At just 22 years of age, Demi Lovato has lived an incredible roller coaster of a life. From her start on Barney to Camp Rock to two seasons as a mentor on The X-Factor she has literally grown up in the spotlight. Her substance abuse challenges and battle with bulimia are well documented, but she has come through it stronger. It was this fiercer, empowered yet still humble, Demi Lovato that made her Calgary debut October 5^th at the Saddledome in front of an audience composed mainly of young females, parents, and gay fans.

The show kicked off with "Really Don't Care" – the video for which was filmed at LA Pride and features members of the gay community. "The Middle" and "Firestarter" continued the show as Lovato, decked out in black leather, thrashed her hair, appearing to draw energy from the screams and sing-alongs of the adoring crowd. In their eyes, she could do no wrong.

Therein lies the appeal of Demi Lovato. In an age where female artists sing lyrics about drug dealing, sex, and wear next to nothing on stage and in videos, Lovato remains wholesome without being cheesy. A video played at the start of the concert was about inspiring the audience to get lost with her in the moment. She smiles a lot. She seemed to want to make eye contact with everyone and took cell phone videos and photos. There was a lengthy moment where she sat at the piano and just talked. She spoke about how she used to not play piano solo because of the fear of making mistakes and it being noticeable. She touched on her past, but said that she prefers to look at the present and the future. It could have come across as preachy or contrived, but Lovato is so likeable and humble that it felt heartfelt.

"I talk a lot because I just want to hang out with all of you," she said. It was as much about the audience as it was about her.

This year has seen a lot of big-name female acts come through the province and city: from Katy Perry, just a month ago, to P!nk in January. In comparison to the spectacle put on by many of her peers like Perry, Rihanna and even icons like Cher and Madonna, Lovato’s show was simple: two platforms for the band, four dancers and a large screen. She didn’t fly above the crowd. There were no inflatables or gimmicks. Lovato let her personality and her voice do the work and, unlike many of her colleagues, she sang every note. Her voice was spectacular. She can absolutely sing her ass off. It is, in some ways, unfair to compare Lovato to other young female pop singers. In concert she feels more like a rock show than a pop show. This was more Kelly Clarkson than Perry, and there is no fault in that.

Lovato’s songs are anthemic: from "Warrior" – inspired by the Maasai tribal women of Africa – to the album version of the biggest inspirational track of recent memory – Frozen's "Let It Go" – it was an uplifting and positive "Lovatic" experience, regardless of age or level of fandom. All to soon Lovato reached the homestretch – surrounded by fog for a stunning version of "Skyscraper", ramping up the energy for "Give Your Heart A Break", and wrapping things up with "Neon Lights".

If there is one criticism for the show it’s that, as a headliner, Lovato performed for a scant hour and ten minutes. With four albums released the show should have been longer. It may explain why Lovato had three opening acts: MKTO, Christina Perri and Quebec singer Andee. Toronto speaker Spencer West, a double amputee who has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, also spoke during the two hours before Lovato took the stage. Perri, herself, was a highlight and matched Lovato in voice and charisma. What I heard of Andee, while waiting to be taken to shoot Lovato’s photos, sounded great as well. While it is nice to support other artists by putting them on an arena tour and giving their fans a longer show, in the end it was Lovato’s name on the ticket, and whom the audience paid to see. It would have been even more inspiring to see more.