Christina Aguilera readies new album ‘Lotus’

Christina Aguilera is finally ready to jump back into making music. After months of unconfirmed rumors, the singer announced her comeback record, “Lotus,� will hit stores Nov. 13.

Aguilera, who is turning heads (and her chair) on NBC’s singing competition “The Voice,� will premiere the album’s lead single “Your Body� on Friday. The track, which was written and produced by hit-makers Max Martin and Shellback and co-written by Savan Kotecha, will hit digital retailers Sept. 17.

While details are still forthcoming, “Lotus� is said to also include production from Alex Da Kid (“Love the Way You Lie,� “Airplanes�) and Sia, who previously worked with Aguilera on her last disc, 2010’s “Bionic� and helped out on “The Voice� as a mentor to Aguilera’s team.

The album is also set to include a collaboration with her co-star, Cee Lo Green – the two previously recorded a track that didn’t make it on the soundtrack for her film debut, “Burlesque� but leaked online last year.

“This album is about self-expression and freedom,� Aguilera said in a statement announcing the album. “There is a lot I have gone through personally over the past few years and this record represents a rebirth for me. The record is about freedom and getting back to the root of who I am and what I love to do.�

Joining “The Voice� undoubtedly raised the singer’s stock when she needed it most. Both “Bionic� and “Burlesque� bombed with critics and fans, resulting in comments that her career had stalled. The singer has routinely showcased her powerful pipes on the series, and her duet with sparring partner Levine on his band Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger� that premiered on the show last year hit No. 1 -- the first chart-topper with her name attached to it since 2001’s “Lady Marmalade� – and snagged a Grammy nomination.

Aguilera’s focus on promoting the album might mean she’ll have to put “The Voice� on the back burner, considering the competition is in its second season in less than a year (Season Two premiered after the Super Bowl).

While recent comments from Aguilera have ignited “is she leaving?� speculation from the media, executive producer Mark Burnett has already planned for the possibility of Aguilera (or any of the judges for that matter) temporarily sitting out a round of the show.

“It won’t be ‘if’ one of them. It will be ‘when.’ They all have to tour,� Burnett said at a recent press junket at his Malibu home. “We knew it from the beginning, and they told us and told me. I sat down with all of them individually before we started the show. They told me, ‘You have to realize our priority is records and tours and shows. And this is a fourth thing on our list.’�

Aguilera made it clear that going out and being an artist will ultimately strengthen her role on the show.

“I mean, personally we’re not speaking about anybody going or leaving or the details of that,� the singer added. “But I just know that, you know, I can only be so great as a coach if I keep on reinspiring myself by going out, making albums, keeping recording, and gaining new stories and experiences on the road so that I can share with my team and bring it back and bring fresh, basically, advice and further coaching, right?�

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