Christina Aguilera Says Lotus Takes Some Risks

Christina Aguilera doesn't pull any punches on her upcoming Lotus album, named in honor of as she explained "the unbreakable flower ... no matter the harshest of conditions, it still survives and it thrives through time."

You can see why the title appealed to her; after all, if the past few years have proven anything, it's that Aguilera is a survivor. Her much-publicized marriage to Jordan Bratman came to an end and her equally publicized Bionic album failed to match the commercial success of her previous efforts (to put it mildly). In many ways, it seemed like her entire life was at a crossroads, but rather than cover-up and hide, she re-invented herself, joining "The Voice" and re-invigorating her career with "Moves Like Jagger." And now, she's back with a brand-new album ... and if you thought she was about to play things safe, well, then you don't know Christina Aguilera.

"I've already put out a greatest hits record, so I've been in this business for a while, and ... I'm a risk taker, that's just who I am at heart. It's who I can't help but be. It's who I always am in nature, as a person and as an artist," she told MTV News. "And with that comes hurdles and certain areas where people aren't going to get it and understand it artistically; sometimes it will go over their heads and it will not be as commercially successful.

"[And] personally, I'm someone that's always growing and evolving," she continued, "And at this point of my life, I feel that I've reached a place where I'm completely embracing everything about who I am, and I'm having more of an understanding of myself."

And based on Lotus' first! single, "Your Body," Aguilera seems poised to once again regain her spot amongst the pop elite. She's not hiding from her past, or letting everything that happened in the aftermath of Bionic slow her down ... if anything, she's embracing everything, and moving forward. Fearlessly so.

"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. "This is a really exciting time to show them both sides."

What is your favorite side of Christina Aguilera? Leave a comment below!