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"Your Body" is a song by American recording artist from her upcoming seventh studio album Lotus. The song was written by Tiffany Amber, Savan Kotecha and Shellback with production being handled Max Martin and Shellback. The demo version of "Your Body" was leaked in August 2012 but was supposedly unfinished and unofficial, but it then officially premiered on September 14, 2012 with On Air with Ryan Seacrest with a digital download of the song being available from September 17, 2012. The release of her musical projects has been delayed by her time as a mentor on television show The Voice as it became more prominent than she had initially expected. The artwork for the single, was complimented by critics for highlighting her curvy figure, as she appears nude covered by a blush covered sheet.

Musically "Your Body" is an upbeat R&B style dance song which has often been referred to as a "club banger". The song sees Aguilera "flaunt" her vocals, and lyrically it details Aguilera going to a bar to find a one night stand to get over a past love, and critics have called the lyricism of "Your Body" raunchy. Critically the song has garnered positive reviews, with critics commenting that it utilizes Aguilera's powerful vocals, and would be a "sure-fire hit". A music video directed by Melina Matsoukas is set to be released, Aguilera wished to work with Matsoukas after seeing her previous work and together they created what Aguilera described as a "exciting, enticing" and "fun". A teaser was released on September 17, 2012 which was shown on The Voice.

Background

"I think that sometimes pop music does get stereotyped as 'We don’t have as much control or say-so over the creative works behind the producing' and whatnot,' I specifically am an artist that's very involved in my own producing, creative and all of the efforts that go into putting together my album as an artist. I'm one that likes to collaborate, I love feeding off the creative energy, and it only makes me better."

Aguilera explaining her process of writing and recording.

Aguilera described 2011 as a "rough year", she performed the National Anthem at the Super Bowl XLV and performed the wrong lyrics, then a month later she was arrested alongside Matthew Rutler, her boyfriend for public intoxication. She stated the trouble began earlier in 2010 after the divorce from Jordan Bratman, her husband of five years, to which she responded "It's hard for anyone to go through that in public, but when you're a celebrity and under a microscope, it's 58 million times harder." In December 2011 reports claimed that Aguilera had started work for her then upcoming single with producer Max Martin, a producer previously known for his work with Britney Spears and Pink. Julie Pilat of KIIS-FM tweeted that Aguilera's track was "amazing" before announcing that Martin was the producer of the track. Pilat commented that she would not reveal the details of the track, as "plans can change", but stated the song had been "stuck in [her] head ever since" saying she "can't wait" for the release.

Later in December 2011 Idolator speculated that the title of the song would be "F*ck Your Body" with a radio friendly version being titled "Love Your Body". Then in 2012 Aguilera confirmed during a backstage interview for the television show The Voice of which she is a mentor, that she aimed to release music by the end of the year but found the television show had become more prominent in her life than she had initially expected, explaining: "Well, I started [it] whenever I started this show, and then [the show] kind of took off into this big thing. So the show used to be a side project [and it] kind of turned into a bigger time-fulfilling, dedicated project for me". She confirmed that she had been recording "hard at work", adding that she had been working alongside different producers who had given her "amazing" tracks and other material. Aguilera confirmed that she had been writing with partners to create a record "filled with fun and excitement". During this time Aguilera commented that the throughout the recording process of her record she would be "very involved in [her] own producing, creative and all of the efforts that go into putting together [her] album". She stated that she liked to collaborate and that she feeds off the creative energy of those recording with her.

Release and artwork

In August 2012 the demo version of "Your Body" leaked online, the demo was the unfinished and unofficial version of the single. On September 12, 2012 the song had been listed to begin airplay on US radio starting the week beginning September 18, 2012. The same day on September 12, 2012 Aguilera took to Twitter to answer questions from fans during which time she revealed the album title would be Lotus, and she confirmed that instead of being serviced to radio on September 18, 2012 as earlier reported that it would premiere on radio on September 14, 2012. During the same live chat on Twitter she revealed the artwork for the single in which she appears nude with a "blush-colored sheer piece of fabric" over her. Emily Koonse of The Christian Post stated the cover "accentuates Aguilera's curves", and found that it related to Aguilera's defense of "her curvier body", of which Aguilera has explained "The challenge I've always had is being too thin, so I love that now I have a booty, and obviously love showing my cleavage, hey, if you can work it and you can own it, that confidence is going to shine through." Zach Johnson of Us Weekly called the cover art "sensual" and explained "a nearly nude Aguilera draped in a sheer pink fabric -- highlighting her every curve". "Your Body" premiered on September 14, 2012 with On Air with Ryan Seacrest, although the song was added to radio rotation the week beginning September 18, 2012 as reported by FMQB. RCA Records then announced that the track would be available for digital download from retailers including Amazon.com and iTunes on September 17, 2012.

