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La Fuerza is the second and first Spanish-language extended-play by Christina Aguilera. This is the first chapter out of three that will complete Aguilera's ninth studio album, Aguilera (2022). This volume is focused on the empowerment of latin women. It was released on January 21, 2022, through Sony Music Latin.
Background[]
On October 22, 2021 in an interview with LA Times, Christina talked a little bit about what the EP was focused about and her new releases, including her female collaboration "Pa Mis Muchachas" with argentinian singers Nathy Peluso and NICKI NICOLE and californian artist Becky G saying: "We recorded so much that I have music for three different albums [laughs]. It was such a productive process; everything flowed perfectly every day. So I’m going to be releasing new music until the end of 2022, and I’ll actually be releasing it in three different chapters that will be like mini albums. The first one will be called “La Fuerza” and will celebrate my power as a woman, something that seems to me to be clear in ”Pa’ Mis Muchachas”, because Latin women are very strong and ardent, as well as the backbone of the family.” [1]
In a "Q&A" interview with ABC News she talked about the process and what the album represent to her. When asked about her expectations for the EP she said the actually had "No expectations! It’s just a labor of love. I’ve been in this business too long to worry about expecting anything. Anything can always happen! I’ve learned over the years to truly let go of what people think, what people say. I just wanna do things that I love, do things that fans I hope love and appreciate and inspire them. At the end of the day, really make music that I can love and respect and feel proud of and share with my children, that will live on after I’m gone." [2]
She also shared her thoughs about not sticking to only one genre with the extended-play commenting: "I’m not a one-dimensional artist, I’ve always loved exploring different genres in English and to limit yourself also in Latin music — I just am inspired by too many different things to do that. I really wanted to be true to different things that inspire me, and I do love hanging out with my friends and listening to reggaeton and dancing, it makes you feel good. “Santo” with Ozuna is such an incredible embodiment of that, but you know, always honoring the classics. “La Reina” keeps it pretty authentic, is so fun to sort of step into that and also is a tribute to the legend, Vicente (Fernández) “El Rey”." [2]
Aguilera said she took things very seriously the songwritting process and pronunciation for the EP, which is different of what happened with her 2000's record, Mi Reflejo. She told ABC News that she's "a super perfectionist when it comes to myself and my work, and I’m very critical, so I take my time, and that’s also why I wanted to be surrounded and inside of it. Miami is such a hotbed of incredible talent from all over the world and again, the Latin music is undeniable, there’s nothing like it, and to feel it from the inside out is very important for me. So going there, and when I start hearing it from all angles and everybody is speaking it (laughs) — nobody is speaking English — you catch up very quickly and many things are remembered from being a kid. It’s like a second nature whenever I am around it and whenever I’m singing it. And not to say it’s not a challenge not being my first language, but I’m never going to back down from a challenge. I’m never going to take the easy way out either. I definitely have two incredible people that I work with who did help me on honing into the words, and it’s also tricky because every territory has a different way of speaking and different slang, so I really reverted that to the way I heard my father speak it and also keeping it pretty classic." [2]
On the release of the EP, she told Apple Music in a few words what the proyect represented to her commenting: "This isn’t my first language, but once it’s in you, it never leaves you. La Fuerza represents being a strong force of nature, having had the career I’ve had over the last couple of decades." [3]
Critical reception[]
Upon release, the EP received positive reviews from music critics. La Fuerza was named the best album of the week by Billboard Argentina. Reviewing the EP for Rolling Stone, Lucas Villa wrote that Aguilera's "vocal prowess is extraordinary in any language", and labelled its ballads as "highlights", considering "La Reina" the best song on the record. Billboard described La Fuerza as "not only an homage to her [Aguilera's] Latin roots but a project full of passion, innovation, exploration and, of course, powerhouse vocals."
