For Demi Lovato, 'It's Not That Deep.' Her new pop era, album and tour are reasons to celebrate

LOS ANGELES (AP) — On her ninth studio album, Demi Lovato has had a revelation: “It's Not That Deep.”

It's the title of her energetic dance-pop record, and a celebration of life's joys and messiness — all of which appear across its 11 tracks.

“I’ve put so much energy and so much love into this album,” Lovato told The Associated Press at rehearsals for a special One Night Only event at the Palladium in Los Angeles last week. “I just couldn't be more excited.”

Next spring, she'll tour the album, hitting 23 cities across North America. The “It's Not That Deep” Tour kicks off April 8 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and concludes May 25 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

Lovato will hit Orlando, Florida; Atlanta; Nashville; Washington, D.C,; Philadelphia; Toronto; Boston; New York; Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; Chicago; Minneapolis; Denver; Las Vegas; Anaheim, California; San Francisco; Seattle; Los Angeles; Glendale, Arizona; Dallas and Austin, Texas.

Artist presale begins Thursday at 10 a.m. local time. General sales begin Friday.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Lovato discussed her new album, her penchant for musical transformation and her forthcoming tour.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

LOVATO: I think it’s a bit of owning it. ... I guess I didn’t realize that I’ve done iconic things. And if they are cringe to some people, they’re fun to me. ... I think it’s, like, making peace with my past. ... I’ve made peace with my journey and now I’m celebrating where I am at today.

For instance: The Poot meme, when it first happened, I didn’t realize it was photoshopped. I thought it was a bad angle of me. So, I like was really self-conscious about that meme and was like, “Oh my God, like, I can’t believe people are laughing at a bad angle of me,” and then I realized it was photoshopped and I was like “Wait, this is actually hilarious.” ... Life is too short to take yourself too seriously, and I’m definitely not doing that anymore.

LOVATO: I think there’s something about your 30s, too, where you just take a second, and you are able to let go of some of the pressures that you once put on yourself, maybe in your 20s. And now I’m 33, and I’m not taking myself so seriously because I realize there’s room for everyone.

Creatively, what it unlocks for me is spontaneity and taking risks and having fun and cherishing the moments. ... “Kiss,” for instance, it’s not the most intellectually stimulating song. It’s a simple party, fun song, and it’s sexy. And it’s like, that’s what it is. And I think so much of my past was, like, “I want to try and write, you know, deeply emotional songs about my past” and with this album, I was like, “I’m in a place where I’m having fun. I want my lyrics to reflect that, too.”

LOVATO: It was exactly what I was hoping for. There’s songs like “Sorry to Myself,” too, which is another party moment but has a really powerful message. And it also bridges the gap between my old music and my music today, lyrically, where it is a bit emotional.

LOVATO: I think what drives the transformations for me are literally what is inspiring me musically at the moment. And so, I’m a fan of all genres of music pretty much, for the most part. When I was in my rock era, I was listening to a lot of rock music that was inspiring me.

I went into this album thinking, “I’m gonna make an even harder rock album. I wanna go even more rock.” So, I started this process and I realized, I was like, “There’s only so many happy rock songs that you can write.” I’m in love, I’m feeling empowered, and I’m in this really great place, and I don’t know how to write rock songs that are, you know, all sunshine and rainbows. And there’s only so many of that that you can write. And so, I was like, “I need to switch up the genre.” So, I tried a couple of other genres, but what was really inspiring me was all the pop girlies and the pop artists that are out there today.

LOVATO: Well, first of all, I cried when I saw that 200,000 people wanted to come to my show at the Palladium. ... That was a dream come true — that level of demand is so reassuring. ... I can’t thank my fans enough, like, I wouldn’t be here in this place without them. And so, I am just so thankful. And that’s why I shed tears of joy that day. (It) was because I was like, “Wow, I’m really sure of this album and I’m sure of this era, but so many people are too and that’s really rewarding.” And I can’t wait to bring the show on the road.

AP Music Writer Maria Sherman contributed to this report from New York.

A previous version of this story featured a misquote. Lovato said “So, I tried a couple of other genres,” not “of their genres."

Demi Lovato performs at "One Night Only" on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, at Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Demi Lovato performs at "One Night Only" on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, at Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Demi Lovato performs at "One Night Only" on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, at Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Demi Lovato performs at "One Night Only" on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, at Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Demi Lovato performs at "One Night Only" on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, at Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Demi Lovato performs at "One Night Only" on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, at Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards had 16 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter to help the Minnesota Timberwolves even their second-round NBA playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs with a 114-109 victory, following the stunning ejection of star Victor Wembanyama early in the second quarter of Game 4 on Sunday.

Naz Reid took the fateful elbow to the neck from a frustrated Wembanyama and finished with 15 points and nine rebounds to help the Timberwolves finish strong after some shaky stretches.

“Pain is weakness leaving the body,” Reid said. “That’s it.”

Edwards hit a 27-footer to bring the Wolves to within 94-91, turning to shout at the crowd for some help down the stretch. His catch-and-shoot 3-pointer from the wing with 5:12 left put them up 98-97, their first lead since midway through the third quarter.

Then the big men went to work without Wembanyama patrolling the paint. Rudy Gobert, who had 11 points and 13 rebounds, converted a three-point play with 3:02 left off a high-low feed from Reid and later threw down a dunk for a 107-101 lead with 1:56 to go after a slick pass from Julius Randle.

Reid’s follow shot with 40 seconds left gave the Wolves a seven-point lead, before Dylan Harper had a rebound, a drawn foul, a steal and two free throws to help the Spurs pull within three.

After managing to corral a full-court baseball toss from inbound passer Jaden McDaniels as De'Aaron Fox undercut his leaping catch and caused a loose ball, Ayo Dosunmu drew a foul and sank two free throws with 9.8 seconds left to put the game out of reach and tie the series at two games apiece.

San Antonio hosts Game 5 on Tuesday, with Wembanyama’s status to be determined by the league following the Flagrant 2 foul call and automatic ejection he was levied for the excessive contact to Reid.

Harper and Fox each scored 24 points and Stephon Castle added 20 as the Spurs guards unflinchingly took the baton from their 7-foot-4 superstar and turned the rest of the night into a midrange clinic with an array of pull-up jumpers in and around the paint.

“Just trying to be what the team needed me to be,” said Harper, the second overall pick in the NBA draft last year. “I think I did OK. Obviously the main goal is to win. We didn't get that done.”

The crowd at Target Center went wild when Wembanyama walked off the floor with Minnesota leading by two, but the Wolves never fully took advantage of the gift created by his absence. They've long had a tendency of losing their edge, particularly defensively, when an opponent's star player is missing.

“When every team is missing their best player, everybody plays free. They get more shots, more confident,” Edwards said. “So I think it was a lot harder on us.”

After committing six turnovers in a 20-point third quarter, the Wolves found themselves in another eight-point hole early in the fourth following Fox's 3-pointer before delivering another clutch finish.

“We have a resilient group of guys. No matter the circumstances, we are going to keep fighting and give everything we have and keep trusting one another,” Gobert said. “Just making the right play. That’s who we are. We might not be always consistent with that, but I feel like when it matters, we raise our level.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson talks to his players during the first half in Game 2 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series against the Minnesota Timberwolves in San Antonio, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch calls for the review of a play during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball second-round playoffs series against the San Antonio Spurs in Minneapolis, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) is fouled as he drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball second-round playoffs series in Minneapolis, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, left, looks to shoot against San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball second-round playoffs series in Minneapolis, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards reacts after scoring against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball second-round playoffs series in Minneapolis, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)