Music & Concerts

Another bomb for Aguilera with underwhelming ‘Liberation’

Tracks range from so-so to downright painful on first new record in six years

Published

7 years ago

June 23, 2018

Christina Aguilera, gay news, Washington Blade

Christina Aguilera’s musical funk — and not the good kind — continues on underwhelming new album. (Photo courtesy RCA)

Christina Aguilera has been in a musical wilderness for going on a decade now. So underwhelming were her last two studio albums — the meager-selling, meager-charting “Bionic” (2010) and “Lotus” (2012) — that in recent years, she’s more widely known for her work on “The Voice” or her memorable guest appearance this year on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

So is Xtina back is the big question with new album “Liberation,” out last week. With its non-glam, super close-up cover image, is this an all-new Aguilera ready to compete with current pop acts? It’s getting strong reviews in some outlets.

But other early signs are not good. First single “Accelerate” failed to crack the U.S. Hot 100. And despite numerous collaborations from artists such as Demi Lovato, Shenseea, GoldLink and 2 Chainz, the music struggles despite her best efforts toward innovation.

The title track “Liberation” opens the album. Against a piano and string accompaniment, we hear the sounds of a child playing as Aguilera whispers, “Where are you/are you there/remember.” The title “Liberation” seems an odd choice for both the track and the album. If it is indeed liberation that Aguilera has in mind, it’s hard to see how the theme ties the album together in any coherent way.

Aguilera resorts to similar interludes and filler tracks throughout. To introduce her song “Maria,” she sings a 30-second snippet of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Maria” (“The Sound of Music”), which she titles “Searching for Maria.” It’s delivered beautifully in Aguilera’s whispered soprano and one almost wishes she would have included the entire song.

The song that follows, Aguilera’s own “Maria,” samples heavily from the Jackson 5’s “Maria.” Rather than liberation per se, the singer takes us on a reflective tour of what seems to be her early musical influences. Aguilera belts soulfully over the busy, repetitive musical landscape. Even with the interesting (if unoriginal) choice of samples, the final product is chaotic and messy.

Similar criticism could be made of Aguilera’s cringeworthy “Sick of Sittin’.” In a painful faux rock style, it’s a confusing tirade against fans, among other unnamed characters: “Just be thankful I gave you this/‘cause I don’t need it” and “I survived the dark ages/but the former trailblazer took out the knife and cut ties.” But the real offender is the chorus. Aguilera repeats the phrase “I’m sick of sittin’” ad nauseam with only slight variations. The song has all the vices of an earworm but none of the virtues. And she seems to have forgotten the most important thing about musical tirades — they should sound good.

Not every track is bad. Several are OK if forgettable. “Deserve,” a pleading, lovesick ballad, may find its way to radio. It’s most reminiscent of Aguilera’s classic sound.

“Fall In Line,” featuring Demi Lovato, is cool, powerful ballad addressed to young women. Encouraging women to speak their minds, the duo sings: “And maybe it’s never gonna change/but I got a mind to show my strength/and I got a right to speak my mind.” The only downside is the annoying electronic male voice in the bridge that symbolizes society’s expectations for women and recurs a second time at the end.

A couple songs stand out. The album’s lead single “Accelerate,” which features 2 Chainz and Ty Dolla $ign, experiments playfully with multiple hip-hop beats. It sounds almost as though three different songs were spliced together, yet it works surprisingly well. It’s one of the few songs worth a second listen.

“Like I Do” is another successful collaboration. Rapper GoldLink opens the track with a cooly flowing verse, full of short stops and starts and Aguilera gives the song a restrained, sensual energy.

But the few happy exceptions on the album are hardly enough to justify the rest. It’s just hard to listen to and in the age of Spotify, one wonders if many of the songs were intended to be heard at all.

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Music & Concerts

Kylie brings ‘Tension’ tour to D.C.

Performance on Tuesday at Capital One Arena

Published

3 weeks ago

April 5, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

Kylie Minogue visits D.C. on Tuesday.

Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue brings her acclaimed “Tension” world tour to D.C. next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Capital One Arena. Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.

The show features songs spanning her long career, from 1987 debut single, “The Loco-Motion,” to “Padam, Padam” from her album, “Tension.”

Music & Concerts

Busy season for live music in D.C.

Erivo, Kylie, Sivan, and more headed our way this spring

Published

2 months ago

March 14, 2025

Joe Reberkenny

Cynthia Erivo plays WorldPride in D.C. on June 7. (Photo courtesy of World Pride)

One sure sign of spring’s arrival is the fresh wave of live music coming to Washington. With more than 10 venues and a diverse lineup of artists, the city offers no shortage of live performances for the new season.

In addition to this impressive list, don’t forget the many artists coming to town for WorldPride, May 17-June 8. In addition to headliner Cynthia Erivo performing on Saturday, June 7 at the two-day street festival and concert, many other performers will be in town. Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, and RuPaul are among the featured performers at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds, June 6-7. Visit WorldPrideDC.org for a list of other performers.

