Demi Lovato Is No Joke

In this digital age, it’s hard not to focus your attention on the clickbait-y, low-hanging meme fruit: say, someone singing “Skyscraper” to a ghost who ‘probably has trauma’ or getting in a full-blown internet feud with a yogurt shop. At one point, this was a phenomenon that surrounded multi-platinum pop superstar Demi Lovato. But not anymore.

“An incredible, powerful way to take the power back is to own the memes,” Lovato tells PAPER. “Because then, if I’m laughing, nobody can laugh at me.”

In many ways, Lovato has always been a chameleon. Since her inception on our TV screens, she’s shapeshifted from Disney Channel breakout to emo-tinged rocker, from powerhouse balladeer to pop experimenter, never settling into one box for long. Now, nearly two decades into her career, she’s entering what feels like her freest form yet: a sparkling, club-ready reinvention she’s calling the return of “Popvato.” And today, she’s announcing her new album, It’s Not That Deep, out this fall.

The title is both a shrug and a declaration. “I’m not in this place in my life where I need these huge emotional ballads,” Lovato explains. “The tone of my life is lighter.” The music reflects that: a full-bodied, sweat-soaked embrace of EDM, house, and club-pop designed for losing yourself under flashing lights. The songs throb with liberation, not survival; joy, not catharsis.

That sense of freedom is also captured in the visuals that introduce this era. On the cover of It’s Not That Deep, Lovato stands surrounded by a cast of characters — strangers, gawkers, a community frozen in chaos — yet she’s locked in, unbothered, wrapped in a dry-cleaning bag stamped We [Love] Our Customers. “This album really is for my fans,” she says. “I’m covering myself with a dry cleaning bag, but I’m naked underneath.” It’s an image that blurs spectacle and intimacy, a meditation on what it means to be seen and consumed, and a reclamation of her body and narrative on her own terms.

The same ethos animates the “Here All Night” video, where Lovato returns to choreography with the intensity of someone who has nothing to prove and everything to enjoy. Shot in her apartment, the clip features a POV mirror sequence that was actually a trick of Hollywood magic: a body double’s forehead standing in for her reflection. More than anything, though, it’s Demi dancing — really dancing — for the first time in years. “When you listen to the song, it’s a very big dance track. So I knew that I had to be dancing in this video,” she says. “Dancing is something I haven’t done in a really long time, but I felt the song and the video called for it.”

Lovato has always been at her best when defying expectations. In an era where nostalgia is the culture’s favorite currency, she’s unafraid to wink at her past — whether that means performing with the Jonas Brothers and resurrecting Camp Rock memories, or leaning into her own memes on TikTok. But rather than get stuck in the loop, she’s chosen to spin it forward, making music that celebrates where she is now: newly married, grounded, and joyfully present.

That presence is tied to the queer spaces that shaped her. “I love dancing, and I love doing that in queer spaces because it feels safe to me,” she says. “Being queer myself, having people around me that make me feel safe to be myself is something I always longed for as a kid in Texas.” These clubs are more than a backdrop for It’s Not That Deep — they’re its beating heart, the place where Lovato learned to live authentically, and where this music will feel most at home.

For fans who’ve followed her since Disney Channel, there’s something poetic about this pivot. Back then, Lovato was part of a generation of child stars taught to work until they broke. She now looks back at that hustle culture with a mix of exhaustion and clarity. “You can work yourself into the ground, but you’re going to have to sacrifice something, and that something might be your mental health,” she reflects. This era, by contrast, is about balance, play, and ease.

Which brings us back to our headline. Demi Lovato is no joke — not because she won’t laugh at herself, but because she’s decided she gets the final laugh. She’s reclaimed her past, reset her present, and announced an album that couldn’t be more in sync with her future. Or, as she puts it simply: “Popvato is back, and let’s have some fun. Period.”

I love the video for “Here All Night.” I was very much getting a Flash Dance vibe from it. Can you tell me about that song?

I wrote that song just a few weeks ago. That song didn't even exist in June. I think we wrote it in July. It doesn't matter, but it was the second-to-last day of the time we had booked for writing, and that song came about. I was really, really ecstatic. It is a really big pop song, but it's got the dance elements in it that make it cohesive with the rest of the album. So it was one that stood out to me. Basically, it's a song about wanting to get over someone, and you can't. The only way that you can is to lose yourself in the music and in the dancing. The song takes place in a club, but the video we made in my apartment. We didn't want it to be too on the nose, but that's how the video and the song came about. And I'm really proud of them.

I love that first scene where you’re looking in the mirror and it’s POV style. How did they film that?

So I actually wasn't looking in a mirror. I was standing. The camera was behind my body double, so I had a body double forehead. There wasn't actually a mirror.

Hollywood magic.

Exactly.

I feel like we haven’t really seen you dance like that in a video. It’s very physical. What was the decision behind having this intense choreo moment for this song in particular?

