[2] Lovato described the album as having a more "soulful" side than her previous work, and named Christina Aguilera, Aretha Franklin, and Kehlani as its major influences.

[3] Contributions to the album's production came from several producers, including Mitch Allan, David Massey, Oak Felder, Stint, and John Hill.

[5] The title track was released as the album's second and final single on November 14, peaking at number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 and later being certified double Platinum by the RIAA.

[6] Upon its release, Tell Me You Love Me received generally favorable reviews from music critics, many of whom praised its production and Lovato's emotive vocal performance, with some deeming it her finest album to date.

[7] On May 7, 2021, Lovato released previous Target-edition bonus tracks "Smoke & Mirrors" and "Ready for Ya" as part of the deluxe version of the album.

[12] However, she revealed to Mike Adam in August 2017 that after doing charity work earlier that year, she felt rejuvenated and started creating music again, which eventually led to an album.

[13] Lovato also told MTV News that month she was influenced by many artists for Tell Me You Love Me, including Aretha Franklin, Christina Aguilera, and Kehlani.

Becky G and Jorge Blanco were announced as opening acts on the Latin America leg of the tour, which was later canceled due to health issues.

"[20][21] On the other hand, she also deemed Tell Me You Love Me a "soulful" record, as she explained to Time magazine, its sonority serves as a real representation of who she was artistically and personally at that moment.

[22] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic perceived, although there are ghosts of traditional soul threaded through the record, "the production is firmly modern, filled with electronic flair and allusions to hip-hop rhythms.

"[23] Having an electronic production, the album opens with the lead single "Sorry Not Sorry", which contains several synthesized effects such as handclaps, finger snaps, a distorted bass voice and club synths.

[26][27] Elias Leight of Rolling Stone noted that Lovato expands to fill the track's empty space by "belting her non-apology with the vindictive force of someone who knows their actions are justified.

[30][31] Lovato explained to Billboard that "Tell Me You Love Me" is about "the vulnerability of coming out of a very serious relationship and having a tough time with it," and further commented that lines as "You ain't nobody 'til you got somebody," "calls out a big misconception.

"[32] Exhibiting influences from 1980s and 1990s musical styles, the third track "Sexy Dirty Love" has an uptempo danceable rhythm that blends funk and disco as well as "old-school" R&B and electro genres.

[33][35] Composed in a compound time signature, "You Don't Do It for Me Anymore" features a slow tempo subdued beat and strings chords.

[40][41] Mike Nied from Idolator observed that in the track Lovato "is hooked on some good loving, and she is content to keep things casual."

[42][43] In "Ruin the Friendship", Lovato invites a special friend to take their relationship to a romantic level, appreciating his appearance and confessing her sexual intentions with him.

[50][51] A downtempo ballad with influences from rock n' roll music, "Cry Baby" makes use of a pounding piano, snare and bass drums, and electric guitar riff slides.

"[32] As Alexia Camp of Slant Magazine commented, it finds Lovato "giving as good as she gets when her object of affection sends mixed (text) messages.

[63] Writing for Idolator, Mike Nied gave the record 4 stars out of 5 and stated that "Demi finally hits her stride" with the album.

He added that "instead of sprinkling one or two hits among a lot of filler, the hitmaker has finally recruited the right team and found her voice over sparkling mid-tempos and frenetic bangers.

[44] In a positive review, Aidin Vaziri of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that Lovato "feels jilted, and conjuring the battle cries of pop predecessors like Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson, [Lovato] unleashes on exes and backstabbing friends with the kind of vocal firepower best appreciated from a safe distance".

[67] Los Angeles Times writer Mikael Wood praised the album's tracks as "catchy and funny and sexy and daring", and wrote that Tell Me You Love Me "presents a singer burning with purpose".