Music and lyrics

"Your Body" was written by Max Martin, Shellback (producer), and Savan Kotecha and produced by Max and Shellback. It is an "upbeat" R&B track with a mid-tempo that has been described as a "fist-pumping party jam" by Jocelyn Vena of MTV who also called the track a "club banger". The track features synthesizers mixed with "stuttering drums", and has a dance-influenced beat. It features a "four-on-the-floor" pattern and Amy Sciarretto of PopCrush found the "thunderous beat" simulates "the rhythm of romance" Chris Martins of Spin noted the song for the most part featured a "mellow thrust that hits muted transcendence for the chorus before dipping back down into that bummer bump". The techno beat featured in the song has been compared to her song "Monday Morning" from album Bionic. Aguilera's vocals on the track have been described as having a "certain desperation" as well as being "sexy" and assertive with Katie Hasty from HitFix commenting that the song flaunts her "famous pipes on either side with the verses". The song doesn't feature Auto-tune and has a lack of "studio trickery" applied. Carl Williott of Idolator found that the "relaxed" tempo of the song allowed Aguilera to "belt it out" but commented that within her vocal performance she "never truly let's loose", and noting that vocally it is not one of Aguilera's "biggest" songs. Williott did note though that a weaker voice would see the track "smothered by the layered electronics".

"Your Body" details Aguilera going to a bar or a club to get over a past love wanting a one night stand with a stranger, as she sings "So don’t even tell me your name. All I need to know is whose place and let’s get walkin". Lyrically Aguilera tells her lover about her sexual desires, saying "I am a freak, I'm disturbed/ So come on and give me your worst/ We're moving faster than slow/ If you don't know where to go/ I'll finish off on my own." "Your Body" features lyrics that "[do] away with subtext and hints" in comparison to "breezy" songs such as Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe". Ayeesha Walsh of The Sun found the song hosted a range of "raunchy lyrics" in which Aguilera performs the lyrics "All I wanna do is f*** your body, tonight's your lucky night I know you want me". Other lyrics include Aguilera stating "Open the box, don't need no key I'm unlocked, I won't tell you to stop," and "it's true what you heard, I am a freak I'm disturbed". The "shock-you" lyricism of the track has been compared to Aguilera's previous lead singles; "Dirrty", "Ain't No Other Man" and "Not Myself Tonight".

Critical reception

After the demo of "Your Body" leaked online Jocelyn Vena felt the song "leaves very little to the imagination" in relation to the "dirty" lyricism of the track. Ayeesha Walsh of The Sun called the demo of "Your Body" "catchy" and stated it "will no doubt be filling club dancefloors worldwide" and despite being unfinished she found the song would be a "sure-fire hit with Christina's trademark powerful vocals and ranging tones belting out." Becky Bain of Idolator in response to the demo version of the song was "surprised" that Aguilera had chose the song to be the album's lead single and as her return to "the top of the charts". Bain found the song "isn't a great showcase for Aguilera's amazing vocals, nor it is a "Here I Am!"", and after calling her 2010 album Bionic a flop, Bain had expected something more "exciting" although she stated the song was better than the lead single from Bionic, "Not Myself Tonight".

Katie Hasty of HitFix called the song "stunning", saying Aguilera makes it "abundantly clear she wants to 'f*ck ya body'", Hasty called it a "cool-headed, dance floor approach" for Aguilera. After calling it "simple" she explained "Your Body" to be a "mindless four-on-the-floor refrain" which features "Aguilera flaunting her famous pipes", and Hasty also noted that the song would be open to iterations and remixes. After the release of the official song, Jason Lipshutz of Billboard called it a "new suggestive anthem" but found "Your Body" was not as sexually demonstrative as her previous single "Dirrty". Jake Updegraff of ryanseacrest.com stated "the song is sure to be a hit" due to its "catchy chorus". Amy Sciarretto of PopCrush found the song improved on the tracks of Aguilera's previous album Bionic as she utilizes her "powerhouse voice". Sciarretto found Aguilera "clearly [...] doesn't need Auto-tune" and found that she hadn't relied on "studio trickery" to enhance her vocals, finding that Aguilera possesses vocal ability that "most pop stars don't", and she complimented the fact that Aguilera used her powerful vocals saying it is "the smartest thing she could have done". Sciarretoo compared the song to the Taylor Swift song "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", which was also produced by Max Martin finding they were both catchy but calling "Your Body" less "cutesy" she found it was "just as memorable, but in a totally different, much sexier way".

