Gritty and nostalgic, filled with passion

One of the only former Disney Channel stars to create a successful music career, Demi Lovato is returning to their rock sound on new album HOLY FVCK. With collaborations such as Yungblud and Royal & the Serpent, everything about this album’s sound is completely intentional. From the opening line of the first single “SKIN OF MY TEETH” (‘Demi leaves rehab again’), it’s clear that the Disney persona is long gone, and Demi isn’t holding back anything on this album. With the deeply vulnerable “29” trending on TikTok, this album is seeing both commercial and critical success. 

Sitting at 16 tracks in length, HOLY FVCK is a project filled to the brim with impressive vocals and catchy guitar lines. Demi Lovato has an extremely powerful voice, and fans have been yearning for her to return to her rock-inspired sound, within the same vein of her hit “La La Land.” While HOLY FVCK is much grittier than most of their previous rock-adjacent music, Lovato’s voice makes these tracks feel almost nostalgic.

The third single “29” is about a past relationship of Lovato’s, where she was 17 and her partner was 29. The song is gaining a lot of traction on social media, and listeners are sharing their own stories of similar relationships. This track is definitely the stand-out on the album, as the instrumental isn’t as heavy as the others, making it more palatable to fans who prefer Lovato’s pop music. The instrumental combined with the subject matter makes it an easily likable song, as many fans relate to the lyrics and message. Following the release of the album, Lovato also released a stripped version of “29”, which is just Lovato’s voice and an acoustic guitar. Both versions of the song are extremely powerful and have quickly racked up a large number of streams on streaming platforms. 

Featuring Royal & The Serpent, “EAT ME” is a reflective piece on how Demi has grown into themselves, and evolved from the person she once was.  The lyrics explain different unrealistic expectations that Demi has felt pressured by, and that she is now just being herself instead of trying to appeal to society. It’s a very empowering song, and Royal & The Serpent’s vocals fit the track very well.

Another stand-out track is “Happy Ending,” a song where Lovato muses about craving a happy ending and wondering if it’ll ever come. It’s very reminiscent of early Paramore, specifically their track “All I Wanted.” The intros sound very similar, and they build into the chorus in a similar fashion. The lyrics are extremely vulnerable and straightforward: “Am I going to die trying to find my happy ending?” It’s personal, but again, another theme that many listeners can relate to. By baring her deepest emotions in these songs, they allow listeners to find solace in the lyrics and stories.

Not only is the lyrical content dark on this album (“Dead Friends” is literally about, as the title suggests, missing dead friends), but the music itself is heavier and grittier than Lovato’s previous work. This is a rock album, there are no pop influences to be seen. It could be argued it teeters on the edge of pop punk, but only because of the production level. With pop punk and rock music making a resurgence in mainstream music, HOLY FVCK fits right in with the current trends. This album is full of genuine emotion, passion, and is sure to please both old and new Demi Lovato listeners.