Demi Lovato (FBF)
Listen and follow along
Transcript
Hi, Daddy Gang.
It is your father.
I am so excited that Caller Daddy has officially joined the SiriusXM family.
I cannot wait to talk to new guests and continue to share my crazy personal stories and experiences with you every single week.
If you want to hear new episodes ad-free, subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts Plus on Apple Podcasts or visit seriousxm.com/slash podcasts plus to start your free trial today.
Call Her Daddy is brought to you by Tinder.
Meeting new people just got way more fun because now you don't have to do it alone.
With Tinder's new double date feature, you and your bestie can match together.
Tap the double date icon to see profiles built for two.
When two pairs match, the group chat kicks off.
Scope the profiles, send memes, keep the chat fun, hype each other up, flirt a little, maybe plan a hangout.
You guys, this is is the new way to do it.
Try the new Tinder double date.
Explore all the possibilities.
Tinder, it starts with a swipe.
Download Tinder today.
Call Her Daddy is brought to you by Stouffers.
Let me just, let me just tell you something.
Growing up, if there was one thing that was always in the Cooper house, it was Stouffers.
Okay.
And most of the time we pulled out the Stouffers when my dad was traveling because he was always the one that was like cooking.
And when my mom was the one in charge, boom, we didn't have dinner dread.
Although dinner dread is real, we didn't have it because we had stouffers.
The idea of cooking a big meal, it's too overwhelming.
And you also don't want to like be waiting for an hour for delivery.
And so there's this constant back and forth of like, my night is just going to be ruined.
No, it's not.
Let Stouffers save the day or night.
When the clock strikes dinner, think Stouffers.
Okay, from lasagna to mac and cheese to air fryer entrees, Stouffers has your favorite meal right when you need it.
And each frozen meal is made with real ingredients and full of flavor.
My personal favorite is the Swedish meatballs.
They slap every single time.
So cancel the internal dinner debate and solve dinner dread with Stouffer's.
Shop now at your nearest retailer today.
Call Her Daddy is brought to you by Uber Eats.
Okay, Daddy Gang, we all know Uber Eats has the best selection of local restaurants, but did you know they also eat when it comes to a whole range of delivery services.
Now, that might be a lot to take in.
So let me break it down for you.
Uber Eats isn't just for poolside Pokeballs or late night pizza on the patio.
When you can't make it to the store, you can get just about anything you need delivered straight to your door with Uber Eats.
Right now, you could be checking off your whole shopping list, okay?
I am so excited to have friends over for summer on pool days.
And you know what?
The last thing I want to do is when the UV is a 10 outside, go to the grocery store, okay?
That's not my to-do list.
Okay.
I love that on Uber Eats, I can get tequila for the margaritas.
I can get meat for the barbecue and sunscreen when I realize that my tan is unfortunately turning into a burn.
Okay.
And when it gets too hot in LA to be running outside doing errands, I'm just like, oh, I need to be inside.
I love that I can sit in my sweats on my couch and the freezing air conditioning and get everything I need delivered without ever having to step outside.
Okay.
The goal is to never leave my house.
So get grocery, alcohol, and everyday essentials in addition to the restaurant food you love.
So in other words, get almost, almost anything with Uber Eats.
Order now.
For alcohol, you must be legal drinking age.
Please enjoy responsibly.
Product availability varies by region.
See app for details.
It's a bop.
Bang.
Like, it's giving me old demi vibes.
Like, yes.
I love that you know old demi.
Oh my God.
Are you kidding me?
Did you forget?
Oh, do you know how many times I've cried over that in my bedroom?
like i don't feel like in a good way like yeah
and i'd be like demi's with me i are you kidding if we repeat some of this just pretend like it didn't happen before because this is all great we need to stop stop stop are we ready guys let's get started
what is up daddy gang it is your founding father alex cooper with call her daddy daddy daddy demi lovato welcome to call her daddy thank you it is such an honor to have you here and i want to say it's it's a big deal you're here for many reasons.
Oh my God, thank you.
Of course.
But I've had sometimes people like, come on, if they're like a fan of the show, but you are the first person.
I have ever had on Caller Daddy whose mom is a fan of Caller Daddy.
Shout out Demi's mom.
Yes.
My mom loves this podcast.
And she was like, you have to say hi.
I was like, of course.
We are recording this
just before your 30th birthday.
Yes.
Leo season.
What does turning 30 mean to you?
Turning 30, what it means to me is like, to be honest, I've had a little anxiety.
My 20s were like such a mess.
Like I was trying to figure myself out.
I didn't know who I was.
A lot of shit happened.
And then I kind of like, over the past couple of years, have eased into who I am.
And then this year, I'm like, oh, I know who I am.
So turning 30 to me has been like, I'm excited for my 30s and what that holds.
I love that.
And I really want to normalize that because I feel like there's such such pressure in society: when you hit 30, like figure it out.
And it's like, what the fuck?
No, 20s are meant to do all the fuck-ups.
And then 30s is when it's like, let me come into my own and really figure myself out.
Yes, exactly.
I love that.
Thank you.
Call Her Daddy is brought to you by Airbnb.
You guys, I feel like 2025 was the year of personal trips for me.
I'm always traveling for work, but this year, I really felt like I found time with Airbnb to find incredible good places to stay.
Whether it was a romantic getaway, whether I was traveling for one of my friends' weddings, Matt and I really made sure that we were staying in Airbnbs because when I'm traveling, I want to feel comfortable.
I want to feel like I have a piece of home with me.
And as you guys know, I love my dogs.
