Demi Lovato’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert

Image Courtesy of Billboard.com

By Caroline Morris

Demi Lovato’s time in the spotlight has been a harrowing journey. She began with a “Sonny” start on Disney Channel, but went on to struggle with eating disorders and drug addiction.

But Lovato has fought her demons and come out the other side, telling her story through her new documentary, Dancing with the Devil, and her music, which she performed live for NPR’s Tiny Desk Home Concert series on April 14, 2021.

Lovato begins the concert with “Tell Me You Love Me.” She sings a stripped down version of the pop song, accompanied only by gentle piano. This reduced accompaniment matches the intimate setting of the concert, which takes place in Lovato’s backyard.

Her voice takes on a breathy tone at the start, before she transitions into an impressive belt. Lovato’s voice portrays great emotion and makes the live rendition much more heartfelt than its radio counterpart.

“Tell Me You Love Me” also gives Lovato the opportunity to demonstrate the control she has over her voice. She intersperses riffs and runs with such subtlety that by the time the listener notices them she’s already moved on.

Lovato also shows off her range, effortlessly mixing into a higher register with a clarity and depth of tone that is not easily achievable for an alto such as herself.

Once the first song is finished, Lovato talks to the camera and lets her personality shine through. After expressing her excitement to be performing with Tiny Desk, she offers up an endearing anecdote about the squirrels that live in her yard.

“I have now taught them how to eat from my hand, and that’s a big accomplishment. So I just wanted to let you know that was what was on my mind, and I’m happy to be here,” Lovato said.

This choice on Lovato’s part is very sweet and endearing. Some artists who perform with Tiny Desk do not engage with the audience or the camera and only sing. Lovato, however, gives a true concert experience by letting her personality show and actively engaging with her audience.

Up next is “The Art of Starting Over,” which opens with a contemporary pop sound. Lovato is almost “speak-singing,” staying on a quick succession of notes that do not move much across the scale. This style is common in today’s popular music, but is perhaps a reductive choice for Lovato, whose powerful voice can do so much more.

The power of her voice does build throughout the song, swelling during the chorus. The second verse also provides more diversity of sound to balance the somewhat repetitive start.

The star of this song is the lyrics. The song discusses new relationships, but this is a clear figure for her journey with mental health and addiction.

She sings, “I let the demons out,” signifying her growth.

Lovato finishes the concert with “Dancing with the Devil,” a title shared also by the recent documentary starring the singer.

The song is extremely soulful, and such a tone matches the message about addiction. 

“Almost made it to Heaven,/ it was closer than you know,” Lovato sings.

These lines reference her 2018 drug overdose. Lovato suffered three strokes and a heart attack after her overdose, and was truly on the brink of death.

“Dancing with the Devil” is an incredibly powerful ballad, both in lyrical content and tone. The words take the audience through the thought process of fighting addiction and her voice portrays the emotional toll such temptation takes.

This song also shows off the raw talent Lovato has, her voice creating incredible intricacies while maintaining a full sound during her belts.

Lovato smashes the end of the song, letting her voice dominate with inimitable riffs before engaging a total tonal shift, ending with a light and breathy finish.

Demi Lovato’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert was absolutely stunning. Her voice is a powerhouse and is able to convey the enormous emotional journey she has undergone. It is a memorialization of her trauma and a celebration of who she has since become.