It features collaborations with Demi Lovato, Keida, Shenseea, GoldLink, Ty Dolla Sign, 2 Chainz, and Lewis Hamilton under the pseudonym "XNDA".

Commercially, it positioned within the top ten in nine countries, including the United States, peaking at number six on the Billboard 200 chart.

[12] At early stages, the first producer that was confirmed to be working with Aguilera was Pharrell Williams, which according to the singer, had one song that she loved.

"[19] Billboard also revealed that Liberation would have a collaboration with Demi Lovato, which was in the same song co-written by singer and songwriter Julia Michaels.

[19] It was reported in the media in June 2018 that Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton had performed on the track "Pipe", under the name XNDA.

[23][24][25] In August 2018, Aguilera revealed that she recorded "a lot more" songs during the Liberation studio sessions, and they could end up on her follow-up album.

[27] Another song supposedly recorded for Liberation but scrapped from the album was "Search the World", a neo soul track produced by Pharrell Williams.

[28][29] Liberation is a pop, R&B and hip hop record,[30][31] with soul, reggae, trap, Southern rock and dancehall elements.

"[17] The New York Times's chief critic Jon Pareles noted that on the album Aguilera largely concentrates on such themes as "trauma, lust, resistance, obsession and, finally, lasting love.

[39][40] Billboard described the third track, "Maria", as "a pulsing, intricately orchestrated piece that includes a Michael Jackson sample and an extended introduction in which Aguilera sings from The Sound of Music.

"[17] Aguilera commented that the influence behind the title was Julie Andrews' character in the film as well, as her middle name, adding: "Within my house a form of escape for me was opening my bedroom's window and singing out to the world pretending that I was her.

It's about getting back to that little girl who just wants to sing for all the right reasons, not necessarily for charting and all the things that this business kind of does to you over the years and shaping how you look at making music.

[36] It is followed by a "funky rock-driven" track titled "Sick of Sittin'",[42] which features hard-rock guitar riffs and was inspired by the music of Janis Joplin.

[42][45] The track begins with a spoken word verse by an unknown man, but later, in a feminist gesture, it is performed by three female artists (Aguilera, Keida, Shenseea).

"[47] On the May 2018 cover of Paper magazine, Aguilera appeared bare-faced without makeup and retouching, saying "I'm at the place, even musically, where it's a liberating feeling to be able to strip it all back and appreciate who you are and your raw beauty.

[49] On April 28, 2018, Aguilera had a concert at Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix where she unveiled a promo video as an intro for the upcoming album.

[58][59] "Accelerate" featuring singer Ty Dolla Sign and rapper 2 Chainz was released on May 3, 2018, as the lead single from the album.

[79] Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone labelled the album "Xtina at her peak" and claimed that Aguilera's "greatest attributes is that she has rarely played it safe".

[82] The New York Times critic Jon Pareles complimented the album's experimental styles incorporating various genres and wrote that "[Aguilera's] extravagant vocal flourishes connect with sweeping emotion".

[36] HipHopDX writer Trent Clark opined that despite "occasional cheese-smothered lyric", the album featured Aguilera's "heavenly" vocals that was "a well-calculated offering from a living legend whose abilities are still very much intact".

[77] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic discussed that while Liberation appeared to be personal, it still "resonate emotionally" despite not being "an easy route".

[76] Claire Lobenfeld from Pitchfork, while unimpressed towards the album's "progressive moments" like "Pipe" or "Accelerate", claimed that the album's "sturdy moments" as on "Fall in Line" created "a promising first step toward a genuine pop rebirth—moments" that were comparable to Janet Jackson's The Velvet Rope or Whitney Houston's My Love Is Your Love.

[80] Nick Levine from NME commented that while Liberation "may lack the grand ambition and massive pop bangers of her glory days", the album was "cohesive and surprisingly low-key" that may revitalize Aguilera's career.

[31] The Daily Telegraph's Neil McCormick, by contrast, disapproved of the album's music styles incorporating "rock, R&B, soul, hip hop, reggaeton and anthemic balladry" that "never settles into a coherent listening experience".

[32] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine shared a similar viewpoint, commenting that the album lacked cohesion by being both "forward-minded" and "frustratingly safe".

[38] BuzzFeed editor, Dylan Nguyen, called it "a throwback to Stripped", and praised its "amazing songwriting" and modern sound.

[83] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member George Clinton complimented the album track "Sick of Sittin'", calling it Funkadelic-inspired, as well as praising its "vibe" and production.