What a way to kick off 2014! Following unfortunate media events with unexpected duet partner R. Kelly, Miss Aphrodite, the talented Lady Gaga, has given fans the greatest gift in pop music history. The pop diva has stepped into the recording booth with the one and only, the legendary Christina Aguilera, for a brand new version of R&B-laced "Do What U Want", the show-stopping ARTPOP track that has already topped my list of 2013's best.
After shocking the entire world by sharing The Voice stage a few weeks prior, the two powerhouse vocalists combine forces to give the critically-acclaimed empowerment anthem more girl power than what was showcased by R. Kelly's drug references or Rick Ross' sexually charged additional verse. With a rewritten second verse, an emphasis on the xylophone and the ladies name dropping each other towards the end, the new version may not be completely different, but effective in giving both fan bases something to scream over.
Following its debut at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Do What U Want" has performed moderately well after performances on Saturday Night Live and the American Music Awards, however, it is not the groundbreaking hit many critics predicted for the simplistic bedroom romper. When Gaga and Aguilera surprisingly performed together on The Voice, many took notice of the defining moment and rumors of an official studio version quickly surfaced. Released on January 1, 2014, the "remix" is seeming to work at brushing off R. Kelly's impressive contribution in exchange for Christina's sass and as an ode to both of the diva's successful careers.
While some have labeled the collaboration as a desperate attempt to save the song on the charts, it seems Lady Gaga is simply doing a bit of damage control following detailed accounts of R. Kelly's sexual assault past. The added verse from Aguilera gives the song more meaning compared to the initial shock value which came with the original version. While absolutely flawless when it was first unleashed to the world, the added verse of "my bones hurt from all the shows, but I don't feel the pain cuz I'm a pro" seems like a better, more conservative fit. Also, hearing Aguilera sing Gaga's name sent a chill down my spine. Perfection.
Gaga teased the accompanying music video over a month ago, however, with all that is happening around the track, it would not be surprising to see Miss Aguilera pop up in a revised vision of "Do What U Want". With Aguilera's career dependent on chart-topping collaborations this last few years ("Moves Like Jagger", "Feel This Moment", "Say Something"), the pairing may be beneficial to both artists, the remix could be enough to allow the song to jump into the Top 10 (where it belongs). ARTPOP has not performed as well as Gaga's previous releases and Aguilera's Bionic and Lotus were labeled commercial failures. Sadness.
What do you think of "Do What U Want" featuring Christina Aguilera? Is the pairing a match made within the golden gates of pop heaven or do you prefer the chemistry the "Poker Face" songstress had with R. Kelly? Whatever you may think, the fact that the song sounds incredible either way highlights the strength of the overall record. Congrats Gaga, you can certainly do what you want to my body!
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