Featuring Demi Lovato, the song and video depict both her and Christina as captives of a male-dominated prison facility. They fight their way out of the bunker, making it finally to freedom. The song’s lyrics are fiery and about refusing to be told what to do—all in all, it’s an empowering female anthem.
One Twitter user Demetriaalove came up with an interesting theory as to the video’s origins, essentially saying that Demi and Christina both started their careers in the Disney machine, and now, having overcome at least some of that pressure and scrutiny, have escaped that machine. Another Twitter user came up with an even crazier theory, saying that one dance move that Demi does in the video resembles a move from the Disney Channel movie Camp Rock.
Prior to the single being released yesterday, the pair had performed the song at the Billboard Music Awards surrounded by dancers dressed as soldiers. From “Genie In a Bottle” to the two-toned hair, “Dirrty” video transformation, to her retro style in the later 2000s, Christina Aguilera doesn’t shy from reinvention.
“I’ve always been someone that obviously loves to experiment, loves theatrics, loves to create a storyline and play a character in a video or through stage,” she told Paper. “I’m a performer, that’s who I am by nature. But 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.”
Watch the video below:
https://youtu.be/3Q2j5ApzSqs