Demi Lovato’s Rock Version Of “Heart Attack” Goes Off

Demi Lovato delivering another grungy, rock banger? Yes, please. Instead of dropping a new track, Lovato dug into her archive and gave one of her greatest hits, “Heart Attack,” the re-recorded treatment. On March 24, the singer released a “Rock Version” of the 2013 hit, layering it with new vocals and production slick enough to send listeners into a head-banging wave. (Demi uses both she/her and they/them pronouns; we will be using she/her in this article.)

This new release comes on the track’s 10-year anniversary, which is mind-blowing to think about. To ace this reimagine, Lovato added darker touches to “Heart Attack” and reunited with the OG track’s producer, Mitch Allan, and Oak Felder, whose sonic expertise can be heard on her 2022 Holy Fvck album.

“I’m so happy to be able to give a new life to ‘Heart Attack’ with a sound that reflects where I am with my music,” Lovato said in a press release. “This one is for the fans who have shown so much love to the song over the last decade, thank you for riding with me!”

The singer first teased this new version on her Holy Fvck tour last year. The original tune always had an underlying rock edge, so to hear her exemplify those sonic moments with spiky guitar solos is sublime. These elements only elevate how dramatic the lyrics are, as comparing falling in love to having a massive heart attack needs some raging production. Let’s dive into how the reworked version differs from the 2013 arrangement.

The first 10 seconds of the re-recording is reminiscent to the original, which sees Lovato belting the iconic bridge in an EDM-inspired staccato. However, the newer release replaces the original’s trap beat with punk-styled drums and a gritty baseline. There’s something about this percussion that hits differently, almost as if it’s replicating Lovato’s heartbeat once she realizes that she has feelings for her mystery beau.

“Never put my love out on the line / Never said “yes” to the right guy / Never had trouble getting what I want / But when it comes to you, I’m never good enough,” Lovato sings, her vocals mature yet slightly raspy.

This track has always been one of Lovato’s most vocally challenging tunes, but she doesn’t make that known here. Her voice gleams with confidence as she nears the chorus, nailing every high note she established in the original. Even her new delivery of ‘heart a-ta-a-a-ack’ in the repeated chorus is stunning and floats well over the updated production.

“You make me glow / But I cover up, won’t let it show / So I’m putting my defenses up / ‘Cause I don't wanna fall in love / If I ever did that, I think I’d have a heart attack / I think I’d have a heart attack I think I'd have a heart attack,” she coos.

This swelling arrangement pulses throughout the bridge and outro, which introduces listeners to the second major difference. In the original ending, the electro-pop synths were cut short. Meanwhile, the rock version’s outro doesn’t end rather quickly and lingers for another 20 seconds. With how pleasing that brooding, guitar-drum mix is, Lovato could’ve kept it in for another minute and it still would’ve been amazing.

Honestly, this re-recording is a gritty present fans never knew they needed. With that said, a rock version of “Cool For The Summer” is in order. Check out “Heart Attack (Rock Version)” below.