When you listen to the song, it's a very big dance track. I knew that I had to be dancing in this video. Dancing is something I haven't done in a really long time, but I felt the song and the video called for it, so I got in the dance studio and learned the dance to the song and it was really fun. It was taxing and very physical, but it was a really great shoot. We took it in sections, and it wasn't too difficult.

When was the last time you danced like that?

Oh God, I don't even remember. I remember I danced in the “Instructions” video. I learned it, and it was not great. I didn't even get to practice it in a mirror, and that was probably 2017. I haven’t danced like that in a long time.

You’re typically more of a pop-rock girl, right? I think that’s what initially gravitated me toward you as a kid. You were always my favorite Disney girl because you had this rawness and authenticity that I related to. I remember being like, this girl is actually real and a rock star.

Aw, thank you.

What made you want to delve more into this dance-pop EDM area? Obviously, you’ve done it in the past, but this time it’s very much a singular, cohesive clubbing vibe throughout the entire album.

I think it's really a reflection of where I'm at personally. I'm not in this place in my life where I need these huge emotional ballads to release some sort of deep emotional trauma I'm going through. I realized that when I started making this project. I started writing songs like that, and they just weren't resonating ... heavy topics like that. I'm in a place in my life where my energy feels very light. I just got married. It was a learning curve for me to take what I've always known about music, which is write what you know now. I had to learn how to write what was new to me, and that's what this album is a reflection of. The tone of my life is lighter. I wanted a project that reflected that.

[The first song we recorded] pushed me way out of my comfort zone. I was like, wait, this is kind of fire. We need to chase this. So we started chasing the more dance sounds. And Zhone is an incredible producer who just comes up with the most incredible beats, and I'm so lucky to work with him. He's really helped me figure out my sound for this project.

Is there a specific line or lyric on the album that you wrote and were like ‘Damn, that’s a killer bar?'

I think this album isn't really about the killer deep lines. I'm also like, when you tell me to remember my lyrics, I forget them. I’m so bad about that. I guess the lyric that resonates the most to me is, “It's not that deep.” And then the follow-up to that is, “Unless you want it to be.” So it's like, some things are that deep. But for me personally, right now, this music is not that deep for me. That's the energy I want to carry into this project with the music. I just want to be happy. That’s what this is about for me.

How has nostalgia played a role in how you've approached this era? In the “Fast” video, you reference your past memes. You just performed with the Jonas Brothers and revived those Camp Rock memories. Obviously nostalgia in general is such a huge thing in culture right now. Did you wrestle with that? Trying to reference past Demi eras, but also trying to create this new era and make it fresh and exciting?

Take me back to growing up in Texas. Were there any specific influences — movies, TV shows, albums — that came together to inspire mix of rock, punk, pop, yet also very soulful vibe?

I've had many influences, but I think the most impactful people in my life musically have always been the really strong vocalists. Whether it was Christina Aguilera or Kelly Clarkson or Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion. All of those big, powerful vocalists really inspired me to push myself as a vocalist. And then when I turned 13, I got a sense of agency over music, where I was like, wait, I can listen to my own music. I don't have to listen to what my parents listen to. I started listening to rock music and got really into the emo scene. Rock music entered my life. But then, I’ve also always been a huge fan of pop music — hence the Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson. Britney's also up there. She was a huge influence, especially for this album. I just feel like I've had influences from all kinds of people.

Can you tell me about the album cover? I found a really interesting — you're surrounded by all these people. It’s this sort of voyeuristic lens into you, but you’re just standing there. What is the meaning behind the album cover and also the title, It’s Not That Deep?

What's great about the album cover is that you can see that I'm self-aware of all these people with their eyes on me, but I’m locked in and unfazed by the chaos around me. Then, you know, I'm covering myself with a dry cleaning bag that says, “We [Heart] Our Customers.” This album really is for my fans. It's definitely a reflection of where I'm at. But that's not why I'm doing it. I'm making music because I feel like my fans have been wanting [to see this side of me]. I’m covering myself with a dry cleaning bag, but I'm naked underneath. So I'm owning my sexuality while also, you know, it's saying “We <3 Our Customers,” so it's for the fans. It's this image where there's chaos around me, and that's what I liked about the “Fast” music video, too. There's all this chaos around me, but I'm dialed in, I'm locked in, unfazed. That's me taking my power back. It's all about me taking my power back.

Were there any rituals, mindsets, or studio moments that unlocked the vibes for this new era? Anything you did to get in the zone?

For a lot of the project, I would bring in incense and just burn that before my sessions. But for the most part, no, I don't think there was really any big ritual that I did to lock in.

Are you spiritual in that way, with palo santo and incense and crystals?

I definitely go through phases. During COVID when we had a lot of downtime and we were trying to stay sane, I really dived into my spirituality. I've gone through phases ever since then. I go through phases where I meditate a lot, and then phases where I don't meditate at all. I'm kind of in a phase right now where I'm not the most [spiritual]. I'm not practicing my meditation like I should be, but …

That’s relatable. I feel like everyone is like that.

