Music Review: Demi Lovato "Neon Lights"

Demi Lovato

Neon Lights

Album: Demi

Year: 2013

                  A first date goes well for Demi Lovato in the simple “Neon Lights.”

                 A hushed piano opens the single, setting a waiting tone. Part of the chorus starts the single. She stares into his eyes as he brushes back a piece of her hair. He takes his hand in hers and tells her he’s having a wonderful time with her. As they walk to his car, she notices an older couple smiling at them. A woman nudges her friend. They know they seeing a couple fall in love. The chemistry between them is undeniable. (“Baby, when they look up at the sky/We'll be shooting stars just passing by/You'll be coming home with me tonight/We'll be burning up like neon lights.”)

             Her mouth has gone dry and her heart seems as though it’s going to poke through her chest. It’s a special moment they are experiencing. Tonight, everything has fallen into place. She has imagined the day for a long time and it has finally happened. He has been in her thoughts, someone who is always with her. They have years together ahead of them. However, she tells him to live the moment. (“Please still my heart cause it's freaking out, it's freaking out, right now/Shining like stars cause we're beautiful, we're beautiful, right now/You're all I see in all these places/You're all I see in all these faces/So let's pretend we're running out of time, of time.”)

          The full chorus is sung. (“Baby, when they look up at the sky/We'll be shooting stars just passing by/You'll be coming home with me tonight/We'll be burning up like neon lights/Baby, when they look up at the sky/We'll be shooting stars just passing by/You'll be coming home with me tonight/We'll be burning up like neon lights.”)

          In the bridge, she repeats the song’s title several times. (“Neon lights/Neon lights/Neon lights/Like neon lights/Like neon lights.”)

           The first verse, full chorus and bridge are sung again.

            Part of the first verse is sung again. (“Shining like stars cause we're beautiful, beautiful/You're all I see in all these places/You're all I see in all these faces/So let's pretend we're running of time, of time.”)

          A bit of the bridge is sung again. (“Like neon lights/Like neon lights.”)

         She sings “please still my heart cause it's freaking out” to end the single.

        Lovato’s commanding vocals forage through the discount synths and fried arrangement, salvaging whatever usuable notes she can find. She gives 100% of herself to the material, adding some style to it that it doesn’t even deserve.

         The flickering “Neon Lights” only stays bright due Lovato’s vocals.