For the latest episode of The Thrive Global Podcast with iHeartRadio, Arianna Huffington sits down with Grammy-nominated, singer/songwriter and activist Demi Lovato. The two have a wide-ranging conversation on everything from life in the spotlight and social media to mental illness and religion.
Huffington asked Lovato what had changed in the year since the singer tweeted that she was taking a break from music and the spotlight.
“My perspective on life changed,” Lovato said. “I had been burned out a little bit. I had been working really hard and I had let things get to me, like certain things on social media and tabloids.”
So the singer decided to take a break from it all.
“Then I got nominated for a Grammy, and that changed everything for me because it… felt like I was getting recognition for all the hard work that I had been putting myself through,” Lovato said. “I felt like a sign from God saying, ‘Keep going. You know, don’t give up. Keep going because this is what you’re meant to do.’”
The “Sorry Not Sorry” singer just announced a 20-city North American tour, kicking off in February 2018, that supports her sixth studio album, Tell Me You Love Me. She also debuted a self-reflective YouTube documentary, Simply Complicated, in October that has drawn over seven million views.
“I think I’m definitely getting more raw and vulnerable as I get older,” Lovato said. “I’m not afraid to say things as much as I used to be. I used to kind of hold back a little bit, and I would tell my truth and I would tell my story, but I would hold back.”
Huffington asked how being followed around by a film crew all the time changed what she opened up about.
“I’m kind of fearless when it comes to sharing things on camera,” Lovato said. “There’s not much that I won’t talk about, and I talk about a lot in my documentary. So, when you watch it, you’ll see certain things that I’ve never talked about before, or certain things that are challenging for me.”
In addition to working on a new album, filming a documentary and preparing for a world tour, Lovato broke up with her boyfriend of six years, Wilmer Valderrama, in 2016. Lovato turned toward her faith to gain perspective.
“My relationship with God is great,” Lovato said. “To me, God is something that is bigger than myself, bigger than all of us, and God is somebody that I pray to in times of need, and someone that shows me that life has a bigger purpose than just the material things in life.”
And in addition to her faith, she’s always had her fans.
“The special relationship between my fans and me is magical,” Lovato said. “It’s beautiful, and it’s sensitive but it’s also strong, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”
To hear the full conversation, click here.
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