Henry and Bruce, shout out if you're listening to this.
I want to be with my dogs at all times.
And so finding an Airbnb that can accommodate dogs really means a lot to me.
An Airbnb is the best way to make your trip one to remember because you get to explore not only a new city, but a new space in that city.
I personally love staying like a local because it really helps you immerse yourself wherever you are as opposed to feeling like you're a tourist.
You can grab grocery at the local market.
You can explore the neighborhood bars and the restaurants.
And if you just want to go somewhere, but you don't really know where yet, let Airbnb make the decision for you.
Guest favorites might inspire you and perhaps even create a new tradition.
My number one tip is to check out Airbnb first to find the perfect place to stay because your accommodation can really make or break the trip.
Call Her Daddy is brought to you by Shopify.
When I was starting my business, I was understandably overwhelmed a lot of times.
Sometimes I was isolating myself, feeling like I had to take it all on on my own.
I felt like sometimes I didn't know the answers to certain things.
I would just be trying to find a way to make things work.
And that is why Shopify literally changed my life.
The beloved commerce platform Shopify is taking the guesswork out of launching and scaling a business.
Daddy Gang, if you are someone who is trying to get your business off the ground, please, please, please listen up because Shopify literally changed my life.
All the way back in the day, if you guys remember when I was first launching my own merch, when I left Barstool, I was like,
how do I do this?
And what is my back end?
And who do I talk to?
Shopify has basically a suite of AI tools that let you spend less time wondering and more time doing.
Shopify's sidekick literally acts as your AI assistant, guiding you through everything, directions, reports, content ideas, and so much more.
It basically is like a high level executive assistant for you.
Also, Shopify basically operates as your back office, replacing the need for a full staff to oversee your operations.
So if you are a one-woman show right now, just add Shopify to your life and you're going to be like, oh my God, I don't even need to hire more people.
You can tag and sell your products globally and across all major social media platforms so that you can sell where your customers are.
Let's be real.
The internet is changing people's lives and it's changing their businesses truly.
So there's so much money to be made, Daddy Gang.
I love working with Shopify.
I think sometimes I can get overwhelmed thinking like, oh, do I have to have my hands on this?
And Shopify throughout the years has literally proven to have my back.
I don't need to be triple checking its work.
It's all right there.
They are so reliable.
So, if you are ready to build your own empire, whether it's merch, products, or the next big idea, get on shopify.com/slash daddy and make it happen.
That's shopify.com slash daddy.
Daddy gang, this is your sign.
Let's go.
Start your business.
You were one of the voices of our generation.
I started listening to your music in middle school, crying up against the window, did you forget it?
Forget, like fully singing, all my heartbreaks.
I'm like curled up with Demi.
I feel like I already know you.
Like truly, it's been a roller coaster.
I feel like I've literally known you for so long and I still love your fucking music.
Oh, thank you.
Were you always a natural performer?
I think that
performer,
no, I wasn't always a natural performer.
I had some like adjusting that I had to do over time.
I started performing on tour with the Jonas Brothers when I was 15.
And so, and I went from my first show in June of like 20, 2008.
It had like a hundred people to July, my first show with the Jonas Brothers was 18,000 people.
So I had to like learn how to perform on these massive stages.
And it was super intimidating.
I was so nervous, but like,
I figured it out and I found my groove.
But I have always been a vocalist.
Like, you know, singing has always come natural to me.
My first time singing on stage was when I was like five and at my talent show in kindergarten.
What did you sing?
Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On.
Which is like one of the hardest songs to sing, but I was like, yeah, I'm going to tackle that.
I was just about to say, Demi, I'm like thinking like, ooh, like maybe like a pop song.
She's like, Celine Dion.
Like, what's that?
I'm like, Demi, you just go right for the most iconic singer, hardest song to sing.
Like, classic.
Okay, so someone had a little confidence back then.
There you go.
I love that.
And my mom, like, also,
I was raised with like Aretha Franklin and vocalists like that.
And then when I started learning vocalists that were in
the era of when I was growing up, it was Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson.
And those were the...
singers that I gravitated to because they did things with their voices that I couldn't and I wanted to learn how.
So I made it my mission and was like, whoever is really, really talented, I want to do what they do.
And so I just sang and sang and sang my little heart out until I could hit the same notes as them.
And then you eventually absolutely got there.
So for someone watching this, kind of going back to your childhood a little bit.
Yeah.
To kind of paint the picture, you're growing up and your parents split when you were really young.
Did your biological dad have any input when you began working as a kid?
No.
So my biological dad, he was mentally ill and had a lot of addiction problems.
And so he wasn't really in my life at all.
I mean, I was the one that would reach out and call him, but like he was really sick mentally.
And so over the years, I
slowly stopped reaching out and calling him because he was so sick, it was hard to have conversations with him.
He was schizophrenic and he had delusions.
And so our conversations went from, how are you?
I miss you, to I'm doing a movie with Steven Spielberg and Jodi Foster is my girlfriend.
And I'm like, okay, we like can't talk anymore.
And so I guarded myself from that relationship.
And he didn't have a say, but he was proud.
He was really proud.
When I would talk to him, he was really proud.
And there was a lot to be proud for.
Technically, your start in the business was you started in pageants, right?
Yes.
I started in beauty pageants when I was seven.
And my first like big win was Minimus, Texas.
Yeah, that was my introduction.
And then from there, I got an acting coach and I started doing acting.
In your documentary, Simply Complicated, your mom, who was a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, she acknowledges her emphasis on being skinny and being perfect affected you.
