Demi Lovato had a Disney Channel full-circle moment during the opening night of her It’s Not That Deep tour at the Kia Center in Orlando on Monday night, as the singer reconnected with Selena Gomez after years of estrangement and was joined onstage by her Camp Rock co-star (and ex-boyfriend) Joe Jonas for a surprise performance of Camp Rock classic “This Is Me.”

Those were healing moments that reflected a new air of confidence Lovato exuded as she strutted down the catwalk during opening night. Her smiles were wide, her chin held high, and she locked into the crowd with a clear understanding of the power she holds with her microphone. That’s why Monday’s opening night concert felt extra special: it was Lovato returning to what she does best. 

Monday night marked the start of Lovato’s 18-show run, where she’s also set to perform next in D.C. on April 16 before shows in Philly, Boston, and New York’s Madison Square Garden before a run on the west coast. She’ll close the run on May 25 in Houston.

Throughout her 24-song setlist, Lovato embraced the pop spectacle she walked away from a few years ago, delivering sharp vocals, full-bodied choreography, and a deep catalog of hits in a way that simultaneously felt fresh and nostalgic. The night was further amplified by a surprise Jonas to revive a song they hadn’t performed in 17 years, along with a backstage reunion with Gomez after years of estrangement.

Prior to the show, Gomez was seen arriving with a large bouquet of flowers meant for Lovato. Gomez also shared a video of herself wearing Lovato’s It’s Not That Deep merch from her box in the crowd. She shared several Instagram Stories from opening night, including photos of Lovato onstage, and an image of the two of them taken backstage. “I am in tears,” Gomez wrote. “@ddlovato – this was hands down one of the best shows. Oh and the VOCALS? Psh *blown away.”

Gomez and Lovato had not been seen publicly together in over a decade. They first connected as children on Barney & Friends and later when they starred on Disney Channel’s Sonny With a Chance and Wizards of Waverly Place.They were also co-stars on Princess Protection Program in 2009.  While it’s unclear when they stopped being friends, Lovato told Harper’s Bazaar in 2020, “When you grow up with somebody, you’re always going to have love for them. But I’m not friends with her. I will always have love for her, and I wish everybody nothing but the best.” 

Things seemed to shift over the last year. Back in September, Lovato congratulated Gomez on her engagement to Benny Blanco, saying “I couldn’t be happier for her.”

Lovato opened the show with the sexy, raunchy energy of It’s Not That Deep, performing a trio of fan favorites from the album — “Fast,” “Kiss,” and “Frequency” — surrounded by her dancers in a set designed like the backstage corridors of a film studio, echoing the industrial energy of her “Kiss” music video.

It’s on “Kiss” where she sings the lyric, “It’s not that deep unless you want it to be,” which feels like the thesis of the era Lovato is in now. On the surface, the show plays like a sleek, electro-pop set that leans into the dancey sonics of her newest record while still weaving in the hits. But at a closer look, the set reveals something more intentional: Lovato reclaiming the popstar identity she once distanced herself from. And she realizes it suits her quite well.

That reclamation is especially evident in what’s missing. Her Holy Fvck and Dancing With the Devil…The Art of Starting Over eras are largely absent from the setlist, save for the possibility of appearing as a surprise song. (She cleverly plays into the fashion aesthetics of those eras, inviting a lucky fan to pick an outfit from her past to help decide which surprise song she’ll perform that evening.) 

As for the moment with Joe, Lovato welcomed him during a surprise song segment of the show when she started singing “This Is Me,” before welcoming him onstage for his verse. Lovato last played the song with the Jonas Brothers when they headlined MetLife Stadium last year. They also performed “On the Line,” a duet from her first album Don’t Forget. The duo had not performed that song in nearly 18 years.

“We haven’t done it in so many years,” Lovato said. “I think it’s been more like 7 [years]!”

“You wanna hear another one?” asked Jonas onstage. “Who knows it?”

The duet with Jonas reinforced the self-work and healing Lovato has undergone over the last several years, and the security she feels in her life. She gave a sweet mention to her husband, Jutes, who was also in the crowd. Five years ago, the notion that a Demi Lovato show would feature Joe Jonas and have Selena Gomez in the audience may have felt far-fetched. 

Throughout the show, Lovato performed full versions of songs like “Heart Attack,” “Sorry Not Sorry,” and “Confident,” staying close to the way they were originally recorded. After a weekend where Justin Bieber made headlines for playing seconds-long snippets of his older songs, it felt refreshing to see a peer fully embrace her past onstage — a mature return to form. She also made way for her beloved ballads: “Stone Cold” and “Skyscraper,” during intimate moments with her fans. During the set, Lovato also debuted unreleased tracks “Low Rise Jeans” and “Fantasy,” delivering new choreography and giving the It’s Not That Deep era even more dimension.

With the tour, Lovato has also committed to uplifting the next generation of pop girls, offering her opening slot to Adéla, who delivers a star-making performance, backed by four dancers, a ballet barre, and outfit changes. 

With the It’s Not That Deep tour, Lovato is no longer performing as someone trying to prove her edge or distance herself from her pop pedigree. Instead, she’s leaning fully into the fun of it all. If Monday night was any indication, the tour is less about the weight of the past and more about the freedom of finally being comfortable in her own skin.