Keeps Gettin' Better

"Keeps Gettin' Better" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her first greatest hits album, '' Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits'' (2008). It was released as the album's lead single on September 22, 2008, by RCA Records. The song was written by Aguilera and Linda Perry, with the latter producing the song. After giving birth to her son Max, Aguilera looked to "come up with something new and fresh", developing a "futuristic" era of her career. "Keeps Gettin' Better" is an electroclash and electropop song, and was inspired by the likes of Andy Warhol and Goldfrapp. Its lyrics portray Aguilera as a superheroine.

Upon its release, "Keeps Gettin' Better" received generally mixed reviews from music critics but nonetheless achieved international success on the charts. It became Aguilera's highest debut on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number seven, marking her 8th Top 10 hit. Internationally, the song reached number 2 in Turkey, number 4 in Canada and number 14 in the UK, while charting within the top 20 in Austria, Croatia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan and Slovakia. Additionally, "Keeps Gettin' Better" topped the US Dance Club Songs chart.

The accompanying music video, directed by Peter Berg, features Aguilera in an editing room, producing the music video on a green screen. Using the equipment there, she creates several characters, including a blonde 1960's inspired hippie character, another based on Catwoman, and a futuristic blue-haired version of herself. Aguilera debuted the song during a live performance at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. Wearing a catsuit, she sang a remix of "Genie in a Bottle", before performing "Keeps Gettin' Better". Aguilera also performed the song during a promotional tour for the album, and as part of a medley of her greatest hits on the 36th Annual American Music Awards.

Background

"Keeps Gettin' Better" was released almost a year after Aguilera gave birth to her first son, Max. She told MSN that "Growing into being a woman, a mother, it's a very different time in my life, and also where I'm at musically". Throughout her career, Aguilera has been noted for her reinventions. She stated that with "Keeps Gettin' Better", she wished to "come up with something new and fresh", calling the new redefined era of her music "futuristic". Aguilera said that the development of new songs featured on '' Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits'' was influenced by artists such as Blondie, Velvet Underground and Nico. Visually, artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein were credited as influences for the album. After stating the theme of the record was futuristic, she said to MTV News that the era has a "very pop-art feel visually". Aguilera also stated that she had been "diving deep" into "electro in particular" at the time, noting that she had started connections to collaborate with prominent dance artists Goldfrapp and Ladytron. While talking to MTV News, Aguilera discussed the influence behind the track and the album, and said:

I wanted to give ansa little sneak preview of what's to come ith the VMA performance The vein of the new material is a futuristic take on what is inspiring me at the moment ... and it's got a very pop-art feel, visually. here's athrowback to Andy Warhol and all the colors and vividness and bright boldness that was in that artwork. I'm a big collector of pop art and graffiti art at this point, too — D*Face and Banksy, also Roy Lichtenstein ... and it's been very fun venturing off into that zone.

Composition

"Keeps Gettin' Better" was written by Aguilera and Linda Perry, while production was done by the latter. It is an electropop song, written in the key of F minor. Aguilera's vocals in the track span from the note of F₃ to the note of C₅. Meanwhile, Shahryar Rizvi from the ''Dallas Observer'' described it as electroclash. The song has also been noted by ''The Times'' as an "electro-glam" number. Described as a "muscular, percussive arena-ready" track, the song garnered comparisons to Goldfrapp's '' Supernature'' album and Britney Spears' song "Womanizer". An "instantly engaging" electropop beat begins the track; it additionally features "space-age sounds" in response to its futuristic concept, with a "throbbing" synth line. Lyrically, themes of female empowerment and being a superhero are dominant on the track. Aguilera sings, "Some days I'm a super bitch". The lyrics derive from Aguilera's experience as a mother. While talking to MSN, she said:

After having my own child, it's pretty amazing what females are capable of. We're Supergirl, we do it all: we give the love, we give the milk. On the other hand, I'm running a business. I'm running my career. That comes with being labeled a bitch. If that's what I'm gonna be called by being assertive and knowing who I am and what I want out of life, then so be it. I will wear that label proudly. For me it's about turning that word into a positive.

Critical reception

"Keeps Gettin' Better" received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Chris Willman from ''Entertainment Weekly'' responded to the new additions of the compilation saying, "The singer has banished melisma and belting from these electronic confections, and her chops sound just as hot set on simmer." Nick Butler from Sputnikmusic positively received the song and "Dynamite" saying "Christina the pop singer is dead, long live Electro Christina". Nick Levine from Digital Spy called the song a "welcome change" from Aguilera's 2006 '' Back to Basics'' album, but stated that the song is not one of Aguilera's best singles. Fraser McAlpine from BBC
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