6 Times Demi Lovato Opened Up About Her Struggles In Her Music

Demi Lovato is a survivor and she's never shied away from discussing her struggles with addiction in her music.

In celebration of the recent premiere of her four-part Youtube documentary, Dancing With The Devil, which explores "every aspect that led to her nearly fatal overdose in 2018 and her awakenings in the aftermath," we're looking back at six times the former Disney star bravely opened up about some of her darkest times.

From "Sober" to "Skyscraper" to "Old Ways," Demi's transparency in her music has allowed her to not only become a successful pop star, but also a beacon of hope.

1. "Skyscraper" (2011)

Demi recorded "Skyscraper" before entering treatment for a second time in 2011. Though she made two versions — the one she recorded before treatment and one after she left treatment — she told E! News at the time, the one she recorded after leaving treatment "just didn't feel the same."

"For me it was ... so symbolic, it being the song I recorded before treatment and yet it was providing a message," she explained. "It's so crazy the way things played out, that it ended up being my symbol and it represented what I'm trying to spread the word about: getting help and rising above any issues that [I and] my fans are dealing with."

The pop star also previously told Ryan Seacrest that the track was a "cry for help."

Lyrics: "As the smoke clears/ I awaken/ And untangle you from me/ Would it make you/ Feel better/ To watch me while I bleed/ All my windows/ Still are broken/ But I'm standing on my feet"

2. "Warrior" (2013)

"Warrior" is a sequel to Demi's 2011 track "Skyscraper." The pop star sings about moving forward and learning from her past.

Lyrics: There's a part of me I can't get back/ A little girl grew up too fast/ All it took was once, I'll never be the same/ Now I'm taking back my life today/ Nothing left that you can say/ 'Cause you are never gonna take the blame anyway

3. "Old Ways" (2015)

“The first thing I think about is going back to a time when I was engaging in self-destructive behaviors,” Demi told Billboard in 2015 of “Old Ways.”

“But it’s also like, now being at an age where I’ll go out to a club and I’ll look around the room, and there’s a bunch of people drinking, partying … it looks glamorous,” she continued. “In that moment, I may think, ‘You know, it’s been a long time. Maybe I don’t have a problem anymore.’ Or ‘They look like they’re having so much fun.’ I easily remember how dangerous that spiral is, when you’re the type of person that lets it take over your life.”

Demi added, “When you look forward and you write a new chapter in your book, that’s when the story really begins."

Lyrics: “But if somebody tells me/ I'll go back to my old ways/ I'm gonna say no way/ I'm out of the doorway/ I'm hearing them all say/ I'll go back to my old ways/ Not going back to my old ways/ Not going back to my old ways/ Every scar/ The flames burnt them all/ I'm not afraid to fall/ I'm spiraling, I'm spiraling/ Past the stars/ I'm not burning out/ I'm not afraid to fall/ I'm not afraid anymore"

4. "You Don't Do It For Me Anymore" (2017)

While many fans first thought "You Don't Do It For Me Anymore" was merely about a breakup, Demi has shared that the track has a "double meaning,"

"Everyone relates to this song differently, and that's the beauty of music. You're allowed to connect with a song in the way that you choose," Demi told Billboard in 2017. "For some people this song is about the end of a relationship, but for me, it's a goodbye letter to my old self and some of my destructive behaviors. So it's deeply personal."

Lyrics: "Money won't pay for your problems/ You gotta fix them yourself/ Vices and pity won't solve 'em/ Stop feeling bad for yourself/ I won't fall for your games/ So don't hate me when I say/ That you/ Don't do it for me anymore/ No, you/ Don't do it for me anymore"

5. "Sober" (2018)

"Sober" is how Demi told her fans that she had broken her six-year sobriety. A month after the song's release, she was hospitalized due to a drug overdose.

Lyrics: “Mama, I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore / And Daddy, please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor/To the ones who never left me, we've been down this road before/ I'm so sorry, I'm not sober anymore"

6. "Anyone" (2020)

Demi debuted "Anyone" at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 26, 2020, marking her first performance since she'd suffered a near-fatal drug overdose in July 2018. She recorded the track just four days before her overdose.

"At the time when I was recording it, I almost listened back and heard these lyrics as a cry for help," she said in a January 2020 interview. "I even think that I was recording it in a state of mind where I felt like I was okay, but clearly I wasn't".

Lyrics: A hundred million stories/ And a hundred million songs/ I feel stupid when I sing/ Nobody's listening to me/ Nobody's listening/ I talk to shooting stars/ But they always get it wrong/ I feel stupid when I pray/ So, why am I praying anyway?/ If nobody's listening/ Anyone, please send me anyone/ Lord, is there anyone?/ I need someone, oh

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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