#3: Demi Lovato - Confident
Following Taylor Swift last year, Demi Lovato is the second pop princess to have made my year-end lists. While this is not a write-up for Selena Gomez, I would like to mention her because her Revival and Demi's Confident both stood to make the same statement: gone are the Disney days for these ladies. They are strong women who are making their place in the music industry and doing so with strength, bravado, and, well, confidence. With collaborators including Max Martin and Ryan Tedder behind the best songs, Confident is among the greatest pop albums of the year. This is Demi Lovato's best effort to date and an overall accessible, assured album with vulnerable moments.
Track-by-track
Beginning the album with triumphant horns and bold lyrics is the title track, Confident. The song is a considerable declaration of Demi's newfound mindset on life, best described by the repeated line in the chorus: "What's wrong with being confident?" The second song and lead single is the best Martin song to hit the radio waves and the world's hearts since 2010's Teenage Dream by Katy Perry: Cool for the Summer. Building from pianos and mid-range singing with synths to hard electric guitars and a shout-all-night chorus, the song is truly a pop masterpiece, even channeling provocative lyrics about a lesbian experience. Cool for the Summer is a hard act to follow, yet Old Ways does it perfectly. A testament to Demi's widely publicized "habits", Old Ways is a danceable song with a breakdown but one with meaning: "And I'll just keep changing my colors/I'm not in the same place that I was". The chorus/build-up is one of the best on the album. Fourth and the final Max Martin collaboration on the album is For You. On first, second, even third listen, this song is fairly forgettable and the first dud on the album (with the exception of the heavenly bridge). However, after some time, the hook starts getting stuck in your head: "For you/I'd do anything for you/Nail my heart to the ceiling/Put my fist through a wall". The song is definitely a grower but, once it grows on you, its vocals and melody will make you feel Demi's love and pain. Track 5 is the first of Demi's signature piano ballads on Confident, where her voice truly shines and shows why she deserves a career in singing: Stone Cold. The stripped-down track is soulful more than pop and Demi pours her heart into her vocals. Although the song has admittedly awkward lyrics at times ("You're dancing with her while I'm staring at my phone"), it is still a highlight of the album. Next is the Iggy Azalea feature, Kingdom Come. Azalea's rap is less than enjoyable (in an interview, it was stated that she hadn't even listened to the song before recording her part), but the rest of the song is stunning. From the mysterious verses calling back previous rap-sung hits like Dark Horse to the vocally intense chorus and Black Widow-esque breakdown, the song seems like a Frankenstein of pop hits but one that works very well. The other feature on the album comes next with Waitin For You featuring Sirah. Despite being a song about calling out fake people, this song is probably the most lowkey, chill song on the record. Lovato just paints her melody over a minimal beat that builds to a hook of a chorus but still not an intense one. Following is the song Lovato dedicated to her recently-deceased dog Buddy, Lionheart. Lionheart is a touching song that is heightened exponentially by Lovato's vocals, coming together to create a fantastic song. Lionheart more than any other track shows off how Lovato's voice has matured since her previous album, the chorus being the hardest on an album full of great vocals to tackle. Next is the fan-favorite Ryan Tedder collab, Wildfire. Adjectives to describe Wildfire include magical, enchanting, and and marvelous. The song goes perfectly with a sunset and is Demi's best pop midtempo. Yes, the tenth song on the album, is a bonafide wedding song. There is so much love and happiness pouring out of the song when the chorus hits that it almost takes you to your own special day. Also, Yes seems to be the most "out there" song on the album, not quite fitting into any genre. The heartbreaking final song, Father, is a ballad from the soul. Done over a piano and building to choir backing vocals and belting, the song is traditional but unique with its intense personal connection to the singer. The "punchline" from the chorus is heart-wrenching: "I hope that Heaven's given you a second chance".
<poem>
Best Track: Cool for the Summer/Wildfire Worst Track: Waitin For You
Why You Should Buy This Album: Demi Lovato is no longer "Selena Gomez's friend", "Sonny from Sonny With A Chance", or "that girl from Camp Rock". She is a confident woman, and one that can seriously sing. Confident is a fantastic pop album that deserves all its success and much, much more. If nothing else, Demi is one of the absolute best singers of our generation. Do your ears a favor and listen to Confident.