Why It’s Not That Deep is Not BRAT-lite
Demi Lovato has been making dance-pop bangers since 2013. Songs like “Heart Attack,” “Cool for the Summer,” and “Sorry Not Sorry” were all radio-friendly hits that prioritized catchy hooks over lyrical content. While Lovato has certainly ventured into other territory musically, the 11 tracks on It’s Not That Deep harken back to the genre that arguably turned her from a Disney child actress to a full-fledged pop star.
Comparing the mindless fun of It’s Not That Deep to BRAT is also a fundamental misread of the latter album. Sure, both artists imbue their respective works here with a confrontational and messy attitude, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. It’s Not That Deep could never be BRAT because BRAT is supposed to be deep. Beneath the sheen of cool vibes on BRAT are confessional, vulnerable lyrics, especially on tracks like “Girl, So Confusing” and “Sympathy is a Knife.” The idea that BRAT is all bops and little substance does a disservice to Charli xcx’s artistry. It also does a disservice to Lovato because while she might not have the songwriting and producing prowess of Charli, her vocals run circles around most artists in her field.
Demi Lovato the Vocalist
The former star of Barney & Friends and Camp Rock has always been compared to the wrong artists. For a while there, she was also mentioned in the same breath as Selena Gomez, primarily because of the Disney connection. Gomez is many things but she herself would admit that vocalist is not one of them.
Lovato, on the other hand, has a vocal agility and range that few from her age group can match. The only apt comparison in that regard would be Ariana Grande. Both vocalists have cited similar influences, from Kelly Clarkson to Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey. These are singers who are most known for their ability to actually sing, whether it’s their high belt, intricate harmonies, or difficult riffs and runs.
On It’s Not That Deep, Lovato may be pivoting back to dance-pop, but she’s not losing the power of her voice in the process. That’s a hard balance to strike given that this is not a vocal-forward genre. Still, there are plenty of ballads embedded throughout the album, and the live rendition of her new song “Let You Go,” which she released simultaneously with the album, is a pointed reminder that she can still belt her face off. Lovato’s ability to maintain strong vocals within a genre that tends to focus almost exclusively on production is a testament to her artistry. She was not going to let people forget what she can do.
The Genre-Bending Pop Star
When Beyoncé accepted the Grammy for Album of the Year last year for the country-inspired Cowboy Carter, she declared that “genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists.” Obviously, It’s Not That Deep does not have the grand historical ambitions that Cowboy Carter had, but it is an experiment in genre. It’s also Lovato’s most cohesive and least self-conscious album since 2015. That’s not to say that It’s Not That Deep is high art, but it does achieve what it seeks to accomplish.
At the end of the day, Demi Lovato’s work might not be as high brow, critically acclaimed, or commercially successful as that of other artists, but she does belong in the category of pop musicians who can impressively shape-shift from one sound to another. Lady Gaga has built an entire career out of this trajectory, having gone from electropop to jazz to indie rock and then back to her original sound. Similarly, over the course of her career, Lovato has flirted with bubblegum pop, rock, R&B, and soul. The malleability of her voice is part of what allows her to fully realize these artistic pivots, but something has to be said for her wide range of creative interests and ambitions as well.
For someone who has been in the music industry for decades now, Lovato deserves more credit for her ability to pull this off. The notion that she pivoted to dance-pop on this album to follow a trend started by Charli xcx ignores the fact that this is a genre that existed long before BRAT. More importantly, it also ignores the fact that this is an artist and a true vocalist who has always experimented with genre and who deserves respect for being able to do so with ease.
via @justcatchmedemi