After a mysterious string of "can't possibly be random" appearances — as a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race, covering Paper magazine without makeup — Christina Aguilera is finally, blessedly back. On Thursday, she released a video for her new song "Accelerate," featuring 2 Chainz and Ty Dolla $ign and co-produced by the very quiet Kanye West. I'm having a hard time figuring out what it's about because much of the video involves closeups of Xtina's mouth, alternately covered in glitter and a thick sort of goo that is distracting to say the least, but I'm into it.

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Christina also announced that her new album is called Liberation and will be out this summer; it's her first album since 2012's Lotus. In a Billboard cover story also published Thursday, she hinted that the new album will be very R&B– and hip-hop–influenced, but assured fans that her ~soulful~ vibes haven't gone anywhere. "At the end of the day, I am a soul singer," she said. "When you strip back the words 'pop star' and the many things that I've done, singing soulfully is where my core, my root and my heart really is. And as you can see, it's what I’m inspired by."

Later in the Billboard story, Christina discussed the possibility of ever returning to The Voice, and though she didn't outright say no, a Magic 8 Ball would probably say the outlook is not good. "It became something that I didn't feel was what I had signed up for in season one," she said. "You realize it's not about music. It's about making good TV moments and massaging a story...I didn't get into this business to be a television show host and to be given all these [rules]. Especially as a female: You can't wear this, can't say that. I would find myself on that show desperately trying to express myself through clothing or makeup or hair. It was my only kind of outlet."

Liberation hits stores June 15.

From: Cosmopolitan US
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Eliza Thompson
senior entertainment editor

I’m the senior entertainment editor at Cosmopolitan.com, which means my DVR is always 98 percent full. I love romance novels, bourbon, and canceling plans so I can watch Lost for the 50th time.