Christina Aguilera announces first album in six years

The pop icon revealed the news and released new single 'Accelerate'

Christina Aguilera in her music video for "Accelerate." (Credit: YouTube)

Christina Aguilera has announced her sixth studio album Liberation.

Accompanying the release, the soulful pop singer dropped new single "Accelerate" featuring Ty Dolla $ign and 2 Chainz on Thursday morning.

In revealing her next project, the 37-year-old musician also divulged more album details to Billboard about her new "hip-hop-inspired" body of work.

Liberation is set to be an 11-track LP featuring production from Kanye West and Anderson. Paak.

There will also be a duet with Demi Lovato and a track written by Julia Michaels on Aguilera's eighth studio album.

One of the songs - "Maria" - will feature a Michael Jackson sample and Aguilera singing The Sound of Music in the introduction.

Aguilera says this record sees her "longing for freedom" with her image "stripped back."

She comments on being described as a pop star saying, "At the end of the day, I am a soul singer. When you strip back the words 'pop star' and the many things 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."

When the topic of The Voice comes up - which she judged for six seasons - she says she only wants to talk about "positive things."

Aguilera says, "It became something that I didn't feel was what I had signed up for in season one. You realise it’s not about music. It’s about making good TV moments and massaging a story."

She continues, "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 is due June 15 via RCA Records.