During a therapy session, Demi Lovato, who is a psychiatrist, asked herself a thought-provoking question in a casual tone. She inquired if she had been overly fixated on anything while wearing stylish black-rimmed glasses and lounging on a comfortable leather couch.
During a video interlude, the 25-year-old pop star acted as both a mental health professional and patient. The scene included a question about breathing that could have been taken quite literally. Following the video, Lovato was still on stage, this time reclining on a couch while wearing thigh-high black boots.
Lovato made it clear that her “Tell Me You Love Me World Tour” stop in Vegas meant a night of emotional release. With visual cues spelling out her intentions, the therapy session continued from office to arena. Swapping doppelganger shrinks for crotch-grabbing dancer dudes, Lovato flaunted her emotional baggage like designer luggage early on in her performance. The night was filled with full-throated pop pathos as Lovato acknowledged her struggles and admitted to knowing what it’s like to cry a lot.
Lovato, a former Disney TV star who once toured with The Jonas Brothers, has faced challenges with addiction and growing up. However, she has triumphed over addiction, celebrating six years of sobriety this month. Despite this victory, Lovato still grapples with adulthood. She is a unique figure in pop music, using her powerhouse voice to express vulnerability. Her concert style reflects this, deviating from the typical high-energy start and ending with a three-song ballad suite performed while seated at a black piano. Lovato’s imperfect yet endearing presence sets her apart in the industry.
Lovato’s song “Father” inspired her to write “Daddy Issues,” which delves into her complicated relationship with her father who passed away in 2013. Despite the extremely personal nature of the song, Lovato still performs it live and is unafraid to expose her vulnerabilities through her music. Through this emotional honesty, Lovato’s celebrity veil is lifted, revealing her insecurities as plain as the tattoos on her arms. However, Lovato’s concert is not solely focused on exposing her emotional wounds; she also entertains the crowd with a shiny pink boxer’s robe during “Confident,” a lively cover of Luis Fonsi’s “Échame la Culpa,” and a sensual performance of “Sexy Dirty Love.” During “Give Your Heart a Break,” Lovato sings alongside a kiss cam, capturing memorable moments such as a man adoringly kissing his beer can.
As the performance came to an end with the uplifting song “Sorry Not Sorry,” which was delivered with a gospel-like fervor, Demi Lovato took a moment to impart some final words of wisdom to her audience. With her latest album’s title track, “Tell Me You Love Me,” playing in the background, Lovato encouraged her fans to love themselves. She acknowledged that she may not be the best person to give advice on the subject, as many in the crowd chuckled along knowingly.
