Fans predict Demi Lovato’s ninth album, “It’s Not That Deep,” will take an “unserious” tone as the singer continually pokes fun at her usual penchant for delving into heavy topics.
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Demi Lovato is all about poking fun at herself as she fast approaches the release of her ninth album.
The 33-year-old singer – who uses both she/her and they/them pronouns – on Aug. 15 revealed her newest offering, “It’s Not That Deep,” will release Oct. 24. The announcement was paired with the album art, a visual preview of her new music that fans speculate will be “unserious.”
In the crowded photo, a nude-appearing Lovato poses in heels in front of a sky blue velvet backdrop as she clutches a fuchsia dress to her body. The garment is straight from the dry cleaner and still in a protective plastic wrap, featuring a “we ❤️ our customers” clothes hanger.
In her Instagram post, Lovato called the extras around her “the most beautifully chaotic scene.” There are some office workers in the top left corner, a child soccer player in the forefront, a spotted dog running amok, vest-wearing men playing chess and a crowd of young adults to Lovato’s left.
The album announcement started as a fake-out she posted on X that led fans to think she was releasing yet another documentary. But the tease ended up being a self-aware joke about her penchant for exploring heavy topics on film (Lovato reflected on her nearly fatal overdose on “Dancing with the Devil” and the pitfalls of adolescent celebrity in “Child Star“).
“Getting deeper and more personal than ever,” she wrote alongside a link, which ultimately led users to a landing page to pre-save her upcoming album. “My fifth documentary is here.. watch the exclusive trailer now.”
Demi Lovato promises a soundtrack for late nights and dancefloors
“I often wrote cathartic music about heavy topics that I needed to process,” she said in a Sept. 15 press release, per Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly. “When I got back in the studio this time around, those songs just weren’t resonating anymore because I’m not in that place in life. I’m happy, I’m in love, and I just want to enjoy life and have fun.”
This is the Disney alumna’s first full-length album since marrying fellow musician Jordan Lutes in May. And this time around, as previewed in the singles released thus far, Lovato wants to be the soundtrack to her fans’ late nights on the dancefloor.
With her first single “Fast,” the celebrated vocalist opted for a more electronic sound, blending sensual lyrics with a hot-and-heavy synth. Up-tempo keyboards and a suspenseful beat drop made for a new experience of Lovato’s soaring vibrato, hinting at the genre of the larger album expected to follow the single’s release.
“I wanna go fast / I wanna go hard / I wanna go anywhere, anywhere you are,” she croons, leaning into a dance-pop sound different from the rock and soul-inspired projects she’s dropped more recently.
‘It’s Not That Deep’ track list
Two songs off the album have been released thus far: “Fast” (Track 1) and “Here All Night” (Track 2).
The singer has songwriting credits on both singles, which are produced by Grammy nominee Zhone, a songwriter and producer who has an ear for pop, having worked with the likes of Charli XCX, Kesha, Kylie Minogue, Adam Lambert and Paris Hilton.
Zhone told Rolling Stone in a July 21 interview that Lovato “is such a master in the studio. This album is about letting inhibitions go, and we had so much fun making this music! It really comes across throughout.”
The rest of the 11-song record will be revealed at a later date.
Contributing: Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY