Four years after her hip-hop- and R&B-indebted Liberation, Christina Aguilera returned to her family roots for her ninth album, Aguilera, a celebration of heritage and Latin genres. Her second Spanish-language effort after 2000s Mi Reflejo, the set arrived in pieces throughout early 2022, split into three EP chapters she dubbed La Fuerza, La Tormenta, and La Luz. The trilogy came together that May, revealing one of the strongest statements for the singer since the 2000s. Buffered by a wide swath of subgenres like urbano, cumbia, reggaeton, and more, Aguilera finds its namesake invigorated and in top form. On early showstopper "Pa Mis Muchachas," Aguilera recruits Becky G, Nathy Peluso, and Nicki Nicole for a star-studded empowerment anthem that ends with a shiver-inducing vocal run that could bring the house down. Across the album, big-bass boomers fit for blasting at maximum volume keep the energy elevated, with the popping "Como Yo" and the urgent "Traguito" as standout earworms. Slowing it down, the piano-backed ballad "Somos Nada" sits alongside its most heart-rending siblings on Stripped. Elsewhere, more traditional singalong moments such as "La Reina" and "Cuando Me De la Gana" slide up alongside sultry, yearning temptations like "Sueltame" and "Ya Llegue." The project closes with the cinematic "No Es Que Te Extrane," an unexpected moment of high drama that was written about finding closure and forgiveness. Aguilera is a refreshing burst of artistry and heart from the Y2K generations strongest voice, adding an unexpected late-era highlight to her extensive catalog. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Rovi