Demi Lovato struggles to forge own path on 'Confident'

Transitioning from teenage wonder to full-fledged pop star is a difficult enough challenge for any young artist seeking to parlay their early success into a real adult career. But having to do so while battling their demons on a public stage? That is a completely different story.

Demi Lovato’s time as a Disney star came to an abrupt end in 2010 when she checked herself into rehab to battle mental illness, addiction and bulimia. Lovato was only 18 when her struggles became tabloid fodder, and the next few years would see her musical career in a state of transition, as she released two solid albums — 2011’s “Unbroken” and 2013’s “Demi” — that ever-so-carefully straddled the line between adolescence and maturity.

In the run-up to the Oct. 16 release of her fifth album “Confident,” Lovato announced to the world that she was done with “the sob stories,” insisting that, now, she just wants to have fun. Chock-full of anthems, “Confident” has a strong “go big or go home” attitude, which caters to whatever mood the listener is in. The problem with this approach, however, is that oftentimes “Confident” fails to deliver on the musical front.

The steamy “Cool for the Summer” kicked off Lovato’s reinvention as a pop diva and stands out as one of the best pop songs of 2015. Featuring a thrilling production from legendary producer Max Martin, the ode to Sapphic love teases the audience with a light piano introduction before launching into a monster explosion of synths and ooh-oohs, leaving the listener in a state of complete pop euphoria. The album’s title track — and the second Martin-produced jam — continues this pop explosion, with Lovato singing “What’s wrong with being confident?” amidst an addictive blend of rock ‘n’ roll and hip-hop sounds.

The rest of “Confident” is a curious body of work, and Lovato seemingly gets lost in chasing radio trends instead of crafting her own sound. No less than three of the album’s tracks — “Old Ways,” “Kingdom Come” and “Waitin For You” — feature trap-like breakdowns à la Katy Perry’s monster hit “Dark Horse” (2013). Though “Kingdom Come” and “Waitin For You” feature off-kilter verses from female rappers Iggy Azalea and Sirah, respectively, the guest artists fail to rescue either song from mediocrity.

Oversinging is also a consistent problem throughout “Confident;” Lovato tries too hard to show the power of her voice. On tracks like “Father,” her tendency to belt at the end of the track ruins an otherwise emotionally potent moment in which Lovato struggles to come to grips with the death of her estranged father.

When Lovato gets it right, however, the results are beyond emotionally devastating. “Stone Cold” is perhaps the album’s true highlight, as Lovato bares her soul on the powerful ballad, telling her former lover “If happy is her, I’m happy for you.” While she occasionally veers too close to oversinging on the track, Lovato’s raw performance arguably puts forth her most convincing case for post-Disney stardom.

Speaking of other former Disney stars, there is an easy comparison to make between this album and Selena Gomez’s newly released “Revival,” on which she, too, embarks upon emancipation from her teenage past. While Gomez and Lovato have both worked to move on from their Disney careers, “Revival” and “Confident” take different paths on the road to adulthood: the former gracefully eases into this new role while the latter announces its arrival with gusto. Gomez, it seems, is more willing to experiment, borrowing from a variety of sounds to create innovative pop music. Lovato, on the other hand, sounds content to work with standard top 40 tricks.

The ultimate problem with “Confident” is that the album simply fails to elevate itself amidst comparable works from other pop stars. Even though it is full of personality, “Confident” lacks the necessary sonic inspiration to truly set itself apart from the crowded industry.

Despite these flaws, Lovato successfully recasts herself in a new light as a pop diva. However, with the new territory comes a greater challenge. Lovato must now bring her A-game if she is to survive in the top echelon of the pop music industry.