Christina Aguilera's Lotus 'Inspired' By 'Voice' Singers

BEVERLY HILLS, California Christina Aguilera has inspired many young singers, and "The Voice" gave some of them an opportunity to return the favor.

On Friday, the pop diva invited MTV News to her home in Beverly Hills (which happens to be the house from "The Osbournes"), where she revealed how "The Voice" contestants helped inspire her new album.

"At this part of my life, I feel that I've reached a place where I'm completely embracing everything about who I am," she said, lounging on a comfy couch inside the backyard studio originally built for Ozzy Osbourne. The 31-year-old singer recently revealed via Twitter that her first album in two years, Lotus, will arrive in November, just as NBC announced her departure from "The Voice" for next season. Shakira and Usher will take over for Aguilera and Cee Lo Green, who will both refocus on other projects.

Aguilera said her experience as a coach and judge on the televised singing competition reignited the fire she had around the time she dropped her self-titled debut in 1999. Talking with the show's contestants inspired her to get back to inspiring others, as the show allowed her to "see through the eyes of aspiring artists at the beginning of their journey, to be part of their journey, to see the hunger in their eyes and to sort of regain some of that back for myself," she explained.

Despite the addition of pop-punk pioneer Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day as a mentor to her team, Christina's crew on the season that kicked off earlier this month put her right in her comfort zone of sugary and gl! ossy musical confectionaries.

"This year in particular, season three, I have a very pop-oriented team," she said. "And they come to me and they're like, 'You know, I remember being in my room trying to dissect and learn all of the little ad libs and your technique and the runs and things like that, hitting your notes.' It inspired me also to want to give more of myself vocally on this record to let the next generation of great singers evolve and be inspired once again to dissect and learn certain lyrics and things."

Featuring the Max Martin-produced lead single "Your Body," Lotus has been described by the singer as something of a "rebirth." "The term 'lotus' means to me the unbreakable flower," she said. "No matter the harshest of weather conditions, or its surroundings, it still survives and it thrives throughout time."

Lotus will also feature plenty of slower songs, plus a track she described as something like "The Fighter 2.0."

"I wanted to make a record that speaks to those fans who grew up listening to my music and yet reintroduce new fans ... watching me on 'The Voice' at 6 years old who don't know about my first record," she said.

Download Christina's new single, "Your Body" now on iTunes! "Your Body" is the first single from Christina's new album Lotus, available everywhere November 13.


Comments