Yeah.
How did your mom's opinion about herself affect your opinion about yourself?
Well, look, my mom had an eating disorder.
And so naturally, someone that's in their eating disorder who isn't aware of it can pass on things to their child.
And so I put a lot of pressure on myself and in the beauty pageants to look a certain way.
I mean, I'm going to go on the record here and say, like, beauty pageants are awful for children's self-esteem.
And like, they teach you to ignore your emotions until you go to your hotel room and that's when you can cry it out.
And it was this toxic environment of like, who's more beautiful and things like that.
And at such a young age, it confuses you.
And so over the years, I developed my own eating disorder and that bled into my career as well.
When you're performing, you have to be okay.
You got to go up there.
You got to put a smile on your face, you got to make everyone else feel great.
But that's not how you felt on the inside.
What do you remember depression feeling like as a seven-year-old?
As a seven-year-old, when my depression started to kick in, it was more of like this fascination of death.
And
for some reason, I had this like understanding that life was only going to get more difficult.
And so I had suicidal ideations from age of seven, so much so that like my school called my parents and
they had me sign like this contract saying that I wouldn't do anything to myself.
And so I entered therapy and guidance counseling at the school
at seven years old.
And,
you know, it's something that I still deal with occasionally.
And I just think it's a part of,
it's just something that I've learned to accept and manage.
Yeah.
When your parents got that call and you got into therapy, was there like regular check-ins?
And because you were working also at the time at a young age, like was there a regimen of like checking in on Demi and making sure she was okay?
I was so young that I don't really remember.
And I remember the
person that actually saw the contract was my great grandmother because I went to her house afterwards.
And she was like, well, please don't do that.
Like, are you okay?
And, um, and so, yeah, there was probably check-ins, but I don't really remember them because I was so young.
What was your peer dynamic when you were in school?
My peer dynamic when I was in school was difficult.
You know, I was thrown from being on Barney where I homeschooled for like a year.
Then I went back to school, and I'd actually learned more when I was homeschooling to where, like, when I went back to school, I was like helping her show the class, like, this is what I've learned, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
But when I went back to school, you know, there was a lot of drama.
There was a lot of, it was the, the
sixth grade, seventh grade drama.
That's the worst.
It's the absolute worst with preteen girls.
They're just mean.
That age is when like I personally know like bullying started for me.
Like that is the worst fucking age.
That's when it all goes down.
What were you bullied for?
So there was this whole incident where the main
week that I was bullied.
I had actually gotten the opportunity.
I was already performing at like, like, you know, USO bases and like little
car dealerships here and there that would have like festivals and whatever.
I had the opportunity to open for JoJo, the singer.
And this was when get out leave was like on top of the charts.
And as a preteen, we're all like, go JoJo, because she's our age, right?
Absolutely.
So.
Anyways, she, I had the opportunity to open for her and I invited one of the girls that was in my clique of friends.
I got the opportunity to go backstage and meet her after I opened for her.
And the other girl didn't.
And I used her camera, it was like this disposable camera.
And when I got back to school, she gave me all the pictures from the show, but the one of me and JoJo was missing.
And I was like, Where did that one go?
And she was like, Oh, it just didn't develop.
And I was like, Bitch, like, I know that it developed, and you're just salty about it.
So
that week turned into like hell for me.
And all of a sudden, it turned, well, there was drama around that, the picture not showing up, but then people took sides.
And
I remember it was like me and girls, like walking into the cafeteria where like the popular girls hated me.
Anybody that wanted to be popular hated me.
The popular guys hated me.
And they have all the power in school.
And at one point, I was like hiding in a bathroom and I called called my mom and I was like, I need to get out of here.
They signed a suicide petition.
They passed it around and got people to sign it saying if you, we want Demi to kill herself.
And
it was just, it was awful.
And so,
and they said some other mean stuff in there that like was just really hurtful.
And so I ended up leaving and homeschooling.
And it was a blessing in disguise because it gave me motivation to keep going.
And it also gave me all this free time after I did my schoolwork to practice music for three, four hours a day.
And I did that for years.
You were kind of getting bullied, I think, because you were having success, right?
Like you were kind of starting to make it.
People were jealous.
At that age, they're super insecure.
We all know how that goes.
But do you think you then leaned into your craft because it was kind of like your escape from what you'd been going through?
I leaned into my craft, but I also leaned into my eating disorder because the reasons that they gave me for bullying were they were like, you're a slut, you're a whore.
Meanwhile, I'm 12 and I've only had my first kiss.
And
they were like, and you're fat.
And they started calling the house saying they were from Jenny Craig and they wanted Demi.
And
so.
I was like, well, I guess that's their reason for me being hated so much.
I guess it's because I'm fat.
And I developed an eating disorder at 12.
And it was really hard.
But yes, at the same time, I used it as motivation.
Like, I'm gonna make my name so in your face that you can never escape me again.
And it felt really good when that finally came true.
So you make it to Disney Channel.
Yes.
Which I was saying is basically winning an Oscar as a child.
Like at age, are you kidding?
Let's watch a Disney Channel movie.
I'm like, okay, like I, can you tell?
I've literally watched all of it.
I do.
I do.
Everything.
To paint the picture, like who was also acting on Disney around that same time as you?
It was the golden era of Disney.
I mean, there was one golden era where it was like Raven and Hillary Duff.
And then it like moved into this other golden era where it was like Hannah Montana had just started like a year or so before.
High school musical had just happened.
Selena was on Wizards.
And I auditioned for.
