"29" is a song by American singer Demi Lovato from her eighth studio album, Holy Fvck (2022). Island Records released the song on August 17, 2022, as the album's third single. It was written by Lovato along with Oak Felder, Alex Niceforo, Keith Sorrells, Laura Veltz, and Sean Douglas. Produced by Felder, Niceforo, and Sorrells, "29" is a rock song with lyrics about age gaps in relationships.
"29" received positive reviews from music critics, many of whom praised its lyrics and Lovato's vocals, and named it the best track on Holy Fvck. It became a viral trend on the video-sharing app TikTok, prompting people to share their stories about grooming, and marked the album's only song to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian Hot 100, while reaching the top ten on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. Additionally, it earned a platinum certification in Brazil. Lovato performed "29" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and included it on the set list of the Holy Fvck Tour (2022).
Background and release
After being inspired by American rock band Dead Sara's album Ain't It Tragic (2021), Demi Lovato announced the "funeral" of her former pop music and her return to the rock and pop-punk roots that she experimented with on her first two studio albums, released in 2008 and 2009, respectively.[1] On June 6, 2022, Lovato announced her eighth studio album, Holy Fvck, set to release on August 19, along with its cover artwork.[2] A press release indicated that the album would include sixteen tracks. Weeks later, on July 14, the album's track listing was revealed, which included "29" as the sixth song.[3]
"29" was first announced as the album's third single by Billboard.[4] The song was officially confirmed as a single by Lovato and it was released for streaming and digital download on August 17, 2022.[5]Island Records released it to the US contemporary hit radio days later.[6]
Composition and lyrics
Upon posting a snippet of the song on TikTok, fans speculated that the lyrics are a reference to Lovato's ex-boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama, whom she dated for 6 years.[4] They met when she was 17 and he was 29, as the lyrics of the song say: "Finally 29, 17 would never cross my mind".[7] It quickly became a viral trend on the app, prompting people to share their stories about grooming and abusive relationships with an inappropriate age gap.[8][9][10]
Regarding the song's subject matter, Lovato stated to Zane Lowe in an interview with Apple Music 1 that she "feel[s] like the song says it all" and followed by saying: "I don't have to say too much, to be honest, but turning 29 was a huge eye-opener for me. I would be lying if I said I didn't have a ton of anxiety about putting out this song". She further added: "I just said, 'I have to go for this. I have to own my truth.' Yeah. And I do still walk that line very finely. I've learned that sometimes saying less is more."[10]
I came out of treatment with understanding and growth and so it was like a reflective song for me. Even though there are undertones of anger, I really learned a lot about that experience. I decided to write about it. [...] If you're a young girl and you think that it's sexy or fun to date older men, it's not okay, unless you're of age. It's portrayed as, 'Oh you scored someone older! That's cool!' and actually, that's weird. [...] It's just like a reflective moment of if you're in that situation. Just listen to this song and think about it. I think sometimes the public needs the truth and that's why I decided to release it as a single because the message is so important.
"29" received positive reviews from music critics. The song was described by James Hall of The Daily Telegraph as "a soaring slab of radio-friendly rock".[12]Sputnikmusic said that songs like "29" immediately "raise the stakes lyrically".[13]AllMusic critic Neil Yeung claimed the most attention-grabbing moment on the album comes with "29", and described it as "a scathing takedown of a past relationship with mind-blowing lyrics".[14] Emily Swingle of Clash stated that "nothing compares to the raw pain captured on the song". She named "29" as "undeniably the stand-out track in every way", praised Lovato's powerful vocals and soaring drums and guitars, and said that "are goose-bump inducing, a bruising ache of emotion".[15]
Samantha Olson of Seventeen named "29" as one of the best songs released in 2022.[16] Callie Ahlgrim of Insider Inc. ranked "29" as the best song on Holy Fvck. Ahlgrim praised the way that Lovato "manages to sing from a place of wisdom and maturity without shying away from the details", and the inclusion of "frank references to menstruation and daddy issues".[17]Billboard journalist Stephen Daw ranked it as one of the best songs on the album, stating that "sounds like the kind of musing that comes after years of finding the right words to say about a traumatic event".[18] The song was included by Los Angeles Times in the list of the 100 Best songs of 2022.[19]
Commercial performance
"29" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 96, her 36th entry[20] and the only song from Holy Fvck to appear on the chart to date.[21] It also became her first top-ten single on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.[22] Outside the United States, it charted at number 95 on the Canadian Hot 100 for one week,[23] and was her sixth song to appear on the Billboard Global 200.[24] Additionally, "29" peaked at number 14 on the component New Zealand Hot Singles chart published by Recorded Music NZ.[25] Two years after its release, the song received a platinum certification from Pro-Música Brasil, after selling 40,000 units in the country.[26]
Live performances
Lovato performed "29" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on August 18, 2022, as part of her three-night takeover of the show to promote the album.[27] She also performed the song as part of the setlist of her seventh headlining concert tour, the Holy Fvck Tour (2022).[28] In addition, the official Vevo Live performance of the song was released, along with performances of "Eat Me", "Freak" and "Happy Ending".[29]
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