Christina Aguilera Isn't Herself Tonight

I've been excited about hearing new stuff from Christina Aguilera ever since I heard some of the big names she's collaborating with this time around - Sia, Tricky Stewart, Le Tigre, Polow Da Don, Ladytron, Diplo, Linda Perry, etc.  That's quite an impressive list of, by and large, more electronically-influenced artists.  What kind of sound is Ms. Aguilera going for this time around?  I for one can't wait.

Sony/BMG started the hype early last week, teasing us music lovers with little clues posted on her website. A new countdown every day leading to a daily "unveiling."  It started with the title of her new single, "Not Myself Tonight," as well as the single sleeve artwork.  Next up we were able to see the song lyrics.  Next...a press release about the single and forthcoming album.  Then at the end of last week, an 18 second clip of the first single premiered.  I like what I hear so far, and turns out we don't have to wait too much longer for more of a taste.  The Polow Da Don-produced "Not Myself Tonight" is going to premiere in full on March 30th on Christina's website.  The single will impact radio on April 5th and will be available to download on April 13th.  The album, called Bionic, is due for release on June 8th. PHEW! Whirlwind!

Bionic is going to be Aguilera's first album in 4 years (since the 2006 throwback pop 2-disc Back To Basics) so it makes sense that Sony is pulling out all of the stops this time around.  This is a big deal! Christina Aguilera is one of the most recognized names and faces in pop music today.  Says Aguilera about Bionic:

"The artists I chose to work with added so many unique sonic layers to Bionic. My intention was to step into their world and what they do combined with my own vision and sound. The results were magic."

I appreciate that Aguilera can step back from her own style of music and appreciate different genres. It's probably very easy to pigeonhole yourself into one distinct style, but artists like Madonna have proven that the only way to stay on top is to evolve.  The fact that she helped handpick every collaborator on Bionic is a true testament to her artistry and appreciation for music.  According to Aguilera, the sound heard on Bionic is going to be unexpected:

“I was able to explore and create a fresh, sexy feel using both electronic and organic elements with subject matter ranging from playful to introspective.  I am so excited for my fans to hear the new sound.”

I choose to be an optimist here. I'm really excited about Aguilera's new sound and style.  As for the album artwork...I very much like it. More so than the single artwork for "Not Myself Tonight." To be fair, when "Not Myself Tonight"'s artwork was first unveiled, I did like it. But when I saw that it had nothing to do with the Bionic album artwork, I became discouraged. I prefer a certain amount of continuity in an album artwork campaign. Oh well. Not a big deal. The music likely more than make up for it.

Check out Christina Aguilera on the web:

Official Site//MySpace//Facebook//YouTube//VEVO