And I was up for the role of their like female best friend or whatever.
And I remember I didn't get it and I was crushed.
I was heartbroken.
But Disney was like, but we want to see you for these other two projects.
And I was like, okay.
Like I had taken the hardest no in my life and I was just like, I don't know if I want to go audition again, but I will.
So I did.
I went and auditioned and I ended up booking them both.
One was Sunny with a Chance and one was Camp Rock.
So like that for me was like, I get my own movie and my own TV show.
Are you kidding?
Like on Disney Channel?
And I knew my life was about to change.
Was there competition amongst the big actors on Disney?
Even though I'm a competitive person, I really like
quieted that voice because I was like, it's not worth it.
We all have our own talents.
And that's why I'm not jealous of any artist today is because like we all have our own lanes and someone has to fill my lane, you know?
As like a young girl watching those shows, I was always like, Demi seems like she would, like, I could be friends with her.
Oh, thank you,
eating my hair in my room, being like, I could be friends with her,
eating my hair moving.
The most perfect hair, by the way.
We've already had this conversation, but it is funny because you really gave that vibe of like relatable and like someone that you could be friends with.
It was the bangs, the camp rock bangs.
It was the bangs.
It was the bangs, and you brought the bangs back today.
Today.
Okay.
What pieces of your personal life did Disney have a say on once you started working with them?
Whew.
So
there were expectations on you to be a role model because all of a sudden you're thrust into that position, whether you want to be or not.
Like you're on shows that kids are watching.
You can't be seen at a party with a red cup in your hand because it looks like.
It could be alcohol.
And people online, like there was this website called Ocean Up and Ocean Up would just like take all scandalous things that were happening to Disney actors and put it on there.
And so we lived in fear of that website.
It wasn't really ever Disney saying,
you can't do this, you can't do that.
But if something happened, there would be conversations.
And I will say that like.
That pressure of you're replaceable was always there, not necessarily ever said by Disney, but they didn't have to.
Because it was like, Disney is the hottest thing for teenagers to be on.
And there are millions of kids that want to be in your place.
And so you have to be on your best behavior or else, you know,
there's the next girl in line that could book the movie that you're supposed to be in.
What people don't know is that the amount of work we had to do.
Every year I filmed a season of a TV show.
I went on tour.
I made an album and I shot a movie.
And I did that for like three or four years.
I think it was three.
But if I had a hiatus from my show, I would have the tour bus pull up to the studio and take me on tour for one week.
Or I would fly to London to do promo.
And I remember one day I woke up.
I was so tired and like.
just drained from how much work I was doing as a 16 year old.
I woke up and I just started crying.
And my mom was like, what's wrong?
And I was like, I'm so tired.
And then she started crying too.
She was like, me too.
And it was like this sad kind of hilarious moment.
And we were like, okay, put, you know, put ourselves together.
We got to do this.
And so there was this extreme workload that I think put a lot of pressure on us.
And that's why some of us turn to,
I personally turn to, if you're going to work me like an adult, I'm going to party like an adult.
And that at 16, 17 wasn't healthy at all.
When you had that moment with your mom,
do you wonder if she ever thought to be like,
hey, like you don't have to, you know?
I think my parents were also under the, you know, impression that someone will take your place if you don't commit to this stuff.
And so I'd sit down with my management and
my dad and we'd go over the schedule.
And the thing was, is I was also bipolar.
And so, and I was unmedicated.
So there would be times where I'd have this like.
all this energy and I'd look at my schedule and be like, I can do that, that, that, that.
Plus, this is the cover of Cosmo.
Like, I want to do that.
it's cover of 17 like i want to do that i didn't want to miss anything i had like major fomo if i did so i just kept kept on pushing but then by the time it would get there i'd fall into like a depression and it'd be really hard to work at that age technically at 16 you are the thing that's making all the money for all the people around you and if you stop it all ends and also at a certain point i was paying for the roof over my whole family's head and my my dad had quit his job to become my manager.
So it was, his income was coming from me.
My mom was a stay-at-home mom,
didn't, you know, wasn't reliant on, well, I mean, kind of was, but it was just that pressure of like, I'm paying for everything and like, I need to keep going because if things start to disappear, so does the finances.
So you reference, if I'm going to be treated like an adult, I'm going to party like an adult.
Yes.
At what what point in your Disney career did you begin experimenting with drugs?
So I started experimenting for the first time when I was 12.
I got into, or 13, I got into a car accident and they prescribed me opiates.
And my mom didn't think that she'd have to like lock up the opiates from her 13-year-old daughter.
But like, I was already drinking at that point.
I was, you know, had been bullied, was looking for an escape.
And when my mom saw how many of the pills had disappeared and how fast they did, she took them away, locked them up.
But yeah, I, I drank a lot in my teenage years.
And then it wasn't till I was about 17 that I started.
Well, that's not even true.
Like, there were times where I'd get certain kinds of pills throughout like 15, 16.
I'd steal my mom's Xanax.
She had a Xanax addiction.
And like,
so
it was off and on.
And then at 17 is it kind of was the first time like I I tried um Coke and like
loved it too much.
And then that kind of bled into
me going to treatment like right when it right after I turned 18.
When you were drinking, were you drinking alone or were you going out places?
My first time drinking, I was alone.
And that was like should have been a major red flag.
I like stole beer from my dad in the fridge, my stepdad, and like took it to my room and drank like four beers just to see what it was like to feel drunk.
And like, I was like a little 90-pound, you know, girl.
So that was a lot.
And
then it started being with like friends.
