta as separate discs, with an additional bonus track as the closing track on the second disc.
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