When I first heard about Simply Complicated on YouTube, I was expecting a nice, somewhat light documentary about Demi Lovato’s life. I was a fan of hers growing up; but I didn’t know much about her. I expected some cute baby pictures and first audition tapes, some stories about her struggles of making it in the industry and an ending that promotes her latest music. But, I got so much more…
1. Her history with drug abuse and self-harm
The video opens with Lovato commenting on how she’s nervous for the interview. “The last time I did an interview this long, I was on cocaine,” Lovato explains. Pause — wow! Lovato was incredibly open about her past demons, which involved self harm and drug and alcohol abuse. Throughout the hour-long documentary, Lovato tells of her struggles with finding and maintaining control while tackling issues with her birth father and navigating the immense pressure that comes with fame. I remember hearing about Lovato’s first trip to rehab; but I didn’t know she was in and out of rehab several times. Lovato testified to the idea that there’s never an easy fix to our problems; we must work on dealing with our problems over time. Her five and a half years of sobriety involve her working on herself everyday.
2. The struggles she’s still facing
Footage shows Lovato opening up to her manager during a car ride; she confess that her bulimia has relapsed after breaking up with long-time boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama. Lovato goes on to discuss how food is still a difficult subject area for her. Like many young women who struggle with eating disorders and rocky relationships with food, she confesses that she thinks about food way more often that she’d like to. She’s refreshingly honest; she did not try to hide the fact that she faces lingering challenges in her day-to-day life.
3. Her Breakup with Wilmer Valderrama
Lovato and Valderrama were #CoupleGoals for six years. Although Lovato discusses all the great things Valderrama did for her, she also admits that they broke up because she felt she leaned on him like a crutch too much; she confesses that she felt at times that she lost part of herself in the relationship. Celebrity couples often break up due to conflicting schedules, media pressure or infidelity; so her reasoning is surprisingly relatable for many young women. I’ve had close friends who has broken up with their exes for exactly the same reason Demi did. Still, it’s somewhat strange to imagine that celebrities like Lovato go through the same post-break up emotions we do.
4. Choosing positive outlets
Lovato embraced new opportunities as a way to cope with her remaining issues; that’s how she discovered her passion for fitness and working out. According to Lovato, activities such as kickboxing and jiu-jitsu allow her to exercise both her mind and her body. Seeing the light and joy those hobbies give her was incredibly uplifting; she glows inside and out. Also, thanks to her new passions, we have all been #blessed with her new Fabletics line.
5. Being alone for the first time
Towards the end of the documentary, Lovato reveals the ways in which all of her life experiences have led up to her current success. She bought her own house after her breakup with Valderrama; for the very first time, she’s truly living on her own. Similar to many young women in college, Lovato sometimes finds herself questioning her decisions. She questions whether breaking up with Valderrama was the right move, whether she can make it living on her own, and whether she can find herself.
I was definitely surprised by how relatable Lovato’s documentary was; but I guess I shouldn’t have been. It’s clear that Lovato keeps it real and fierce af. I was a fan of hers before; but after watching Simply Complicated, I’ve gained so much more respect and awe for all that she has accomplished. She continues to push herself towards today, and she’s truly an inspiration for anyone who’s struggling with any aspect of his/her life. Simply Complicated will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will make you reflect. Take some time to yourself and go watch it. Trust me, this documentary will stay with you.