Prior to official release, "Confident" leaked online on August 24, 2015.[2] On August 27, 2015, Lovato revealed the cover, title, release date and tracklist of her fifth studio album Confident on Twitter. Following the announcement of the album's release, Lovato stated the title track was "really the best way to represent me today", adding that "I feel very secure in who I am as an artist and a person. That's what I'm trying to portray."[3] Lovato told MTV that the song influenced in the choice of album's title: "It definitely was kind of a no-brainer when we called it Confident," she said, "also one of the songs on the album is called Confident.' Whenever I make an album and try to think of a name, I always look to the track list and what song represents this album the most.[4] The song was officially released on September 18, 2015,[5] and included as an instant gratification track to accompany digital pre-orders of the album through Apple Music. Lovato debuted "Confident" on Apple Music's Beats 1 during an interview with Pete Wentz.[6] On August 18, 2023, a rock re-recording titled "Confident (Rock Version)" was released and included on her remix album Revamped.[7]
Composition
Musically, "Confident" is a "drum-line driven"[8] pop,[9]electropop and pop rock song[10] about empowerment and confidence.[6] According to Universal Music Publishing's official digital sheet music on Musicnotes.com, the song is set in compound quadruple meter (12 8 time) with a tempo of 130 beats per minute. It is set in the key of E♭ minor and Lovato's vocal range spans from the low note of E♭3 to the high note of B♭5.[11] The song features a drumbeat and Lovato asking "What's wrong with being confident?"[6] along with finger snaps. Lovato sings in the second pre-chorus: "So you say I'm complicated / But you had me underrated", following of the chorus.[12] Critics noted that the song beat is reminiscent of Depeche Mode's 1989 song "Personal Jesus".[8][13]
Critical reception
Digital Spy reviewed the song positively, saying that "The track is a strutting, brass-laden pop anthem, which hears her take full control."[14] Music Times also reviewed the song positively, saying "'Confident' shows a sassy, sexy side of Lovato. With rounds of thunderous drums and honks of brass horns, 'Confident' is all new Demi, with no signs of heartbreak or struggle in sight."[15] Nick Levine from the site NME wrote that the song "fuses hip-hop horns and Joan Jett beats and has her bragging 'it's all about me tonight'".[16] Glenn Ganboa from Newsday in review for the album, said: "The title cut has the feel of a Britney Spears track musically -- perhaps producer Max Martin has something to do with that -- but its feminist lyrics take the song to the next level.[17] Reviewing the album, Annie Zaleski of The A.V. Club called the song a "saucy, self-centered track."[18] The reviewer also commented positively about the song, describing it as a "galloping, horn-plastered title track.[18]Billboard and American Songwriter ranked the song number three and number four, respectively, on their lists of the 10 greatest Demi Lovato songs.[19][20]
Chart performance
"Confident" debuted at number 84 on the US Billboard Hot 100 issued for October 10, 2015.[21] After the release of the music video, the song re-entered on the chart at number 58 on the chart of October 31, 2015.[22] In the next week, after Lovato's performance of the song with a melody with "Cool for the Summer" on Saturday Night Live, "Confident" climbed from number 58 to number 31, prompted by a 127% increase in sales (48,000 downloads sold) and a 43% increase to US streams (4.3 million streams), winning a Streaming Gainer honor that week.[23][24] Following Lovato's performance of the song at the 2015 American Music Awards on November 22, 2015, the song rose from number 36 to number 28, selling 50,000 copies(+71% in sales from last week) on the week end of December 12, 2015.[25] For the week ending December 19, 2015, "Confident" rose from the number 28 to number 21 on the chart (its peak position).[26] It has sold over four million units in the United States being certified quadruple Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[27]
The song reached number 37 in the Canada.[28] On March 10, 2015, "Confident" received the certification of platinum on the country for sales of 80,000 copies.[29] In Australia, "Confident" debuted at number 35 on the Australian Singles Chart for the week ending November 1, 2015.[30] The following week, it fell off the chart. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number 65 on the UK Singles Chart.[31] "Confident" initially entered the Irish Singles Chart at number 68 on the chart issued for October 22, 2015. The following week the song climbed seven positions and peaked number 61 on the country.[32] Elsewhere, "Confident" attained peaks of number 27 in Scotland,[33] number 23 in Slovakia,[34] number 55 in the Netherlands.[35] and number 27 in New Zealand.[30]
Released on October 9, 2015, through Lovato's Vevo channel, the music video for "Confident" was directed by Robert Rodriguez, stars Lovato along with Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, Zane Holtz and Marko Zaror,[36] and was shot at Troublemaker Studios in Austin, Texas. Lovato had asked Robert Rodriguez to direct the music video after meeting him through her role as Maia in From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series. Speaking to MTV, the director said: "We have created our own method, our own way of making movies. So whenever I am going to do a project, and especially something I really care about, I have to do it here."
The director also explain that he imagined the video while listening to the song: "When I got the music and I heard it, it was so epic and cinematic. It sounded so much like a movie score. It had so much energy, I had to call [Lovato] and find out how she came up with it. She said that she wanted to put more of a rock influence into some of the songs in the album; that was totally up my alley."[37] In a behind the scenes interview, Michelle Rodriguez said: "The song is so cool, I love the message behind it, about the girls believing in themselves." She also commented about her participation on the video: "What really caught my attention was the bonding of girls who were hating on each other, and then all of a sudden join forces."[38] Robert also stated to MTV:
"I wanted it to look like a movie, not like a vamped up, over-the-top music video or a movie in a video, but actually something that looked like it was from a spy film. I felt it was this great culmination of movie, ideas and visuals all put together into this song created by Demi Lovato."[37]
Synopsis
The video starts with Lovato in a maximum security prison where she is offered a pardon by a US marshal (Fahey) for the capture of Michelle Rodriguez's character. Sent to apprehend her, Lovato soon realizes that Rodriguez is actually in league with the marshal and that Lovato is the one being set up for treason. As the police attempt to take Lovato back to prison, she fights back and attempts to stop Rodriguez. Rodriguez overpowers her and she is taken captive by the police in a prison bus. However, Lovato knocks her captors unconscious, breaks free and jumps into Rodriguez's trailing car. A fistfight ensues before the pair realize that they were both played (and branded) by the marshal. They then team up to apprehend the marshal, who is later arrested by the police. Lovato and Rodriguez then bid farewell and leave on their motorcycles.[39]
Lovato performing "Confident" during the opening of the Future Now Tour at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The song served as the opening track of Lovato's solo set list during the tour.
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201545 into search.
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