Demi Lovato has been through a hell of a lot of changes in the past year, and they’re ready to announce one more.
After coming out as nonbinary and pansexual last year, Lovato’s been on a journey of self-discovery and growth (which has, apparently, included joining the conspiracy site Gaia). But this latest change might be the one that shocks their fans most: Lovato is breaking up with pop music.
Well, kinda.
Lovato, a four-time BMI Pop Awards winner, posted a photo to their personal Instagram on Thursday night that showed them flipping off the camera. The caption read: “A funeral for my pop music.” The musician was sporting a freshly buzzed head (the look that prompted them to scrub their entire Insta history earlier this month) and a black blazer and denim jeans combo that set the tone for what was to follow.
In two story posts, Lovato revealed an early mix of what appears to be their new sound — and “Cool for the Summer” this is definitely not. The song features some chunky punk bass riffs and Lovato exploring more of their lower register, as opposed to their more traditionally femme affectation familiar from previous hits like “Really Don’t Care.” As the track transitions into what is presumably its chorus, Lovato hits us with their new lyrical tone: “Get your tickets to the freak show baby/Step right up to watch the freak go crazy.”
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Lovato obviously knows more about their plans than any of us, but it seems a teensy dramatic to call this the absolute end of their pop career; there are definitely hard rock aspects to the new track, but there’s a very pop-punk feel to the whole thing, reminiscent of bands like The Dollyrots and Kenotia. To be clear, that’s not a bad thing — pop punk rules, actually — but the point is: Fans of Lovato’s music needn’t fret that they’re pivoting to black metal. (Although frankly, that would also kick a lot of ass.)
But for the full scoop on Lovato’s new aesthetic and sound, we’ll just have to wait for more leaks and bite our nails until the album drops. In the meantime, what really matters here is Lovato’s own happiness and artistic satisfaction, which seems to be holding up just fine. In another Instagram story, Lovato focused the camera on a member of their team, who you can hear saying, “You put out whatever music you want, whenever you want to. Break the rules,” prompting an excited squeal from the singer. Now that’s punk rock.
