Demi Lovato has come a long way from her “Camp Rock” days. She spent time finding herself, terrorized Simon Cowell for a few seasons of “X Factor” and seemed to close the gates to “La La Land” firmly.
But with her newest album “Confident,” Lovato has officially put the lock on.
We got our first taste of “Confident” during the summer when “Cool for the Summer” hit the radio waves.
The song shook up the mainstream audience in a way reminiscent of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl,” as Lovato admitted to having “a taste for the cherry.” Aside from the suggestive lyrics, its blend of gentle piano melody and gritty guitar riffs pulled you in easily.
“Cool for the Summer” promised a fun album, the perfect party playlist.
In reality, it was more of a Trojan horse that dropped you into Lovato’s darkest and most powerful album to date — and I, for one, am not complaining.
“Confident” is, at its core, a feminist record.
The first song and title track is a demand for better sexual performance, which is one hell of a way to start an album.
Lovato lets whoever her partner is know that she’s not accepting any B.S. with lines like “Not gonna fake it / Not when you go down / Cause this is my game / And you better come to play.”
The hook can get annoying if you listen to it too much, but it raises a fair question: “What’s wrong with being confident?”
The tone of the album saddens with “Stone Cold,” a tale of Lovato trying to feel happy for her ex when they move on to a new woman. She sings “God knows I tried to feel happy for you / Know that I am, even if I can’t understand” and “If happy is her, I’m happy for you,” which is perhaps the healthiest way I’ve heard someone sing about a breakup.
Iggy Azalea makes an unfortunate guest appearance in “Kingdom Come.” She starts out with “Gather around, now I’m back from my holiday,” but, by all means, Iggs, take an extended break.
The album ends on a cathartic note with the soulful ballad “Father” about Lovato’s late dad. Lovato had a difficult relationship with her father and forgives him through her lyrics “I know you were a troubled man / I know you never got the chance / To be yourself, to be your best / I hope that Heaven’s given you / A second chance.”
“Confident” is nothing less than an emotional journey, cliché as that might sound. It’s obvious Lovato had a purpose for this album, and she delivered it loudly and clearly through her powerful vocal range and unapologetic lyrics.
Lexia Banks
