★ ★ ★ ★ out of 5
Disney starlets eventually blossom into pop singers... it's a natural transformation these days. "Skyscraper" powerhouse Demi Lovato is not new to the rodeo, with four diverse studio albums and three Billboard Top 10 hits under her belt and vocal abilities that surpass her young counterparts, so to see her continue to grow more "confident" as an artist is neither shocking or dismissive.
Lovato uses her vocal prowess to support her commendable run on the pop charts, but certainly knows how to have fun and craft an irresistible hook as well. From the unstoppable "Give Your Heart A Break" to the dancefloor worthy "Neon Lights", the artist has showcased an ability to reinvent and challenge herself with every single release, all leading up to Confident, her fifth studio album.
Preceded by the sultry and provocative "Cool For The Summer" and fierce title track, the new 11-track effort continues to emphasis Lovato's willingness to dip her feet into uncharted territories, where the end results may be either good or unmemorable. What is clear though, is that whether on a powerhouse ballad or exciting radio-friendly jam, the artist's impressive, motivating vocals remain at the forefront, currently unmatched by any of the former Disney crowd.
The album opens with current single "Confident", which perfectly embodies the fearless attitude of Lovato and the fun and exciting pop production of Max Martin. The track becomes an uptempo, thumping, slightly R&B-leaning effort that showcases a different direction and vibe for the artist. What standouts about the track is the chant-worthy delivery from Lovato as she shares empowering messages of standing strong and remaining assertive over a slick, radio-friendly beat.
Single follows single as "Cool For The Summer" begins to play. The track takes Lovato down an electro-rock influenced road while she sings of dipping her feet slightly into the lady pool for the summer. The provocative lyrics are not a surprising next step for the artist, she seems to have let loose, having fun in the process. Experiencing Lovato's ever-improving vocal abilities paired with seductive content and a sickening, infectious rock-leaning backing beat is exciting and unexpected.
Lovato is finally able to express herself exactly how she wants, letting in a bit of dark inspirations on tracks such as "Old Ways", an edgy, hip-hop inspired effort that sheds light on risky decisions. The agony and knife wounds are not slowing down the artist though. "But if somebody tells me, I'm going back to my old ways, I'm gonna say no way, I'm out of the doorway," she sings on a chorus of never looking back and being brave enough to take steps forward.
"For You" shows the artist gaining strength and courage as she comes to realize she's getting nothing from a relationship that she's been putting her all into. Lovato sings of nailing her heart to the ceiling and putting her fist through a wall for her man, but does not get the same emotional response. Aside from the engaging and thrilling supporting production, all ears are on the vocal performance, where Lovato gets to finally let go of the reigns for the first time on the album.
GRAMMY aspirations lead to the creation of "Stone Cold". It's a huge goal, but not too far-fetched given the Adele-like, powerhouse performance from Lovato. The artist is forced to remain happy for a former lover, even as he moves on to another woman, a heartbreaking situation that Lovato is able to properly portray with a soulful, convincing vocal delivery. The song is carried by the mixed emotions that inspired the solid songwriting as the artist sings with a smile on her face and a tear in her eye.
People may immediately write off "Kingdom Come" as a spiritual sequel to "Black Widow", but the trap-influenced effort sounds to have more depth as Lovato sings of dying for the man who currently has her heart. The track is not terrible, but it was a missed golden opportunity. The chorus does not excite, and Iggy Azalea's guest verse, while solid, does not come close to match what she is truly capable of. A promising collaboration that becomes ultimately underwhelming.
Revenge tastes sweet, at least when it comes from Lovato on "Waitin' For You", a collaboration with Los Angeles-based rapper Sirah. Following a cringe-worthy opening line, the artist gets surprisingly explicit as she makes it clear to her haters that she won't back down from a fight. "Knuckles out, and the guard in my mouth, when you're hungry for the next round, I'll be waiting for you," she sings on the intimidating, hip-hop leaning track that sticks with the female empowering album message.
For once, a Ryan Tedder-penned pop track does not sound like a Ryan Tedder-penned pop track. The midtempo "Wildfire" is a moody, emotional affair where the artist sings of the initial feelings that come with a reckless yet satisfying love. While the songwriting paints a vivid narrative of a relationship, it's Lovato's strong and collective vocal performance that shines the brightest. The idea of love has never sounded so dark and dangerous, a very thrilling quality to experience.
"Lionheart" is one of those soaring, inspiring ballads we've come to expect from Lovato over the years. The artist lets loose, allowing her vocals to captivate any listener, and takes the tried-and-true material to new heights. The finished product will silence the artist's naysayers as well as satisfy longtime fans of the chameleon-like songstress. With a message of unbreakable connections and glowing spirits, the sweet sentiments will last long after the track comes to an end.
Another compelling highlight comes in the form of "Yes", a gospel-inspired track where the artist sings of diving into a relationship head first. The supporting production creates a unique pop environment where Lovato can experiment with new sounds that work beautifully this time around. "I can't promise that it's gonna be fine, here I am if you're ready to try, here's my tears when you tell me those words, here's my life for better for worse," she belts on the endearing love song.
The standard edition of the album closes out with the extremely personal "Father". Constructed as a soulful ballad, Lovato leaves nothing in secret when she discusses her relationship with her biological father. The simple, confessional nature of the song's songwriting allow the words to form a deeper, somber connection with listeners as the artist struggles with her emotions when dealing with her dad's passing. The song wraps everything up on a high, award-deserving note.
For the deluxe edition of Lovato's fifth studio album, the energetic "Stars" is an empowering, thumping anthem that could have fit in nicely between the album's two official singles. A carefree attitude and a solid vocal performance is all it takes to craft a moving, radio-ready effort. "Mr. Hughes" immediately comes off as a gritty, Amy Winehouse-inspired creation with subtle brass instrumentals supporting Lovato's intriguing, old school delivery. A genre experiment with promising end results.
Confident is another eclectic, fearless mix bag of tracks from Demi Lovato, further highlighting her ability to excel outside her comfort zone. Whether surrounded by trap, pop or soul inspirations, the artist refuses to let her impressive vocal performances get drowned out by the production noise. Lovato stretches her vocals out to their limits on every track, not a bad quality, and seems to have finally found who she really is as a pop artist, shedding light on her struggles with family, depression, drug usage and body image. She's at home on the touching, powerful ballads, and even finds way to surprise on the album's more upbeat offerings, showing her critics that her contagious energy and personality cannot be contained. The collaborations are weak points, but are just one small hindrance on Lovato's path towards a longer, brighter career.
Tracks to Hear: "Cool For The Summer", "Stone Cold", "Wildfire", "Yes" and "Father"
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