An activist, a pop princess, a child star, a Disney darling, Demi Lovato has done it all. With Revamped, 31-year-old Demi begins a new era as a true rock star, transforming 10 of her biggest hits into bangers. After the “funeral” of her pop career last year, Lovato re-recorded her old music before releasing her first punk album, Holy FWK.
She hasn’t been tied to any particular musical trend over the years. One thing has always been constant, that incredible voice: sharp, powerful, unexpectedly versatile, but not effortless – because it’s hard to sing like her. Demi Lovato turns 32 today, so here are her best compositions.
10. Something that we are not
Reminiscent of the bubblegum pop of the early 2000s, the album is a follow-up to 2013’s Demi and takes aim at a hookup who wants to get a little too close. At the end of the bridge, just before the vocal fireworks start, Demi desperately says “It’s not gonna happen, man.”
9. Remember December
The stakes rose to a new level with Demi’s second album, Here We Go Again, released in 2009. With a frenetic pace, Remember December is pop-punk by way of electroclash. Anxious screaming at the full force of your lungs has never sounded better – in another life, Lovato would have fronted a band like Paramore or Metric full-time.
8. Heart attack
Heart Attack, a track that threatens to break down with every beat shift, could only be carried by Demi Lovato’s voice. During the chorus, she leaps into her upper register mid-phrase, as if it’s a move that singers do all the time (it’s not!). Heart Attack marks Lovato’s final step away from the shadow of teen pop: “But you make me want to act like a girl / Paint my nails and put on perfume for you / Make me so nervous I can’t hold your hand,” she sings, refusing to fit in.
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7. Daddy Issues
Well, Daddy Issues isn’t a song one would expect from Demi Lovato. It takes Lovato’s strained relationship with her dead biological father and turns it into a witty ode to an older male lover. “Lucky for you/I got all these daddy issues.” The first time you hear it, it sounds ridiculous, but that’s the point! “Forget all the therapy I’ve been through,” Lovato sings, because there’s no better medicine than laughing at your problems. There’s never been a more fun arena-synth-pop anthem than Daddy Issues.
6. Don’t forget
The title track of Lovato’s 2008 debut album, Don’t Forget, is a teen pop ballad with an important life lesson: don’t forget your mistakes. The song begins with Lovato telling a story about a broken relationship over a set of clean guitars, before exploding into distorted power-pop harmonies. They vanish as quickly as they appeared, a hazy memory of happiness. Don’t Forget was Lovato’s first sign of maturity beyond her years, co-written with the Jonas Brothers. Disney never had a sound like hers.
5. Skyscraper
At age 18, Lovato went into rehab for emotional and physical problems. After entering treatment, they re-recorded Skyscraper, but ultimately released the original version. While their voice has deteriorated, Lovato demonstrates heroic physical and emotional strength, culminating in a glass-shattering high G note.
Lovato’s Skyscraper embodies the radical honesty that has made her an idol to her fans. Unbroken was one of her most successful albums, and it marked the beginning of her second act. Despite singing many ballads, Demi never attempted to top Skyscraper.
4. Sorry not sorry
Sorry Not Sorry is a crossover hit, with a No. 6 Billboard Hot 100 ranking, 309 million YouTube views and an endorsement by Jay-Z. Lovato now has new opportunities, including a co-headlining tour with DJ Khaled, a pairing that didn’t even make sense 12 months ago. Demi sings the catchiest chorus of her career in such a high register that no normal human could sing along. With hip-hop drums and an unusual gospel chord progression, she sings the catchiest chorus of her career. Yes, it’s a kiss to the haters, but it’s one of her most enjoyable recordings to date.
3. Confident
Demi Lovato opens the first song from her debut album, La La Land, with “I’m confident, but I’ve still got my moments.” Seven years later, she’s gone full-on with confidence — she’s no longer a teenager, but a one-woman army. “What’s wrong with being confident?” Lovato asks repeatedly, turning a question into a mantra. As a trained martial artist, Demi may one day fight in the UFC. You already know her exit song.
2. Cool for the summer
Max Martin and Ali Payami’s Cool for the Summer may not have been the official song of summer 2015, but it should have been: With chilly piano riffs and hair-metal guitars, Max Martin and Ali Payami have captured the exact sound of snow melting on a hot day. Neon-pink paradise is the backdrop for Lovato’s best music video ever.
Could this be the best song Katy Perry has ever written? It’s powerful, catchy and a little bi-curious. Yet, unlike I Kissed a Girl, Lovato wasn’t going through a phase: Cool for the Summer is forever.
1. Give your heart a rest
As one of the songwriters behind ’80s pop classics such as Like a Virgin, True Colors, Eternal Flame and countless others, Billy Steinberg co-wrote and produced Give Your Heart a Break. From its Brill Building melodies to the sparkling piano, strings and gated-reverb drums, Give Your Heart a Break moves along gracefully. The singer refuses to let the cracks in her voice fade as she sings over the song’s contrasting harmonies.
With Demi’s vocal, it’s more than a love song – it’s the story of a woman who faced the worst and persevered. It broke into the Top 40 in 2012 and became their biggest radio hit to date. Although Demi Lovato is a thoroughly modern pop star, Give Your Heart a Break remains timeless.
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