On her ninth studio album, “It’s Not That Deep,” Demi Lovato showcases her newfound recovery. After past struggles with addiction, her public image and mental health, Lovato is prioritizing her own happiness. On her new album, released on Oct. 24, Lovato plays with her classic 2010s dance-pop style and embraces fun.
Lovato released the album’s lead single, “Fast,” on Aug. 1. The song provides a perfect glimpse into the project, and its upbeat production creates a track bursting with unique synth beats and mixed vocals. Additionally, the instant earworm includes a well-executed fakeout. After a rising pre-chorus, Lovato sings “I wanna go,” but the beat never drops; instead, the song goes quiet before the real chorus commences. This anticipation and unexpected payoff adds a surprising, playful moment to the track, reinforcing the album’s fun-loving energy. “I wanna go fast, I wanna go hard / I wanna go anywhere, anywhere you are,” Lovato sings, flaunting her new carefree approach to music, love and life. This creative shift from her recent rock-based albums paid off, as the song debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart after its release.
The second track, “Here All Night,” is sonically similar to “Fast,” featuring quick-tempo vocals with bass-heavy production. While “Here All Night” could have blended into the rest of the album and fallen victim to repetition, it quickly distinguishes itself as a standout track. The catchy chorus freshly showcases Lovato’s voice. As Lovato sings, “Begging for the bass 'til it's hitting me right / Sweatin’ on the dance floor under the lights,” she taps back into the powerful vocals from her “Sorry Not Sorry” (2017) era. While Lovato has previously experimented with different genres such as rock and R&B, her latest project marks an exciting return to her pop roots. With “Here All Night,” Lovato finds her style: fun, high-energy and ready for the dance floor.
“Frequency,” the third track, begins with funky production and monotone vocals reminiscent of Charli xcx, yet Lovato makes the song her own. Lovato, atop a pulsing, electronic beat, repeats “Fu-fu-fu-f*ck up the vibe, f*ck up the vibe,” embracing the album’s title to the fullest by refusing to take herself — or her music — too seriously. With lyrics like “You can't deny all this electric energy / Under the lights, we synchronize, just you and I (Woah),” Lovato craves the club floor.
While “It’s Not That Deep” offers many hits, “Kiss,” released on Oct. 10, misses the mark. This song features a simple spoken chorus: “I kiss for fun (Ha), it's fun to kiss (Woo),” Lovato says, set to a pounding beat. “Kiss” lacks any originality. The chorus is virtually identical to Charli xcx’s “Guess featuring Billie Eilish,” (2024) with an analogous beat, a suspiciously similar spoken-word hook and a vocal delivery that mimics Charli xcx’s flirtatious nature. While “Frequency” takes inspiration from Charli xcx, “Kiss” duplicates without creativity. The beginning lyrics of the song are cringy: “I use my tongue la-la-la-like this,” Lovato sings. The imagery is painful, unnecessary and disturbing in its bluntness. “Kiss” disappoints, as the track’s significant flaws undermine the album’s attempts toward authenticity.
The final song, “Ghost,” makes up for this lapse in originality. With a slower tone and atmospheric quality, compared to the rest of the album, “Ghost” concludes the album with a haunting, poignant note. Lovato’s voice harmonizes with the backing vocals and instrumentals to create a captivating listening experience. This combination adds an emotional depth to the song that parallels her introspective lyrics: “I have a tendency to dwell on all the darkest possibilities / No guarantee that we'll wake up together when we fall asleep, ah,” Lovato sings. Despite its melancholy themes, the song maintains romantic imagery and thrives in its contrast between the spooky and sweet. “I hope you flicker the lights / And send a chill down my spine so cold / Wanna be haunted for life by your ghost (Ghost),” Lovato sings.
This album marks a proper pop comeback for Lovato. Despite some similarities to other artists, such as Charli xcx or Halsey, “It’s Not That Deep” delivers a fresh take on her iconic 2010s dance-pop style — and it lives up to its name. “It’s Not That Deep” signals Lovato’s boldest era yet.
Benjamin Salit (he/him) (28C) is double majoring in Film & Media Management and Spanish. He is from Port Washington, New York and enjoys watching horror-comedy movies with his friends late at night. Outside of the Wheel, you can find him joining clubs or watching reality TV.
