Demi Lovato on Dancing with the Devil and Starting Over

Demi Lovato released her seventh album titled Dancing With The Devil...The Art of Starting Over. This album goes along with Lovato's second documentary with YouTube also titled Dancing with the Devil. Both the album and docuseries focus on the singer’s battle with addiction and eating disorders. After her overdose and recovery in 2018, both the release of her newest album and YouTube docuseries have been long-awaited by her fans. Some album features include Ariana Grande, Sam Fischer, Noah Cyrus, and Saweetie.

Breakdown of Album Tracks

The album starts with the story of how Lovato danced with the devil in "Anyone." Lovato premiered this song live at the 2020 Grammy's, the first time back on the stage since her overdose in 2018. “Anyone” talks about the difficulty of reaching out for help during hard times.

The second track on the 19-track-album is “Dancing With The Devil.” The singer released a music video for this song that recreated the traumatizing night of Lovato’s overdose. It is quoted that it is one of the toughest things she had to recreate. That night was terrifying for her as she tried drugs she has never done before. (TW: reenactments of an overdose/hospital stay).

“ICU (Madison’s Lullaby)” is a beautiful song that Lovato wrote for her sister Madison whom she was unable to see two times in her life: Once after her mom found out she was abusing drugs and a second time when Lovato physically couldn’t see her sister in the ICU due to medical complications post-overdose. A truly heartbreaking song that describes God’s estranged sense of humor at times.

After the first three tracks, there is an intro of a short monologue:

I asked if anyone could hear me

As I danced with the devil

And because of that

I was blind.

But now I see

Let me take you on a journey

One that sheds the skin of my past

And embodies the person I am today

This is The Art of Starting Over.

This makes a beautiful transition into the second part of her album, The Art of Starting Over.

“The Art of Starting Over” is a favorite on the album. It’s freeing and reminds listeners that they can start over at any time in their lives. Although it may be lonely, it’s beautiful and self-motivating.

"Melon Cake" discusses the struggles one in the spotlight typically faces in the entertainment industry, including body image issues and eating disorders. There was an interview where Lovato discussed how her previous team would make her melon cakes for her birthday instead of a birthday cake. This song is a f*ck you to that!

“Met Him Last Night,” a track that features Ariana Grande, this song talks about Lovato meeting up with a toxic person and giving into their devilish ways for the last time. Two powerhouses in one song? I’ll take it!

Lovato is queer and lets the whole world know in “The Kind of Lover I Am.” this song is basically her coming-out song to the world. She doesn’t care if you’re a woman, man, or anything in-between. Lovato has enough love to go around, but in the future when she’s ready.

“California Sober” is a song that describes Lovato’s current state in her recovery. Being California sober is another term for saying you drink alcohol and smoke marijuana in moderation. It’s a controversial method to handle drug use.

There is one cover song on this album: “Mad World,” originally by Tears for Fears. I have always been a fan of this song during my emo stage in life, but Lovato’s rendition is hauntingly beautiful.

The last track on her album is “Butterfly,” which I believe is dedicated to her father who died around Father’s Day when Lovato was a little girl. Trauma has a weird way of living with you for the rest of your life, but “Butterfly” is a song about how to deal with it for eternity.

Deluxe Edition

The deluxe album was released on April 5th. It includes four additional tracks: an additional song called “Sunset” and three acoustic versions of her first three tracks.

SOURCES

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/8549226/demi-lovato-performs-anyone-2020-grammys

https://www.vulture.com/2021/03/demi-lovato-new-album-dancing-with-the-devil-details.html

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/demi-lovato-says-shes-california-sober-what-does-that-mean