And
it was not, it wasn't ever alone after that, but that was my first time.
Call Her Daddy is brought to you by Beyond Yoga, a female-founded and female-led lifestyle brand that makes premium activewear from luxurious, soft, easy to care-for fabrics.
This is activewear made for all types of bodies, all kind of workouts, and everything else that happens beyond the mat.
Beyond Yoga isn't just about activewear.
They're redefining modern wellness through the lens of movement, mindfulness, and connection with a new brand platform, Seek Beyond, launching alongside a fresh outdoor collection.
I personally have always wondered, like, oh, is it weird if I'm wearing like certain what are supposed to be for yoga, but I'm not really doing yoga?
The answer is no, Beyond Yoga is telling you this can scale all throughout your life and it is applicable to wear in all aspects of your life.
Seek Beyond is about championing growth in all of its forms with confidence, authenticity, and joy at the heart of its journey.
And let's be honest, we're all trying to keep it together in a world obsessed with perfection and hustle.
And Seek Beyond offers a path toward intention, creativity, and joyful progress.
And they're kicking everything off with something very exciting: Seek Beyond launches with an original anthem written and performed by writer, producer, actress, and entrepreneur Issa Ray.
For a limited time, visit beyondyoga.com and access a 20% welcome offer for new customers by using code Call HerDaddy Call Her Daddy is brought to you by T-Mobile do you ever meet someone and they're the total package that's what it feels like being with T-Mobile daddy gang okay you won't believe what you get with magenta status first off it is amazing coverage you're connected where life takes you at home overseas in the air or even off the grid okay plus you get unbeatable value from day one.
That's not even the icing on the cake.
You ready?
You can get perks on travel, dining, concerts, streaming, and more.
With T-Mobile, you're a member with magenta status from day one.
Experience amazing value, next level connectivity, and access to exclusive benefits.
You really can have your cake and eat it too.
Here's the thing about magenta status.
I am someone who needs to be having so much work done on a plane.
I'm constantly traveling for work.
And if I'm up there and I can't get my access, I'm going to have a mental breakdown, okay?
Also, it is so nice to be able to stream and watch my favorite shows.
Also, the best part of staying in a nice hotel, right?
Feeling like you've got that extra access, that little extra value that you're getting from T-Mobile, they're always looking out for us.
So, Daddy Gang, experience magentastatus at t-mobile.com/slash benefits.
When you're kind of at at this age where you start to kind of experiment, you're drinking and everything, did not only your parents, but like management and publicists and did people know you were drinking and doing drugs?
When it came to management's attention that I had been
doing pills, they definitely were like, this can't happen.
And like, what's going on?
And do we need to to get you help?
And I was really good at convincing people like, no, it was just like, you know, I had a hard time sleeping and blah, blah, blah, or I'd make up excuses.
And finally, when it got to a point where it was clear that I needed help and I needed to go away, everyone was really supportive of it because it had been like kind of a long time coming.
So
thinking about the whole Disney era, I, there was a major wave of purity ring wearing.
I can't even, I can't say it with a straight face, okay?
I was like, holy fuck.
Oh, no pun intended.
No pun intended.
There was a huge wave of purity ring wearing amongst Disney stars.
Oh, yeah.
What the fuck was that about?
So I think it was just my purity, I had a purity ring that came from my church, like way before Disney Channel even happened.
I was like, 11 or 12.
And like, obviously that's not, that shouldn't have even been implemented on 11 or 12 year olds.
But I was like, okay,
like I'll, I'll do this, whatever.
That quickly went out the window at a certain point.
Um,
and then I left the others to have their purity adventures on their own.
But I mean, to each their own, I don't know, it was an interesting thing to come out publicly and say.
It really was, because I remember being that age and like, I should have been apparently wearing one because I was like Catholic at the time.
God, I'm getting like burned, but I'm like, why are people wearing these things?
And it was so, such an interesting, it almost at the time when I look back on it, really felt like the Disney kids like were getting older and it felt like a way to like really cement, like, no, we're really good kids and we don't do anything bad.
And it's like, look at my, look at my finger, like, oh, they wear a purity ring.
Right.
I don't, I don't know.
Like, I had one and I think I talked about it like once, but like,
and it caught a little bit of fire, but I definitely not as much as the other people wearing them.
And I quickly hushed about that when I started having some yugs because I was like, I lost it.
I don't know where it went.
It broke.
I think it actually literally broke because it was so cheap.
And then I was like, well, this is, that's my sign.
Here we go.
Have you ever sat down and discussed the challenges of being inside this Disney machine with people like Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, the Jonas brothers?
I think over the years, like we talked about it for sure, but I do have a project in the works where I want to
talk to some of those people about their experiences and other child stars as well.
Kind of like we were talking about earlier, there were all these systems in place in your life.
Everyone, you know, they're taking care of your career with you.
And then well into adulthood, your personal life was also being controlled by people that were managing your career.
Demi,
in what ways was your team controlling your life?
There was someone that came into the picture and
When they came into the picture, everything in my life was controlled.
I started having a sober companion, which was helpful for me, but it should not have lasted three years.
And then it became controlling around my food.
And for someone in recovery from an eating disorder, that's so dangerous.
It actually exasperated my eating disorder to the point where I became bulimic again.
From 2016 to 2018, I was dealing with that.
And we're talking like,
I've never talked about this before, but there was one time where I
had
binged and purged one night and I came clean to my team and said, hey, this happened.
You know, I snuck out of my hotel room because they didn't let me have phones in my hotel rooms because they didn't want me to call room service.
