Demi Lovato went from Disney child star to pop star in a matter of years, shedding her onscreen innocence to blaze a new trail of chart-topping successes. For the last decade, the fearless vocalist has made it up the musical ranks with just as many personal tunes as party hits. Her catalog has the range of her sultry soprano, and it is just as distinct.
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Below are 10 Demi Lovato songs that prove her power.
10. “Sober”
Momma, I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore / And daddy, please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor / To the ones who never left me / We’ve been down this road before / I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore, Lovato sings in the extremely personal hit “Sober.”
She has spoken publicly about her struggles with addiction and her road to sobriety has been a winding one. Her 2018 song is an apology to her support group and her fans as she grappled with getting clean.
9. “Skyscraper”
The 2011 released “Skyscraper” was the singer’s first single after having received treatment for what her publicist explained as “physical and emotional issues.” Another deeply vulnerable hit, “Skyscraper” became her metaphor for overcoming.
“This song is so special to me because it’s inspired by my journey and the struggles that I’ve dealt with this past year,” she explained to Seventeen Magazine about the track’s release. “I hope people are able to relate to it and realize that they are able to rise above and overcome any obstacle, no matter the circumstances, and shine like a skyscraper. I am still on a personal journey dealing with my own issues each and every day, but the best advice I can give to anyone going through a rough patch is to never be afraid to ask for help.”
8. “Give Your Heart a Break”
The follow-up single to “Skyscraper,” “Give Your Heart a Break” is one of Lovato’s lighter offerings. Where the 2011 ballad features a hefty beat, weightless strings are waiting to brighten the pop hit.
7. “Stone Cold”
Her 2015 heart-aching ballad, “Stone Cold,” takes us back down into the depths of her catalog again. The chilling piano-powered aria is the perfect showcase for her vocal prowess. Each one of her words packs a punch.
“I have songs that I have written specifically because there wasn’t anything out there that I could relate to on that level,” Lovato explained of the track. “I knew other people needed that song as well, it’s gonna give them that voice that they need to hear in order to get past things and process how they feel.”
6. “Tell Me You Love Me”
And I hope I never see the day / That you move on and be happy without me / Without me / What’s my hand without your heart to hold? / I don’t know what I’m living for / If I’m living without you, Lovato sings in her vocal-driven 2017 hit, “Tell Me You Love Me.”
The painful breakup banger holds a message of self-love at its core, a sentiment that becomes evident toward the song’s close. Wrapped in Lovato’s soul-fueled vocals, the song is among her most impressive tunes.
5. “Really Don’t Care”
A collaborative effort between Lovato and fellow pop singer Cher Lloyd, “Really Don’t Care” shows off Lovato’s dance-pop powers. The sass-filled breakup bop is all attitude as the pair adamantly sing Even if the stars and moon collide / I never want you back into my life.
4. “Confident”
What’s wrong with being confident? Lovato asks against the thundering beat and theatrical horns of “Confident.” A robust pop banger, the 2015 hit showed off a more assured side of the former Disney actor. Proud, powerful, and … well, confident, the singer and the song seemed the perfect pair.
3. “Heart Attack”
Lovato made an anthem out of her 2013 electro-pop hit “Heart Attack.” With a swelling composition and her distinctive vocals, the decade-old song is still a fan favorite. About being afraid to take the leap and fall in love, it is also another of her many relatable tracks.
2. “Cool for the Summer”
“Cool for the Summer” heated up the singer’s image when it was released in 2015. The sweltering anthem—with lyrics like Got my mind on your body and your body on my mind— singed any “good girl” Disney imagery they had of the star.
“It’s like I’ve spent so long just kind of people-pleasing, making everybody happy with being the best role model I can be,” Lovato said in an interview with “On Air with Ryan Seacrest.” “At the end of the day, yes, I am outspoken about the things I believe in—Mental health advocacy work, I have a charity, I have these things that make me a role model. But at the same time, none of these things are really representing the badass that I am.”
1. “Sorry Not Sorry”
She carried that same provocative style into her 2017 anthem “Sorry Not Sorry.” A song to the haters, Lovato lets her passions fly as she sings, Now, payback is a bad bitch / And baby, I’m the baddest / You fuckin’ with a savage / Can’t have this, can’t have this / And it’d be nice of me to take it easy on ya, but nah. Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry), against the growing beat.
With this hit, she shed the final layer of her child star past and blazed the trail for her future as a pop star.
Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for KLUTCH Sports Group
