Demi Lovato kicked off her RodeoHouston performance extolling the virtues of self confidence and practiced what she sang, ripping through fan favorites during her third appearance at the big rodeo.

Lovato, a Dallas native, debuted her fresh wavy lob, cut just days before her Houston show. Dressed in a white shirtdress with blue belt and blue lace up booties, she offered a powerful performance before a crowd of 66,740, many of whom originally bought tickets to see Meghan Trainor at the rodeo. Lovato stepped up after Trainor was forced to cancel her performance on doctor-ordered vocal rest.

“There's so many lights. It’s so cool to look out there and see so many beautiful people,” Lovato said. “I’m really grateful you all stuck around for the show, cuz I know you're here for the rodeo. I’m really glad you guys didn't leave. It brings such joy to me that you guys didn’t leave.”

Lovato’s previous RodeoHouston performances have ranged from pop-heavy parties to emotionally vulnerable concerts, but Tuesday night she showed a mature and relaxed stage presence, breezily chatting before songs. She gave props to BFF Nick Jonas for inspiration to be herself and said the summer of 2016 gave her lots of creative material.

“Last summer, I went through heartbreak and had kind of a spiritual experience. I matured. My music matured as well, and Nick encouraged me to allow myself to be free,” Lovato said.

Lovato prefaced "Wildfire," saying it was one of her favorite songs from 2015’s Confident album, and pulled up a wooden stool to sing "Fix A Heart." She shined during a soulful singing of "Nightingale," and bared her soul before singing "Stone Cold."

“This song means so much to me. It’s about heartbreak. I get completely lost in it when I sing it. It hurts every time I sing it, but I sing it because I know someone out here is going through the exact feelings I had when I wrote this song,” Lovato said. The singer broke up with actor Wilmer Vaderrama in June 2016 after a six-year relationship.

She paid homage to the soulfulness of the South with a version of "Natural Woman" and admonished the crowd that began booing when Lovato said she grew up in Dallas, saying, “Texas is Texas y’all.”

Fan favorites "Give Your Heart A Break" and "Cool For The Summer" ended the show on an upbeat note, leaving the audience dancing in their seats and ready for hot times.

Set List:
Confident
Heart Attack
Got Dynamite
Firestarter
For You
Wildfire
Body Say
Old Ways
Fix A Heart
Nightingale
Warrior
LionHeart
Stone Cold
Skyscraper
Neon Lights
Give Your Heart A Break
Cool For The Summer

"It hurts every time I sing it, but I sing it because I know someone out here is going through the exact feelings I had when I wrote this song,” Lovato said.

Photo by Michelle Watson/Catchlight Group

"It hurts every time I sing it, but I sing it because I know someone out here is going through the exact feelings I had when I wrote this song,” Lovato said.