I didn't have food in my hotel room, like snacks in the mini bar because they didn't want me to eat the snacks.
Ellen talked about this on her show where they cleared the dressing room of like all sugar before I would get in there.
She was like, I remember that.
And
they,
after I told them what had happened, um,
my security guard walked by my room or was made aware that they had built, they like barricaded me into my hotel room.
They put furniture outside of my door so that I couldn't get out and sneak out and eat.
if I wanted to.
And so it was that level of controlling when it came to my food, which just made my eating disorder worse.
One time I said, I'm throwing up blood.
I need to go to treatment.
I need to get help.
And this was in like 2017.
And
this person looked at me and said, you're not sick enough.
And I think that was his way of saying like, no, you're not going back to treatment because if you do, this will look bad on me.
And so I didn't.
I didn't go back into treatment.
And
I, you know,
less than a year later, I ended up overdosing.
And so I think it was just like I felt trapped.
I felt like I couldn't get out of this situation.
And my way of like
blowing everything up was relapsing on drugs and alcohol because they always said if you use, we're out.
And I was like, all right, time to get out.
Bye.
I've learned a lot from that experience.
Like, no one can control me anymore.
And I was under the control for from
18 to
25.
And
those are years where you're trying to figure out your adulthood.
You know, you're no longer a teenager, but for some reason I had people controlling everything I ate.
You know, my business decisions were always being made
for me.
And
now I found my voice.
No one can ever do that to me again.
And I feel empowered by what I went through because I had to grow and I had to learn to accept that I'm my own boss.
When you, just to clarify, when you're referencing this person is basically trying to keep you from eating, it's for the image to make sure you look thin.
Yeah.
Which helps their career and their income.
Can you talk a little bit about mentally why it's so hard to push away from people that get their claws in you in that position?
Yeah, absolutely.
I would even go so far as to say like there was a brainwashing element to it where you were totally under the impression that if I don't listen to this person who knows so much about recovery, I'm going to lose everything.
And so you put all of your trust and your faith into one person.
And then from that, everyone around me listens to that one person and they go with it.
You know, if this person says, this is what it is and this is how it should be, then we listen to them.
And then it became,
it got to the point where like, if they didn't like a chef that I had, they would sit me down and say like, we don't like the chef that you have.
We think that you should try someone else.
And so I would say, okay, like I wouldn't, I just put all of my trust and faith into, you know, and to people around me that I think didn't have my best interest at heart.
The reason why they didn't like that chef that I had was because the chef told me, they said, they read your bank statements to see what you order at Starbucks to make sure you're not getting like cookies or pastries or things like that.
And when I found that out, I told them and then they were like, we don't like your chef.
And I was like, oh, you, you realize that
she's the one that told me.
Hearing you talk about this, it does sound
not like a version of what Britney Spears went through.
Right.
Like the controlling and the
Yeah, the micromanaging to the point where you don't even have control over your own life.
Right.
I can't imagine how alone you felt when you said, like, they had said, if I use, then they were gone.
And then I use.
And in a way, it was almost like your cry for help of like, get the fuck away from me.
Right.
A lot of people don't understand this side of the world.
And I think that's why I love having you on right now because people, we get headlines.
E-news says something about, and it's like, we don't understand what you as a human being are going through.
And people are so ruthless to quickly make a judgment of like, oh, well, she's got all the money in the world.
So her, like, well, and it's like, listen to what you're saying right now.
Like, this is a nightmare.
Right.
And I couldn't talk about it.
I felt trapped.
And, you know, I don't know how many people have gone through that situation, but it is, it is really sad.
In a bustle article, you asked the question.
What do I want my relationship with my manager to look like without enmeshing my own father issues onto him?
What did you mean by that?
How were your father issues affecting your relationship with your manager?
I had such interesting relationships with my dads and the abandonment issue from my birth father was so deeply rooted inside of me that when it came to management, like I put, I placed that fatherly figure role onto him and onto this other person that I have mentioned.
And so I, when looking for a new manager, I wanted to find someone that I don't place that fatherly figure role onto and that it's just business.
In your documentary,
Dancing with the Devil, yes,
you reveal your virginity was taken from you.
Yeah.
You were raped.
Is it possible to heal from an experience like that?
I think in a way time can heal wounds, maybe not all of them.
The more time that has gone by, the easier it has gotten.
But there's still a sadness, a deep sadness inside of me that someone took that from me at such a young age.
And
it was hard because this person was also
around, like they were also
on Disney.
And so
Seeing them around was difficult and it really messed up my
teenage years.
And finally, I went and got help for that.
And it's been something that I've worked on, but you know, I've had other traumas happen,
and
it kind of pushes those to the side a little bit.
But there are moments where I like, I definitely will cry and just feel the sadness inside of me because you know, that's healthy to do.
Rather than bottle it up, I just will allow myself to have those moments of like, that was really sad, what happened to you.
And you're a fighter.
Like, you can get through it.
I mean, I can't imagine at that young of an age, having to still have someone be on Disney and having to see someone that did that to you.
I mean, you are a survivor.
Thank you.
And to be clear, like, it wasn't anyone in the immediate Disney circle, you know?
Like, I've had people ask, you know, questions of like, was it this person or was it that person?
And it was like, I don't think it'd be anybody that anyone would guess, but they were friends with someone on set and they'd come around and
yeah.
So many people, especially young women, listen to my podcast that have been sexually assaulted.
And it's a really,
it's complicated if you've never been through it.
How do you give someone advice on that?
Right.
