Reviews by ExposingSMG: Confident
I apologize dearly for delaying this review for so long. I know Lovatics want me dead due to that. I promised it would be up in the middle of August and here we are approaching the middle of September. This doesn’t shock any of my veteran readers since they know how I am. Speaking of which, sorry for the complete delay of all scheduled posts and videos. There was a house renovation going on and the wifi was cut off for a bit since it was in my room and it needed to be unplugged.
Anyways, let’s get started!
Many of you know that Demi is one of the first people I’ve stanned like ever. She was my childhood icon and to be honest, still is. I’ve been a fan from the beginning. I got all of her albums, I’ve seen her live on the Neon Lights Tour, so she isn’t new to me. To summarize, I love talent.
Quality
1. Confident
This is the second single from the album and quite frankly, it’s a banger. It’s so sassy and on top of that, it has a killer beat. It’s used in like every movie trailer I’ve seen. It also doesn’t get old, like at all.
what’s wrong with bein confident
2. Cool For The Summer
This is the lead single from the album and when I tell you when I first heard this song I was the definition of shook, I’m not kidding. It starts off kind of slow and then hits into a killer beat that’s not EDM-ish but more of like pop rock and all my hair follicles are holding onto dear life. On top of that, the lyrics are so catchy and sexual which I feel is a different approach for Demi this era. Overall, it’s one of the best songs released in 2015 and that’s not an opinion.
kiss one another, die for each other, we’re cool for the SUMMA
3. Old Ways
This is a phenomenal song. Lyrically, I know it’s very special to her because it reflects her past but it’s also a song dragging all the people saying she’s the person who she used to be (a drug addict and an insecure girl). I don’t think it gets enough credit lyrically. The beat on this song is POPPIN like it makes me want to have a drug addiction, battle it, and come sing this song. Honestly, truly.
4. For You
Again, lyrically, this is an amazing song. I loved the way it started out, but then the chorus scared me a bit because she was like FOR YOU, I’LL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU, NAIL MY HEART TO THE CEILING, PUT MY FIST THROUGH A WALL, and I’m like okay sis calm down. I didn’t favor this song until I heard it live. For You Live is best described as a spiritual experience or a soul cleansing. It’s so powerful live to the point where it makes me want to literally nail my heart to the ceiling.
5. Stone Cold
This is the third and final single from this album. This song showcases Demi’s vocal ability on a different level. Her vocals are the center of this song and it’s overall a beautiful and powerful song. I feel like it got boring for me due to the fact that I listened to it like 380 times a month, but I have feeling this song will bring a nostalgic vibe in the future.
I WISH I COULD MEAN THIS BUT HERE’S MY GOOOOOODBYE OHHHHH IM HAPPY FOR YOU
6. Kingdom Come feat. Iggy Azalea
This is one of my favorite songs on the album just because it’s freaking amazing. This should have been a single. The beat drop on it gives me Black Widow vibes. It’s an excellent song all the way from the beat drop to the production. And Iggy’s rap is also pretty good. Demi’s soothing vocals and then powerful notes during the chorus, make the song. Definitely one of my favorites on the album.
7. Waitin For You feat. Sirah
When I listen to this song, I literally want to fight someone. It’s a diss song that is rumored to be about Miley Cyrus, but it’s really about conquering past bullies in your life (she said something about it being about bullies in middle school). I have no complaints with this song. Even Sirah’s rap is great. I’m telling you, you want to fight someone to this song (aren’t I great influence?).
talking bout my bad habits man FUCK MY BAD HABITS DON’T ACT LIKE U GOT NONE
me and selena ^
8. Wildfire
oKAY so this is in my top 3 favorites on this album. This song is so different for Demi, lyrically, production wise, and overall everything. The song is so seductive and sexy (I’d so slow dance to this song at my wedding and hope to god the kids don’t understand the lyrics). I can’t stress out how different this song is and yet so catchy. I think this can take the title as my favorite song on this album. Her peers wish for a song like this.
you’ve been fucking with my dreams, rip me like your torn up jeans
(AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH)
9. Lionheart
This song is such a beautiful song that is perfect for the soundtrack of a movie where a couple is together and whatnot. I love how Demi has a lot of ballads but they’re all different and they bring something unique every single time. Can you imagine this song playing in the background of a romantic rain scene in a movie? Someone hire me as the director for the next teen movie coming out.
