A massive crowd filled Bridgestone Arena Wednesday night to catch Demi Lovato on her “Tell Me You Love Me” North American tour. Supporting artists Kehlani and DJ Khaled warmed up the fans leading into the 18-song headlining set.
Kehlani kicked things off with a thirty minute performance of hip hop and R&B. After a short intermission, DJ Khaled turned things up a notch, bringing the entire arena to its feet.
Most DJ warmup acts seem to fall short, but Khaled engaged his fans for nearly an hour. Half disc-jockey, half motivational speaker, DJ Khaled split his time speaking from the heart and encouraging the crowd and sampling pop radio hits. He told the Nashville crowd his goal was to be there, “representing love, peace and unity.”
Lovato’s stage entrance was fitting for a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum diva. She dramatically rose from below the stage into the spotlight singing her powerful ballad “You Don’t Do It For Me Anymore.”
The energetic crowd, mostly younger females, was piercingly loud, especially after the announcement that the concert was being filmed.
The stage setup was sparse compared to other pop tours, lacking most of the props and elaborate lighting seen at other shows. However, Lovato and her scantily-clad backup dancers made up for it.
Transforming from a childhood Disney star into seductive pop queen isn’t a new twist. We’ve seen it with Britney, Miley, and now Demi. In fact, her set was full of suggestive and seductive material throughout the night, some of which probably left a few parents feeling awkward. Lovato’s racy “Cool For The Summer” went over the top, featuring Lovato and her dancing troupe grinding and touching each other while simulating sex acts.
While Lovato’s set was heavily sexualized, she took moments to share her stories of battling social stigmas and pressure. The 25 year-old has faced her own demons while climbing the ladder to stardom, but is now six years sober. Lovato has became an icon of empowerment and inspiration.
Lovato’s North American tour was announced following the release of her most recent album, “Tell Me You Love Me,” and has been selling out large venues across the country in support of her sixth studio album. With just three more U.S. dates left, Lovato will be taking her tour to South America and then Europe later in the year.