MARCH

Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Mary J. Blige will take the stage at Capital One Arena on March 26 for her For My Fans tour. Two days later, on March 28, J Balvin will also perform at Capital One Arena for his Back to the Rayo tour.

The Lincoln Theatre will host the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington for three performances—one on March 15 and two on March 16.

If dance parties are more your vibe, you’re in luck. DC9 is hosting a series of themed dance parties this month, starting with Poker Face: 2000s + Dance Party on March 14, the ever-popular Peach Pit ’90s dance party on March 15, H.O.T.S.: A Sapphic Dance Party on March 22, and RageRiot!—a burlesque and drag revue featuring a lineup of local drag kings, queens, and everything in between on March 29.

APRIL

Australian queen of pop Kylie Minogue will bring her Tension tour to Capital One Arena on April 8, with British dance artist Romy as her special guest.

Indie singer-songwriter mxmtoon will stop in D.C. for their Liminal Space tour on April 4 at the 9:30 club, followed by indie rock band Gossip on April 5. The 9:30 club will also host two dance parties in April: Gimme Gimme Disco – a dance party inspired by ABBA on April 11 and Broadway Rave on April 18.

The Atlantis will feature Brooklyn-based indie rock band Pom Pom Squad on April 2.

Comedy duo Two Dykes and a Mic will bring their Going Hog Wild tour to the Howard Theatre on April 19.

DC9 has two dance parties lined up this month: Bimbo Night on April 4, hosted by Baltimore’s “premier red-tattooed Filipina diva” Beth Amphetamine, and Aqua Girls: A QTBIPOC Dance Party on April 5, celebrating “queer transcendence through music, movement, and community.”

The Anthem will welcome a lineup of big names in April, starting with Alessia Cara on April 8. Lucy Dacus will take the stage on April 18 and 19 for her Forever Is a Feeling tour, while funky pop artist Remi Wolf will headline on April 27, joined by special guests Dana and Alden.

MAY

Indie-pop artist Miya Folick will bring her Erotica Veronica tour to The Atlantis on May 1, followed by multi-genre musician SASAMI on May 2. Pop artist Snow Wife will close out the month at The Atlantis on May 31 as part of an official WorldPride 2025 event.

Queer rock band Lambrini Girls will perform at the Howard Theatre on May 4, while rock trio L.A. Witch will take the stage at DC9 on May 12.

Union Stage will feature Rachel Platten on May 3 for her Set Me Free tour, followed by Femme Fatale: A Queer Dance Party later that night.

The popular DJ festival Project Glow will return to RFK Stadium grounds on May 31 and June 1.

JUNE

Pride month kicks off with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Trixie Mattel, who will perform at Echostage on June 3 as part of a series of official WorldPride 2025 events.

Queer icons Grace Jones & Janelle Monáe will take over The Anthem on June 5 for a WorldPride 2025 event performance.

Perfume Genius will bring his signature sound to the 9:30 club on June 7 as part of WorldPride 2025 festivities. Later in the month, Blondshell will hit the 9:30 club for her If You Asked for a Tour on June 24.

Music & Concerts

Pride concert to take place at Strathmore after Kennedy Center rescinds invitation

International Pride Orchestra ‘heartbroken’ event ‘would no longer be welcome’ at DC venue

Published

2 months ago

February 27, 2025

Jaylon Curry-Hagler

The Kennedy Center (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The International Pride Orchestra has announced its Pride concert will take place at the Strathmore Music Center on June 5 after the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts disinvited the group.

Since President Donald Trump took over the Kennedy Center during his first month in office, LGBTQ events and performances have been banned with community allies withdrawing in solidarity.

The Kennedy Center has cancelled “A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride,” a May 21 concert that was to feature the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. The International Pride Orchestra on Monday said its concert will now take place at the Strathmore.

“We were heartbroken when we learned that our concert would no longer be welcome at the Kennedy Center,” said International Pride Orchestra Founding Artistic Director Michael Roest in a statement released by the orchestra’s media page. “The Kennedy Center has long been a symbol of artistic excellence, inclusivity, and freedom of expression. However, we are profoundly grateful to the Strathmore Music Center for opening their doors to us. Their willingness to host our Pride Celebration Concert ensures that our message of love, pride, and resilience will be heard on the doorstep of the nation’s capital.”

The Pride concert is among the events that have faced uncertainty since the Trump-Vance administration took office on Jan. 20. Many, however, are fighting back and looking for ways to push back against the bans and cancellations.

“We aim to create a powerful and positive representation of the queer community through music,” said Roest. “We want to show the world who we are, celebrate our queer identities, and amplify the work of organizations that support the LGBTQ+ community.”

WorldPride is scheduled to take place in D.C. from May 17-June 8.