And so where have you generated the strength to keep going through trauma?
I think that I've just had a lot of trauma in my life and
there's a persistence, a determination inside of me.
And I think I learned that from like the bullying experience of like, you can turn this around and make it into something great.
And I'm not saying that I've turned sexual assault into anything great, but
you know, I've I've written about it in music.
I've healed from it and it's just made me stronger.
You are so fucking strong, and it is written all over your new album.
Thank you.
I was listening to it in my car.
I feel like that's also the best place to listen to new music when you're like, Oh, it's the best.
The best.
Yeah.
The best.
You're like by yourself, you're listening, and you're just like, so first of all, I just want to say I'm a huge fan of your new album.
Thank you.
Holy fuck.
Holy fuck is the album.
And also, holy fuck, it's so fucking good.
Thank you.
Demi, I need to know, how does this album reflect where you are in your life right now?
Whew, this album.
It reflects this album, like, actually, there's a journey to it.
So, like, in the beginning of the album, you can hear my anger.
You can hear, like, I left treatment in December this last year,
getting help again.
And I'm sober again, and I feel great.
But, like, there was all these emotions that I left treatment with, and I wanted to convey them in my music.
And so, the first few songs are like really angry.
And it's like, this is who I am.
Take it or leave it.
I know what you're saying about me online.
Like Demi leaves rehab again.
Like I, I see you.
I hear you.
And then as I started to heal, I was like, you know what?
I'm actually like getting happier.
And I was owning my sexuality in a lot of the songs.
And then my album became like, so it was like angry, then like.
Sex and then like love songs.
Your songs are incredibly personal and you always give insight into your life.
And I feel like that's why your fans are obsessed with you it's because you're like you put it all out there and that's why we love demi lovato it's like we and and i appreciate that because you know sometimes we don't get a lot from people and you're like this is me this is me this is me
but oh my god everyone's like stop alex but i i appreciate that and in the tone of one of the songs like you are fucking fighting and you're like i have something to say
and i'm going to address it as i always address my journey and i always talk about about what the fuck I'm going through.
And so why would this be any fucking different from this album?
The song 29.
Yes.
What inspired you to write this song?
I went to treatment after turning 29.
I did a lot of work on myself.
And
I had this realization when I turned 29 that I came out of treatment with anger.
I came out of treatment with
understanding and growth.
And so it was like a reflective song for me.
And even though there's undertones of anger, it was like I really learned a lot about that experience and I decided to write about it.
To anyone that hasn't listened to the song, you need to go listen to it.
Just a couple of the lines to give them a...
Too young to drink wine, just five years a bleeder.
Student and a teacher, far from innocent.
What the fuck is consent?
Numbers told you not to, but that didn't stop you.
Now I'm finally 29.
Funny, just like you were at the time.
What do you hope people take away from these lyrics?
If you're a young girl and you think that it's
sexy or fun to date older men,
it's not okay unless you're of age.
It's portrayed as like, oh, you scored someone older.
That's cool.
And it's like, actually, that's weird.
So it's just like a reflective moment of like, if you are in that situation, just listen to this song and like kind of think about it.
How did you decide to release it as a single?
Well,
it was hard.
It was really hard for me to release this as a single because it's so emotional for me and so personal.
But I think sometimes the public needs the truth.
And that's why I decided to release it as a single because I think the message is so important.
Call Her Daddy is brought to you by Beyond Yoga, a female-founded and female-led lifestyle brand that makes premium activewear from luxurious, soft, easy to care for fabrics.
This is activewear made for all types of bodies, all kind of workouts, and everything else that happens beyond the mat.
Beyond Yoga isn't just about activewear.
They're redefining modern wellness through the lens of movement, mindfulness, and connection with a new brand.
platform, Seek Beyond, launching alongside a fresh outdoor collection.
I personally have always wondered, like, oh, is it weird if I'm wearing like certain, what are supposed to be for yoga, but I'm not really doing yoga?
The answer is no, Beyond Yoga is telling you this can scale all throughout your life and it is applicable to wear in all aspects of your life.
Seek Beyond is about championing growth in all of its forms with confidence, authenticity, and joy at the heart of its journey.
And let's be honest.
We're all trying to keep it together in a world obsessed with perfection and hustle.
And Seek Beyond offers a path toward intention, creativity, and joyful progress.
And they're kicking everything off with something very exciting.
Seek Beyond launches with an original anthem written and performed by writer, producer, actress, and entrepreneur Issa Ray.
For a limited time, visit beyondyoga.com and access a 20% welcome offer for new customers by using code Call HerDaddy.
Call Her Daddy is brought to you by T-Mobile.
Do you ever meet someone and they're the total package?
That's what it feels like being with T-Mobile, daddy gang.
Okay, you won't believe what you get with magenta status.
First off, it is amazing coverage.
You're connected where life takes you, at home, overseas, in the air, or even off the grid.
Okay.
Plus, you get unbeatable value from day one.
That's not even the icing on the cake.
You ready?
You can get perks on travel, dining, concerts, streaming, and more.
With T-Mobile, you're a member with magenta status from day one.
Experience amazing value, next level connectivity, and access to exclusive benefits.
You really can have your cake and eat it too.
Here's the thing about magenta status.
I am someone who needs to be having so much work done on a plane.
I'm constantly traveling for work.
And if I'm up there and I can't get my access, I'm going to have a mental breakdown, okay?
Also, it is so nice to be able to stream and watch my favorite shows.
Also, Also, the best part of staying in a nice hotel, right?
