Many singers have gone on breaks before. From Adele to Selena Gomez, artists have taken the initiative to hide from the limelight in order to work on their mental health or spend more time with their families. Although many have done this, few have been able to come back with great success, let alone come back at all.
Demi Lovato is a recent celebrity that has reported taking a hiatus from music after her Glamour magazine interview. Lovato spoke about her past addictions, her music, and self-image in the interview. When talking about feminism, she commented on how Swift misrepresents what it means to be a true feminist: “I think that having a song and a video about tearing Katy Perry down, that’s not women’s empowerment,” Lovato stated. Lovato also expressed her concern for Taylor Swift’s “squad” inflicting unreasonable body images onto young women: “To be honest, and this will probably get me in trouble, I don’t see anybody in any sort of squad that has a normal body. It’s kind of this false image of what people should look like.”
(Photo courtesy of Seventeen) Demi Lovato has been a big advocate for body positivity since her release from a rehab facility in 2011 for bulimia, self-harm, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and drug addiction.
After this interview was published in the latest Glamour, millions of Swift’s fans went after Lovato. They used social media to post nasty tweets and comments to the singer. Demi Lovato responded on October 4th, the day the article was published, via twitter. Her first statement said, “I get asked questions. I answer them. Sue me.”
As more and more comments poured through, Lovato replied by tweeting about her words being used out of context. She also said that she will not apologize for what she said in the interview regarding the situation. Between multiple replies, Lovato then made a statement that shocked many of her Lovatics: “So excited for 2017. Taking a break from music and the spotlight. I am not meant for this business and the media.” Many fans reached out to Lovato, asking the big question of whether she was leaving the business for good or if this was just a hiatus. When one fan asked if she was coming back, Lovato simply said, “Dunno. It doesn’t feel worth it anymore. I’d rather do charity work tbh.”
I love Demi Lovato’s music and everything that she stands for. As a faithful Lovatic for years, of course I am heartbroken at the thought of not hearing the songstress sing again. However, I am excited to see her thrive as an activist. Although this announcement was devastating to many of her loyal fans, one can view this in a positive light.
(Courtesy of Giphy) Lovato attended the National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day in 2013 and gave a compelling speech about the need for more people to give help to those who experience mental health issues.
Demi Lovato has a lot of potential to make a difference for many people. She has already been an inspiration to many people, and will continue to do so through her organizational work. I can see her participating in more mental health awareness organizations, LGBT issues, and women’s rights. Of course, nothing is forever. She could be take a break and still come back to music. Even if she does not, all of us can still look forward to her continuing to help people around the world.