A writer for The Guardian Express online newspaper found it "wouldn’t be a Christina leadoff single without her patented shock-you lyrics and double entendre", the newspaper noted that her "powerhouse" vocals that had made her famous had returned. The newspaper found the lyrics were easy to learn and the hook is "catchy as hell", the same writer criticized her pointless use of profanity finding it "cheapens" the song, but concluded the review saying "All in all, the track achieves what it’s set to do: show off Christina’s vocal talent pairing it with Martin’s catchy beats ensuring that it will be a club anthem for a few months". Katie Hasty of Idolator who had previously reviewed the demo version of the track, predicted that the lyric "fuck your body" would be replaced with "love your body", and after the official release she complimented Aguilera's vocals as "crisp and up-front". Alexis L. Loinaz of E! found that the song reminded "everyone that this Voice coach does still, indeed, possess the voice" and she called the track a "dance-floor stomper".

Music video

In August 2011 Aguilera confirmed she was shooting a music video for her then upcoming and untitled single after uploading a picture from the set of the music video and using the social networking platform Twitter to say "Its (sic) finally here- MUSIC VIDEO shoot day!!!!!!!!! Get ready guys!!!!!!!!!!". The same month photographs emerged of Aguilera on the set of the music video in a long pink wig with "blunt bangs", hot pink heels and a "body-hugging dress". Jocelyn Vena of MTV found the attire matched the lyricism of the "sexy" track as Aguilera wore a "hot little black dress" and was seen swinging a baseball bat, as well as driving in a baby pink pickup truck. A writer for The Huffington Post found the ensemble was similar to a number of other outfits Aguilera had worn in the past, the writer commented that the dress revealed "side boob" and it would gain attention for her single. The Huffington Post further detailed: "She's gone without pants, worn nip-slip-threatening necklines and has managed to make body con dresses her wardrobe staple -- all on national television. But, while filming her new music video for "Your Body" in Los Angeles last week, it looks like she's managed to combine all three of those style trademarks plus an added bonus: huge mesh cutouts".

"Once we started talking with each other and she heard 'Your Body,' she spun it in a way that you wouldn't expect at all, and I get to play this character that, yeah, she may be a little bit of a badass, she's very confident, self-assured, but she's super playful and super tongue-in-cheek. She laughs the whole way through the video. She's watching cartoons, and you know she doesn't take herself too seriously. The term bad girl should never be taken so seriously. [...] It's definitely taken with a grain of salt, and I would never title myself as that. Maybe confident, self-assured, which is a message all women should take to heart and be themselves."

Aguilera discussing her character in the "Your Body" music video.

During a live Twitter chat on September 12, 2012 Aguilera confirmed that a "sneak peak" of the video would debut during an episode of the television show The Voice on Monday 17, 2012 and she also confirmed that Melina Matsoukas was the director for the music video, describing it as "playful, tongue & cheek". The teaser was described as "colorful" by MTV and sees Aguilera hitchhiking in the desert in "chic gypsy clothes" with streaks of pink styled into her hair, other shots show Aguilera wearing "skin-tight" dresses, fishnet tights, corset tops and "sky-high" stiletto heels". The teaser also features Aguilera lounging on a couch, and seducing a male cashier and it closes with a shot of Aguilera in the desert walking away from an exploding car. After the premiere of the music video teaser, Aguilera discussed the music video concept stating "I got to keep things a little exciting, enticing, fun, and got to get you guessing", she announced that the editing of the music video had almost finished and that she is "excited to release it". Although expressing that she didn't want to give too much away about the concept of the video, she called it a "mini movie" in which she is playing a character "very much like a character outside of" herself.

When Aguilera started plans for the "Your Body" music video she knew she wanted to work with director Melina Matsoukas who has worked with the likes of Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé Knowles. Aguilera was drawn to Matsoukas from her previous works finding "It looked like she really caught a character and drew it out of them and really had a story to tell. You know, not needing or wanting or using a lot of background dancers or gimmicks or things like that." Once the pair met Matsoukas started developing a music video to capture the "light-hearted" side of Aguilera, after Matsoukas heard "Your Body" according to Aguilera she "spun it in a way that you wouldn't expect at all". Together they produced a "badass [...], confident, self-assured" character for Aguilera but one that is "super playful" as her character laughs throughout the video, and "doesn't take herself too seriously". When discussing the music video Aguilera stated "I don't think I've ever done a video using so much color and freedom and fun", she noted the music video would feature "unexpected twists and turns", and that it features comedic themes.