Yeah. I should be meditating right now, but there’s too much going on.

You've been performing in clubs and doing dance music before a lot of these new pop girls were even born. So what is your connection to queerness, club culture, nightlife, but also your diehard LGBTQ fans who grew up with you?

My connection with queer club culture is ... I love going out with my friends. I love dancing, and I love doing that in queer spaces because it feels safe to me. If I were to go to a straight club, it just doesn't feel as safe. I feel there's more danger. I feel like when I go to a queer space, I know that I'm with my friends. I'm know I’ll have a great time. I just have always felt safer in queer spaces, and I think that's because queer people have a way of living so authentically that it makes me feel like I can live authentically. Being queer myself, having people around me that make me feel safe to be myself is something I always longed for as a kid in Texas. I’m sure you know how that feels. As a queer kid in Texas, I had a lot of religious shame around coming out, and I think that's because growing up in the Bible belt … or maybe Texas isn’t in the Bible belt, but you know what I mean. Same thing. So now I get to go out, and I get to live authentically and be myself, and it feels amazing. I'm celebrating with my music, too, you know? I went to a queer party and played “Kiss.” I wanted to share it with my fans first. It went really great. I’m so happy with how everyone loved it.

How has your relationship with your fans (the Lovatics) evolved or changed over the years? Are you constantly checking in on what they’re saying and how they’re reacting? Or are you more checked out for your own sanity?

I see what people say. I don't spend time looking and reading comments that I know are going to alter [my sanity]. Here's the thing about reading comments: I view it as, it's either going to feed your ego or it's going to make you feel bad about yourself. I don't really want to do that from either point, but it's difficult because I know that reading the comments is crucial to staying in contact with your fans. I don’t go searching for it out of a place where I need validation or anything like that. I go searching for the connection with my fans. So inherently, I see the memes and I see this and that, but it really doesn't affect me anymore. I'm just in such a great place. I've learned to laugh at what everyone else is laughing at when it comes to me making stupid choices like singing to ghosts or with yogurt shops.

You ate singing to the ghost. I forgot about that one.

[Laughs] Thank you.

I’ve always loved that performance on Ellen when you first came out singing “Get Back.”

Oh, my God.

You were just such a star. You were a baby. That was your first big single, right?

Yeah, I think so!

Going back the topic of nostalgia and revisiting the past — are there any niche performances that you've revisited recently that you're like, ‘Damn, I'm really proud of that one?'

I'd really have to think about that. When I think of the things I'm most proud of, I think of music videos and I think of tours. If I'm the most proud of myself, I think of completing a tour. That’s a lot of hard work. I guess I haven't gone back and looked at a lot of my performances. I'm very, very critical of my voice live, but I will go back and watch music videos sometimes to show someone, like, "Hey, did you know I did a music video wearing a wet suit?" And they'll be like, "What?" Or I’ll show them “Don't Forget,” and I'll be like, "It was 50 degrees outside and I did that." I’ll show music videos. Those I'm really proud of.

For “Don't Forget,” you were in the tour bus and then you go outside in the rain, right?

Yeah, and it was 50 degrees out. It was pouring rain, and it was freezing. But we did it. We got it done. That's what I'm proud of. I really think more of music videos than live performances, but I am really proud of my Grammy's performance of “Anywhere.”

For those early videos and the crazy Disney Channel circuit, you were what, 15 or 16? You were such a workhorse. You pushed through things like a champ. Is there anything that Disney taught you about hard work and being dedicated that you still find valuable to this day?

It's a tricky question because I feel like I learned a lot from being with Disney Channel, but I wouldn't say that Disney Channel taught me a lot. They weren't sitting there telling me, "If you do this, you'll have this reward." You know what I mean? Those are things I had to learn. I learned that I had to hustle. Sometimes looking back, I wish that hustle culture wasn't as big as it was, because I feel like I would have had an easier time. I was just under so much pressure and so much stress at such a young age that it just wasn't healthy. But in that, I learned that if you want, hustle culture sometimes does pay off. But it comes with a price. I think that was the biggest lesson for me. You can work yourself into the ground, but you're going to have to sacrifice something, and that something might be your mental health.

It's not free.

Yeah. You know, it was just … oh, it was a lot. It was a lot. But I also knew that at any given moment someone was there and they could take my place, so I worked really hard for it. It's just at what cost?

I feel like Disney Channel, and that whole workhorse child star culture, doesn't exist in the same way anymore. Maybe you were sort of the last generation of that hustle culture.

Yeah, I think we were. I think there are better protections put in place for them now, or at least I'd hope so. But yeah, I learned to work really hard! So I guess that's something [Laughs].

Is there anything you want to say to your fans that encapsulates this new era?

Popvato is back, and let's have some fun. Period.