Considering Scream is one of the most popular horror franchises ever, it’s no surprise that there’s a lot of buzz around the latest installment: Scream 6 debuts on Thursday, March 9, starring Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, and Courteney Cox. Fans of Ghostface (the masked serial killer in the film) are ready for a new round of jump scares—and it turns out, so is Demi Lovato. The singer is a major fan of the films and even wrote a special song, “Still Alive,” for its soundtrack. “Horror is by far my favorite film genre, but what I specifically love about this franchise is the element of tongue-in-cheek humor,” Lovato tells Vogue. “And they always have the best cameos!”
Lovato’s new track riffs off the idea of survival. She says we can all relate to the inner and outer battles that the Scream final girls have to go through. “It’s an anthem I wrote with Laura Veltz and Mike Shinoda about resilience and coming back stronger than ever even after a fall,” she says Lovato. “The characters in the film definitely know something about that, so this song felt like the perfect fit for the film.” While Lovato isn’t making a cameo in the film, the star says she did get to do press with some of the cast members such as Ortega, Barrera, and Hayden Panettiere—and she was totally inspired by their performance. “They’re such a talented group of young actors who’ve been able to bring in a new generation of fans and their performances in this new film are next level,” she says.
Last night in New York City, Lovato was reunited with some of the stars at the film’s world premiere. Styled by Maleeka Moss (with glam by hairstylist Valerie Vanessa and makeup artist Colby Smith), her red-carpet look nodded to the film. Specifically, the iconic black robe worn by Ghostface. (She forwent the mask.) “I knew I wanted to find a look that had a wink and a nod to the film, yet also was red-carpet glam at the same time,” says Lovato. “Ghostface would be proud.”
Lovato chose a fitted black column gown with elongated sleeves, from Chiara Boni La Petite Robe’s fall 2023 collection. “It actually wasn’t easy—I had found a few looks, but something was missing,” she says. “We knew we needed to strike that right balance. The moment I tried it on, I knew it was exactly what I wanted—and it fit like a glove.”
The edgy-chic aesthetic of her premiere outfit served as a continuation of the rocker looks that Demi Lovato wore onstage during her Holy Fvck Tour last year. “My last album and tour leaned heavy on rock, and my style was a bit of a nod to the genre and ’90s grunge scene,” she says. “The music I’m creating now plays off that because my roots are always going to be rock; this red-carpet look reflects that, while still nodding to the film and the song ‘Still Alive.’”
If you’re wondering whether Demi Lovato has more new music coming after Scream, you’re in luck. The singer says she’s already back in the studio working on the next album. “I was more inspired than ever coming off my last tour—getting to travel the world and performing to fans reignited so much passion, so I have been writing a lot lately,” she says. “Just last week I had the honor of being in the studio with Alice Cooper, another rock icon who has inspired my sound.”
Whenever she does drop that album, you can expect a whole new fashion era to go with it too. “I’m really into fashion lately, because it allows me to sync visuals with my musical expression, so I definitely plan on bringing out some more fashion moments this year,” says Lovato. “I’m really happy to be in a place where my musical art form and fashion feels in sync. I’m ready to hit the ground running even harder this year!”
This post was originally published in Vogue.
