DEMI LOVATO - DANCING WITH THE DEVIL... THE ART OF STARTING OVER
Demi Lovato releases a vulnerable and candid record about her dark past, recovery and hopes for the future with new album, Dancing With The Devil… The Art Of Starting Over.
Opening up about sexual assault, her battle with drug addiction, a near-fatal overdose that led to brain damage, and the darkness she has carried with her through her life, singer Demi Lovato releases a vulnerable and candid record about her dark past, recovery and hopes for the future.
Dancing With the Devil...The Art of Starting Over is a far cry from the squeaky clean image Demi Lovato earned through her work with Disney. Within 19 often heart wrenching tracks, Lovato takes the listener on a journey through her personal struggles and learning to live with the demons that she spent so much of her life trying to defeat.
Opening with the powerful ‘Anyone’, Lovato cries out for help, needing someone to talk to after failing to get the help she needs from drugs or alcohol. “Anyone, please send me anyone/Lord, is there anyone?/I need someone, oh/Anyone, please send me anyone/Lord, is there anyone?/I need someone.” The pain is palpable – her vocals do an incredible job of story telling – and, in Lovato’s own words: “I almost listen back and hear these lyrics as a cry for help. You kind of think ‘how did nobody listen to this song and think, let’s help this girl?’”
Title track ‘Dancing With the Devil’ warns of the ease of falling into self destructive habits and patterns and the downward spiral that eventually led to her addiction and, ultimately, her 2018 overdose, which left her brain damaged after suffering three strokes, a heart attack, multiple organ failure and pneumonia: “It’s just a little red wine, I’ll be fine/Not like I wanna do this every night/ I’ve been good, don’t I deserve it?/I think I earned it, feels like it’s worth it/In my mind”
‘The Art of Starting Over’ is altogether more jaunty than previous tracks on the album, with a funky bass line and a beat to move to. Something of a celebration, it speaks of Lovato’s journey through her darkness and into the light, her strength, self love and discovering her own power and ability to help herself out of awful situations: “Starting over (ooh)/Starting over (ooh)/New beginnings can be lonely/Thank God I go me to hold me.”
When presented with material as dark depressing as this, it would be easy for a musician to create an album full of anger, regret and drama. But Dancing With the Devil is a nuanced album showing that addiction and recovery is not always about feeling depressed, angry or helpless. Moments of joy and love can be found everywhere and the album has as many dance floor bops and love songs on it as it has ballads of broken hearts and hopelessness.
It’s a testimony to strength, to the power of admitting that you need help, accepting that help and working towards something better for yourself. A powerful and moving diary of a difficult and inspiring journey, Dancing with the Devil...the Art of Starting Over is a near perfect pop album – if not a little long – full of layers, love, vulnerability and dignity.
Jess Distill
★★★★☆