Feeling like you've got that extra access, that little extra value that you're getting from T-Mobile, they're always looking out for us.
So, Daddy Gang, experience magenta status at t-mobile.com/slash benefits.
What is your favorite song on the album to have sex to?
First of all, I was saying favorite.
First of all, I don't have sex to my own music.
Demi, come on, I'll have sex to your music.
go for it.
Go for it.
I just, I feel, I would feel weird about it if I had to.
If I had to.
Dude, people listening, which song should they fuck to?
Well, it depends.
If you're trying to be like, like sensual and sensual, listen to come together.
If you're trying to like bang it out.
Bang it out.
You know what?
If you're trying to bang it out, listen to bones.
Bones is like, it's like, I want to jump your bones.
That's the hook.
We are not in Disneyland anymore, guys.
Disney channel is dead.
Demi fucking Lovato, you are fucking back with a vengeance.
I'm obsessed.
Speaking of sex, Demi,
a little T.
Are you dating anyone?
I, yeah, I'm dating somebody.
Look at that grand.
Okay, we don't need like too many dets, but like, how's it going?
Like, what's the vibe?
It's going really well.
It's going well.
Yeah, can I say that?
It's all team.
It's your life.
Okay.
yeah.
It's my life, it's my life.
People are looking at your team, yeah,
it's my life, yeah.
Um, it's going really well, yeah, okay.
When you're dating someone, what is the most important thing you look for in a partner?
I have to laugh.
Like, someone, I've been, you know, I've dated people that were beautiful or, you know, sexy, and it's like,
um, I still am.
Like, that the person I'm dating is so hot and so sexy, and I am obsessed.
But, like I
the most important thing is like eventually over time
you know we grow old and looks fade and things like that like you have to find someone that completely understands you but most importantly to me makes me laugh I'm like so happy for you because I can tell it's like fresh and it's great because you are fully fully blushing you're like stop
to me knew you we don't fucking ask for permission what did you want to say
we're not saying names here unless you want to say his name
Okay, you're going to go on tour, right?
Yes.
So exciting.
Is it hard to date while you're on tour?
I found that it's actually kind of easy if you make sure that you see each other like
once every two, three weeks.
Okay, fun.
It's important to like...
And it's also FaceTime.
Like FaceTime is really helpful.
And I'm sure like it's like, I think what's going to suck is being away from the person that that you're dating.
But like, ultimately, it kind of builds anticipation too for when you do see them.
And it's like, so exciting, you know?
So exciting.
And I think it's also the test of like, if you can make it through that, like
that's a great strength building.
Core exercise.
What the fuck do I say?
Okay.
When you go on tour, what are you looking like most forward to when you're going on this upcoming tour?
Rocking out because I did, you know, the pop music and kind of RB pop, which was fun.
But also at the same time, I felt like it wasn't me.
Like I was trying too hard to be sexy and I was in the little leotards and the, you know, stiletto heels and I wasn't comfortable.
And so I want to be comfortable on the stage and I will be.
And I can just completely be myself, which is going to be so exciting.
Will we be seeing like a little old demi music vibe also on tour?
Old music, yes you will definitely be because it matches the the sound and i've also which is the most exciting i've also turned like my hits into
the style of music that i'm doing today so like
you know, Cool for the Summer sounds totally different.
Heart attack sounds totally different.
Confident sounds totally different.
And it's like, it's so exciting.
Sorry, not sorry.
Like all of those songs sound totally different.
And I'm like, so excited for everyone to hear it.
You know, I started out with really great instincts on how to be myself.
And I strayed away from it because
I wanted hits.
I wanted what people wanted to hear.
And so I lost myself for a long period of time when it came to me musically.
And I've never had an experience in the studio like I've had making this album where it's just so fulfilling, so myself.
And
it's just so fun to sing.
And I can't wait to perform it.
Demi Lovato, thank you so much for coming on Call Her Daddy with us.
Thank you.
Thank Thank you so much.
Call Her Daddy is brought to you by Josh Sellers.
Wine always had its rules.
Never add ice.
Like make sure you serve it in a wine glass.
Josh Sellers Sea Swept is a wine that is refreshing the rules, daddy gang.
Throw it in the cooler, pour it into your favorite tumbler, and just go ahead.
Honestly, add ice if you want to do it.
It is a delicious combination of citrusy, Sauvignon Blanc, and crisp pino grigio, perfect for sunny days.
Visit www.joshsellers.com/slash callher daddy and join the wine club to get 20% off.
Please drink responsibly.
Surprise!
Beach day, no excuses.
I'm in.
Give me five.
With Bic Soleil Glide Razor, you'll have hydrated, smooth skin that's ready to go on the fly.
No shave cream needed.
You can prep, shave, and hydrate all in one step.
Thanks to moisture bars that hydrate your skin during and after shaving.
Five flexible blades hug your skin for a close shave.
Glide into smooth.
It's your time to shine with Bic Soleil.
Buy now at Amazon and Walmart.
Ready?
Your skin looks amazing.
So smooth and beach ready.
Let's go.
Call Her Daddy is brought to you by Life Lock.
Chances are you've been to the doctor recently and you probably handed over your insurance, your ID, and even maybe your social security number.
Your doctor is just one of the many places that has your personal information, Daddy Gang.
And if any of them accidentally expose your details, you could be at risk of identity theft.
Life Lock monitors millions of data points a second.
If you become a victim, they will fix it guaranteed or your money back.
So save up to 40%
your first year at lifelock.com/slash daddy.
Terms apply.
Stay safe, daddy gang.