Review: Demi Lovato – Unbroken

BY HAILEE YAEGER

After a two-year hiatus from the studio, Demi Lovato has released Unbroken, a new album that showcases a different sound from her previous work. The expectation was for Unbroken to have the same sound as her single “Skyscraper”, slow, emotional, and telling of her struggles. Unbroken is anything but that, introducing songs that feature a new sound with fun lyrics and rhythms that make you want to get up and dance, along with the ballads that truly express emotion like “Skyscraper”.

Although some songs on Unbroken have deep, heavy lyrics, the jumping beats seem to tell otherwise, putting some edge to her words. A few songs on the album, such as “Unbroken”, have plenty of personal feeling in them. “Locked up tight, like I would never feel again, stuck in some kind of love prison, and threw away the key.” Lovato sings, behind a pulsing background. Creating a fun vibe behind a declaration about the risk she’s taking to fall in love again.

The slower songs on the album are the ones that have the most power, such as “For The Love Of A Daughter” in which Lovato’s loud and passionate voice belts out the pain she felt about the relationship she had with her father. Singing, “Don’t you remember I’m your baby girl? How could you throw me right out of your world?” Lovato shows a more serious, personal side similar to the single, “Skyscraper”, released this past July, which is raw and tells the story of her overcoming the time she spent in a treatment center to deal with her eating and bipolar disorders.

The more club inspired songs, like “Up All Night”, make you nod and dance along, which is different from Lovato’s previous albums, Don’t Forget and Here We Go Again, both of which were on the cookie cutter pop side. Artists and producers such as Timbaland, Missy Elliot, Jason Derulo, Iyaz and Dev are featured on other fun tracks, giving the songs a variety of different sounds that complement Lovato’s voice.

Unbroken is filled with a variety of sounds from dance pop to slow ballads and even a jazzy number that really brings out Lovato’s talent as an artist. The album sheds light on her recent pain, heartbreak, love and happiness for her fans, almost as if Lovato was releasing her private diary to them.