Demi Lovato reveals that she's relapsed in her new single 'Sober'
In a world which can't help but pass judgement on what women in the public eye choose to do, you'd be hard-pressed to find a female celebrity who is as celebrated for her off-stage endeavours as she is for her appearance and fame - that is, with one exception, of course: Demi Lovato.
In recent years, the pop-star has aligned herself with the body positivity and mental health awareness movements, after being outspoken about her own struggles in these regards. Certainly, back in March, Demi halted a concert to give an empowering speech about the realities of living with a mental illness, and she also announced that she was celebrating her sixth year of sobriety.
Speaking to the audience in Brooklyn, New York, she asserted: "Six years ago I was drinking vodka out of a Sprite bottle at nine in the morning, throwing up in the car and I just remember thinking, 'This is no longer cute. This is no longer fun. And I'm just like my dad.' So I made changes in my life."
However, her new single, Sober, which was released on Thursday morning, seems to imply that she has relapsed.
While on tour promoting her latest album, Tell Me You Love Me, Demi took to Twitter and Instagram on Thursday morning to announce that she had released a new single. Titled Sober, the song appears to reveal that the songstress has relapsed after more than six years of sobriety. "My truth... #sober out now," Demi captioned the post.
"Momma I’m so sorry I’m not sober anymore / And Daddy please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor," Demi sings in the refrain. "To the ones who never left me, we’ve been down this road before / I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore."
She also issues an apology to her fans, singing, "I’m sorry for the fans I lost, who watched me fall again / I wanna be a role model, but I’m only human." However, there does appear to be hope, as Demi then reassures both herself and her supporters that she will seek the help she so requires. "I’m sorry that I’m here again," she continues. "I promise I’ll get help / It wasn’t my intention / I’m sorry to myself."
In recent years, the erstwhile Disney star has become increasingly outspoken about her struggles with sobriety and mental illness. Speaking at the same concert back in March, Demi asserted that she actively uses her influence to encourage an open dialogue about mental health and the stigma that surrounds it.
"I made changes in my life, and the reason I became so open about my story is because I know that there are people here tonight that need to ask for help, and I want you to know that that’s okay," she said.
"Mental health is something that we all need to talk about, and we need to take the stigma away from it. So let’s raise the awareness. Let’s let everybody know it’s okay to have a mental illness, it’s okay to have an addiction problem. I’m bipolar — like, whatever! I take care of myself. And I can never say ‘Thank you’ enough to you guys for the support that you’ve given me over the years, and you’ve forgiven me for my mistakes."
Demi's honestly should certainly be applauded - and if we are to take Sober's lyrics at face value, we hope that she receives the help she needs to get back on track.