10. Yes
Demi said she wrote this song with the intent of it being played at a wedding and it’s honestly so cute and beautiful. It’s not like a pop song. It’s more like soulful and yet calm but powerful. I’m in love with the lyrics because it emphasizes a marriage and how two people become as one person and you care for each other through the pain and the good and basically, I want to also DJ at one the next weddings.
love me (love me) earn me (earn me) stay true, i’ll never hurt youuuu
love you (love you) earn you (earn you) stay true, i’ll do what i have to
wow queen of equality for sure
11. Father
This is another song about her her Father. I think she has one like every album and it honestly never gets boring. Within each song, we learn more about their estranged relationship and we even get another inside look at Demi being a troubled soul. I can’t relate this song but I’m not gonna lie, I tear up everytime I hear it. What can I say? Exposingsmg has a heart. Also, I’ll warn you now, hold on to your hair during the bridge because she’s about to hit a note that will scalp you and your family in 0.342 seconds. I got you, fam, don’t worry.
12. Stars
This is such a hoe song like I would totally party to this song. The beginning of this song scares me a little because it just jumps into this beat so quickly and I’m like okay, yay or nay? Overall, it’s a song that you would most likely jam out to, not do homework too. It got a little old for me, but I’m still found of the beat. I want a dance team to choreograph a great dance for this. I’d wish that Demi would sing this song live with a killer choreography but the bitch is all about “vocals.” I mean… love you Dems!
13. Mr. Hughes
This song is so sassy and it starts off with a great beat that I imagine powerful people walking down stairs to get rid of a celebrity who knows too much.
WHOA! Who said that last part?
Anyways, I love this song. It gives me a little bit of an r&b vibe which I’m really digging. It’s so different from the rest of the album yet it fits in so perfectly. Definitely a different sound and it would have made a great single too, but her team sucks, what more can I tell ya.
14. Cool For The Summer - Jump Smokers Remix
I’m not that fond of remixes and even though I don’t really mind this one since it’s great, I will never forgive her for putting it on the album as opposed to a different new song. I will be on my deathbed and when they ask me for any last words, I’ll say “Screw Demi for putting not one, but TWO remixes of the SAME song and called it the deluxe edition of Confident.”
15. Cool For The Summer - Suraci Remix
Give me a moment to maybe understand Demi’s thought process when it came to deciding that it was a semi-good idea to put this nasty #2 remix of CFTS on the album.
…
Yeah I don’t understand. And Suraci? Sounds like a Chipotle sauce.
Writing Credits
Out of 15 songs, Demi co-wrote 11! Again, talent always prevails.
Lead Single Performance
Demi performed Cool For The Summer at the 2015 VMAs.
This is honestly one of my favorite performances of Demi’s and probably one of her most entertaining. The entire performance is so vibrant like the song. There’s dancers everywhere. I love the little bits of it like Demi getting into that small swimming pool thing and singing over the crowd there. Iggy’s appearance was a bit random and kind of forgetful. Her outfit is flawless and she looks amazing. It shows off her curves very well and overall she looks very sexy. Let me not get started on the fact that her vocals were on point as usual. I have no complaints with this performance.
One of her best outfits to date. She looks spectacular. LOOK AT HER
She was truly one of the best dressed that year. Everything is on point. I feel like this look is very underrated.
Performance: 5 out of 5 stars
PR or Damage Control
Demi hasn’t suffered any sort of scandal or anything that eventful that will call for damage control so there wasn’t any damage control in that era.
In terms of PR, Demi and Nick Jonas are close friends, yes, but they’re also a marketing team. Their friendship is publicity on its own so even though it’s real, it’s part of a PR deal as well. Touring together exposes both stars to a bigger platform. Nick’s fans are exposed more to Demi whilst her fans get exposed more to Nick.
Even though both come from the same root in terms of the platform that brought them here, it’s nonetheless a smart idea from both of their teams. They’re lucky they’re friends. Sometimes, stars will partner as a friendship under a PR, but they really hate that person. Actually not sometimes, but most times.
Other than that, Demi is really not into PR like many stars. You never seeing her hanging out with your typical famous people to snatch some headlines. She’s never in fake relationships like her peers. Her image is just as genuine as how she is behind closed doors and quite frankly, she handles herself well.
Final thoughts: Confident was a great album that Demi approached in a very different style than we’ve seen from her before. It had a couple ballads as well as timeless sexy pop tunes. It’s very underrated in my opinion because if she didn’t have a joint deal with Hollywood Records still, the album would have been even bigger because it gives me some Christina Aguilera type vibes. It was very pop but not at all mainstream pop. It was definitely a new sound and nothing like we’ve heard from her before and nothing like what was on the radio during its release. I’m debating on whether or not I should give it a 5 star review or a 4 star review because of those atrocious remixes she put on the deluxe edition. The excellence of Wildfire and Old Ways will get her a perfect score though.
5 out of 5 stars.
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