Christina Aguilera's last album was called 'Bionic'. Did you know that? We'd forgotten it, long lost in the vicissitudes of albums that just didn't quite hit the spot. However, her new album 'Lotus' is considered to be a 'companion piece of sorts', so says Rolling Stone, to her classic album 'Stripped', which thrust her beyond mediocrity and into worldwide stardom. Speaking to Rolling Stone about it, Aguilera makes 'Lotus' sound as though it's going to be an incredible collection of songs.

"[Lotus] really takes me back to that time [of Stripped]," she said. "I was shedding a skin in a sense. I had been pigeonholed as formula-pop driven, or molded or forced to be something I didn't feel was true to me." After her break from her original manager, Steve Kurtz, in 2000, for controlling her life and music, the 'Dirty' singer has made a point of creating music that is important and true to her. "I don't really push myself to have those formulaic commercial successes. It's dishonest and it starts lacking creativity. I embraced being a pop artist, but I like doing it on my own terms, at my own pace." With 'Lotus' she took the approach to draw all sides of her. "It's a very multi-layered, very heartfelt record," she says. "I wanted to share all the different sides of me, as a woman, and as a creator and an artist. Part of that is being a mom. Part of that is sexuality. Part of that is vulnerability. Part of that is aggression and angst. All those pieces make me who I am."

Over the past year, Aguilera has effectively been running three jobs. Firstly as a judge on The Voice, secondly on the creation of her new album, and also being a mother, if she manages to clear her schedule at all she says she'd love to tour with the album. She has collaborated on her new material with a variety of producers and artists including Max Martin, Lucas Secon and Shellback. 'Lotus' is scheduled to be released on November 13th this year.