For the past five years, Demi Lovato has sung upbeat reggaeton with Luis Fonsi (“Échame la Culpa”), dabbled in slick electronic music with DJ Marshmello (“OK Not to Be OK”), and explored her R&B side alongside Ariana Grande (“Met Him Last Night”). On her eighth album, however, Demetria is all about rock.
Released this Friday, “Holy Fvck” harks back to the good poprock Disney of the early days of his career, heard on his debut album, Don’t Forget. It also connects to the return of pop punk, the emo that was huge in the 2000s and has shown strength in recent months with songs by Olivia Rodrigo, Anitta and Miley Cyrus.
When asked what her favorite singer of all time is, Demi usually answers Hayley Williams, lead singer of Paramore. That passion for heavy rock, but not so much, with screaming chorus and selfconfessed lyrics, is wide open on Holy Fvck, the best and most cohesive album of his career to date.
The American singer’s eighth record has only two ballads, the last two songs. “Feed” is almost a power ballad, with a strong chorus and an arrangement that will make Avril Lavigne’s fans cringe. Slower, “4 Ever 4 Me” highlights the guitar and is the most romantic moment.
2 of 3 Demi Lovato 2009 and 2022 — Photo: Disclosure
Demi Lovato 2009 and 2022 — Photo: Disclosure
The other 14 songs are much heavier, led by guitar, bass and galloping drums. There are several stanzas with long vowels, “ôôô’s” and “aaa’s,” perfect for festivals like Rock in Rio, where she performs on September 4th. The performances are from new rock names (poppunk singer Yungblud, hard rock from Dead Sara and indie from Royal & the Serpent).
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This Friday, one day before the singer’s 30th birthday, “29” was released as a single and features a dark synth and trap rock arrangement. It also has homicidal lyrics about reaching three decades of life. The singer opens up about a relationship she had with someone when she was 17 and he was 29:
“Far from being innocent / What the hell is this consent? / The numbers told you not to act / But that didn’t stop you.”
“Happy Ending” has lines like “I’m sober and everyone’s proud but I miss my addiction.” Demi sings that she’s doing whatever it takes to have a happy ending after overdosing in 2018 and openly (in lyrics and interviews) talked about alcohol and drug addiction.
3 of 3 Holy Fvck album cover by Demi Lovato — Photo: Disclosure
Demi Lovato’s Holy Fvck album cover — Photo: Disclosure
According to Demi, however, the album’s most impactful song is “Dead Friends,” emotional poprock that starts out quieter and builds. She lists things she does on a normal day in her life that friends who are dead no longer do.
Demi says she danced with the devil and made it to hell, but unlike her friends who died, she’s still alive.
Live and do what you love most: poprock sung by someone who doesn’t seem to fit the bill. Demi could sing about age, abuse, or where she lives (Los Angeles, on “City of Angels”) that the feeling is the same: is she out of place?
“Am I the only one looking for substance?” she asks on “Substance,” one of the album’s best. Demi is looking for what is important to her, what gives her strength to keep singing. He found that in pop punk and lyrics he doesn’t think twice before talking about all the bad things he’s been through.