Josh Weiner, writing for Atwood Magazine, praised the EP for its quality and opined that La Fuerza "is nineteen minutes of excellent, fully-realized music", and cheered Aguilera for "embracing an exciting new artistic identity". Weiner concluded his review by claiming that "seeing the veteran performer shake things up so drastically in this late phase of her career is massively impressive". The music magazine later named La Fuerza one of the best EPs of 2022, stating that "her [Aguilera’s] powerful pipes continue to dazzle; even when she’s singing in her second language, it all sounded smooth, natural, and never forced". Pip Ellwood-Hughes of Entertainment Focus claimed that "hearing her [Aguilera] singing in Spanish again is a joy and this collection of songs is better than anything she’s released in years". Enrique Cerros from NEIU Independent gave La Fuerza a 5/5 score, and noted that it is "a successful comeback for Aguilera, and it can be considered her best work to date". The Tab's Harrison Brocklehurst applauded the EP for its "excellent Latin bangers" and for the reggaeton beats that help Aguilera's voice "truly soar".
Two songs from the EP, "Pa Mis Muchachas" and "Santo", were nominated for the Latin Grammy Awards. A ranchera titled "La Reina" was named one of the best Latin songs of 2022 by the Time magazine. Esquire placed La Fuerza on its list of the thirty-seven best albums of 2022.
Singles[]
Commercial performance[]
La Fuerza debuted at number two on the US Latin Pop Albums chart and at 14 on Top Latin Albums chart with 4,000 album-equivalent units sold of which 2,000 were pure album copies. It charted in multiple countries, including the United Kingdom (where it reached number thirty-one on UK Album Downloads Chart), Germany (where it reached number forty-six on Digital Albums Chart), and Spain (where it reached number fifty-four on PROMUSICAE's official albums chart). The EP was also commercially successful in Portugal, as reported by Vogue in March 2022, as well as in Panama and Guatemala.
Track listing[]
| Digital EP | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length | ||||||
| 1. | "Ya Llegué" | Christina Aguilera, Jon Leone, Juan Morelli, Kat Dahlia | JonTheProducer, Rafa Arcaute, Federico Vindver | 3:03 | ||||||
| 2. | "Pa Mis Muchachas" (with Becky G and Nicki Nicole featuring Nathy Peluso) | Jorge Luis Chacín, Natalia Peluso, Kat Dahlia, Nicole Denise Cucco, Rebbeca Gomez, Yasmil Marrufo, Yoel Henríquez | Rafa Arcaute, Federico Vindver | 3:36 | ||||||
| 3. | "Somos Nada" | Christina Aguilera, Federico Vindver, Mario Domm, Sharlene Taulé | Rafa Arcaute, Federico Vindver | 3:01 | ||||||
| 4. | "Santo" (with Ozuna) | Christina Aguilera, Dallas James Koehlke, Gale, Josh Barrios, Ozuna | DallasK, Rafa Arcaute, Federico Vindver | 3:03 | ||||||
| 5. | "Como Yo" | Christina Aguilera, Federico Vindver, Gino the Ghost, Juan Morelli, Kat Dahlia, Rafa Arcaute, Tobias Wincorn | Rafa Arcaute, Federico Vindver | 2:46 | ||||||
| 6. | "La Reina" | Christina Aguilera, Luigi Castillo, Santiago Castillo, Servando Primera, Marrufo | Rafa Arcaute, Federico Vindver, Marrufo | 3:48 | ||||||
Total length: |
19:17 | |||||||||
Gallery[]
References[]
| Aguilera | |
|---|---|
| September 30, 2022 • 43:03 • Sony Music Latin | |
| Extended-plays in parts | La Fuerza • La Luz • La Tormenta |
| Songs | |
| Released | Brujería • Como Yo • Cuando Me Dé la Gana • Intro (La Luz) • La Reina • No Es Que Te Extrañe • Pa Mis Muchachas • Santo • Somos Nada • Suéltame • Te Deseo lo Mejor • Traguito • Ya Llegué |
| Unreleased | La Loca • Lolita • Lloras Por Na' • Santo (Demo) • Sueños • Te Quiero, Me Quiero |
| Artists | |
| Ariana Grande • Becky G • C. Tangana • Christian Nodal • Christina Aguilera • Jarina De Marco • Kat Dahlia • Karol G • Nathy Peluso • Nicki Nicole • Ozuna • Tini • Sofia Reyes | |