Thing To Do. As if on cue, along came ‘Skyscraper’. A ballad she recorded with songwriter Toby Gad before she had gone into rehab, it perfectly summarised what she now stood for, and won praise from artists ranging from Katy Perry to Pete Wentz. Her vocals dripping with the issues had she then had yet to confront, it became one of the best-received ballads of 2011 and shot to No1 on the US iTunes store within hours of its release. In a really weird way, having a horrible breakdown had eventually sent Demi Lovato’s career stratospheric. Her third album Unbroken, released months after ‘Skyscraper’ (its lead single), set the pace for Demi’s sound going forward. The Disney-friendly bubblegum-rock of yesteryear was all but banished in favour of edgy pop put together by producers and songwriters like Timbaland, Ryan Tedder and James Morrison, and featuring guest appearances from the likes of Missy Elliot, Dev, Jason Derulo and Iyaz. The success of that record is probably what persuaded Simon Cowell to enlist her as an unlikely judge for The X Factor USA, where she became the breakout star of the early audition episodes, and sure enough her fourth LP, Demi, is one of the most eagerly-anticipated pop records of 2013. Surely, after ALL THAT, it’s about time the UK hopped aboard, right? Especially when you consider that ‘Heart Attack’ is undeniably one of the finest singles of the year. Don’t hide any more, Brits - it’s time to become a Lovatic. @ShaunKitchener
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ESSENTIAL TRACKS
01. ‘Heart Attack’ (from Demi, 2013) - The big new single that’s redefining her career, ‘Heart Attack’ is a loud pop song with one of the year’s biggest choruses. And middle-8s. And verses. 02. ‘Skyscraper’ (from Unbroken, 2011) - Recorded before all of Demi’s personal struggles became public (but released afterwards), ‘Skyscraper’ is what happens when someone completely chucks themselves into their art. 03. ‘Catch Me’ (from Here We Go Again, 2009) - Beginning with an acoustic guitar and holding off the full band until the very last chorus, ‘Catch Me’ is a gorgeous self-written ballad.
04. ‘Give Your Heart A Break’ (from Unbroken, 2011) - Hitting No1 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart, this unlikely single proved a huge summer smash months after it was announced as a single. 05. ‘Lightweight’ (from Unbroken, 2011) - Timbaland proved his worth as a great downtempo producer with this fan favourite. 06. ‘Behind Enemy Lines’ (B-side, 2008) - Written alongside the Jonas Brothers, this toe-tappable ‘La La Land’ bonus track is well worth checking out (as is the acoustic iTunes Festival recording). 07. ‘We’ll Be A Dream’ with We The Kings (from Smile Kid, 2009) - Demi was enlisted for a guest stint on this lovely rock balland by US pop-punk outfit We The Kings. 08. ‘Don’t Forget’ (from Don’t Forget, 2008) - An instant favourite among the Lovatics, this slow-building track was a lot more angsty and raw than the rest of the otherwise chirpy first album. 09. ‘Trainwreck’ (from Don’t Forget, 2008) - Demi is the only credited writer for this track, a great guitar-pop tune about appreciating a flawed partner. 10. ‘Here We Go Again’ (from Here We Go Again, 2009) - Easily comparable to Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Since U Been Gone’, this pop-rock anthem saw in the second album in suitably loud style.
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