Non-binary Demi Lovato blames drug overdose on 'ignoring my truth'

Demi Lovato now identifies as non-binary, and attributed their 2018 drugs overdose to years of suppressing their real self in order to please the entertainment industry, the American pop singer said on Wednesday.

Lovato, 28, said on Twitter that the decision to use the pronouns they/them had come after "a lot of healing & self-reflective work."

"Today is a day I'm so happy to share more of my life with you all - I am proud to let you know that I identify as non-binary & will officially be changing my pronouns to they/them moving forward," Lovato said.

The "Sorry Not Sorry" singer, a former Disney Channel child star, spoke about their decision in a new podcast, "4D with Demi Lovato", that was launched on Wednesday.

“In 2018 when I overdosed, I feel like the reason why that happened was because I was ignoring my truth, and I was suppressing who I really am in order to please stylists, or team members, or this or that, or even fans that wanted me to be the sexy, feminine pop star in the, in the leotard and look a certain way, you know?," Lovato said.

"I thought that was what I was supposed to be and now I just realize that it’s so much more important to live your truth than to ever suppress yourself because that’s the type of stuff that happens when you do,” they added.

Lovato, who has some 104 million followers on Instagram, was briefly engaged to actor Max Ehrich last year. Lovato said later that the engagement was an attempt to "prove to the world that I'm ok."

Lovato's podcast follows a tell-all documentary earlier this year in which the singer spoke in detail about their long addiction to drugs and other mental health issues.

The singer said they had three strokes and a heart attack when they were hospitalized for an overdose in 2018 and was also left with some brain damage.

The LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD on Wednesday welcomed Lovato's announcement, saying it would "educate countless people around the world and reach other non-binary people with a message of pride.”

-reuters-

Demi Lovato thankful to be alive after overdose

LOS ANGELES - Pop star Demi Lovato said Sunday she was thankful to be alive and needed time to recover in her first remarks since an overdose nearly 2 weeks ago.

Writing to her more than 70 million followers on Instagram, Lovato gave few details on her July 24 hospitalization but noted that she has long been open about her struggles with addiction.

"What I've learned is that this illness is not something that disappears or fades with time," the 25-year-old star wrote.

"It is something that I must continue to overcome and have not done yet," she wrote.

"I want to thank God for keeping me alive and well," she said, adding that she was "forever grateful" for the support of her fans and crediting the staff of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles with saving her life.

Lovato, who canceled a show in Atlantic City that had been planned for 2 days after her hospitalization, suggested that she may not be returning to the public eye soon.

"I now need time to heal and focus on my sobriety and road to recovery," she wrote.

Lovato has long spoken of her struggles with depression, eating disorders and addiction, belying her happy persona as a smiling star of the children's show "Barney and Friends."

A 2012 documentary, "Demi Lovato: Stay Strong," showed how she used to snort cocaine several times a day before finding her way into rehab and reviving her career.

In June, Lovato released a song entitled "Sober" in which she indicated a relapse and apologizes in verse to her parents.

The singer, whose hits include "Sorry Not Sorry," was rushed from her home to a hospital by emergency responders. It remains unclear on which drug she overdosed.

Her overdose prompted a flurry of statements of solidarity from fellow stars who praised her personality -- although the attention also triggered a backlash by social media users, who noted that many non-celebrities suffer from drugs with little fanfare.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Singer Demi Lovato hospitalized for drug overdose: report

Pop star Demi Lovato was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital Tuesday after an apparent heroin overdose, the celebrity news site TMZ said.

Quoting law enforcement sources, TMZ said the 25-year-old singer was transported from her home in the Hollywood Hills and that her condition was unknown.

A representative for Lovato did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A former Disney child star, Lovato has been open about her struggles with addiction as well as depression and eating disorders.

Just a month ago, she released a song entitled "Sober," in which she appeared to indicate a relapse, opening with the line, "I got no excuses for all these goodbyes."

Lovato, whose acting career has also included a recurring role on "Glee," has in recent years developed a more mature image and has been politically active on issues including support for gay rights.

Fellow pop star Ariana Grande offered her support after the hospitalization report, tweeting at Lovato, "I love you."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Demi Lovato to return as X-Factor judge

LOS ANGELES - Singer Demi Lovato will return as a judge on TV contest "The X Factor" for a second year, broadcaster Fox announced on Thursday, but there was no word on two more open positions on the celebrity panel.

The 20-year-old former Disney Channel star will be back in her seat when the show returns in the fall of 2013 along with creator Simon Cowell.

"I couldn't be happier that Demi wants to come back this year," Cowell said in a statement.

"She's a superstar in her own right and was a fantastic mentor last year. Even though she can be really, really annoying - I truly enjoyed working with her and so did the artists."

"X Factor" producers however have yet to announce replacements for departing judges Britney Spears and record producer Antonio "L.A." Reid, who quit at the end of the show's second season in December.

"There are going to be four judges," a source close to the show said on Thursday, but gave no details on who they might be or when the two new names would be announced.

Recent speculation on possible new judges for the U.S. version of the show have included singers Katy Perry, John Mayer, Pink and Ne-Yo.

Open auditions for singers hoping for a spot on the third season of "X Factor" are underway in cities across the United States. Auditions before the judges are expected to start in late May or early June.

Audiences for "X Factor" slumped in 2012, losing about three million viewers from its first season despite the hiring of Spears for a reported $15 million salary.

The show is just one of a plethora of singing and talent shows on U.S. television, including Fox television's long-running "American Idol," which has also seen a drop in viewers despite new judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, and NBC rivals "The Voice" and "America's Got Talent."

Fox is a unit of News Corp and NBC is a unit of Comcast Corp.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Paula Abdul Offers X Factor Advice for "Very Sweet" Britney Spears and Demi Lovato

Britney Spears and Demi Lovato may have already had their first day as The X Factor's newest judges, but there are still some things they could learn about being reality TV mentors.

At least that's according to Paula Abdul, who previously filled a seat on The X Factor panel alongside Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid.

READ: Britney Spears' First Day at X Factor—Did She Really Leave Early?

"Live television is just that," Abdul told us at last night's Lupus L.A. Orange Ball at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. "You have to go with the flow, speak your mind, and just remember millions of people are watching."

"I think they're going to be fantastic," Abdul said about Spears and Lovato as judges on the show. She added that Spears seems "lovely" and "very sweet," adding, "Demi seems sweet as well."

When we asked if she'll watch this season of The X Factor, the 49-year-old said, "I'm a fan. I'm a fan of all of these shows. My humble beginnings have always been mentoring and helping other people."

So with Jennifer Lopez possibly leaving American Idol, would Abdul ever return to TV and a singing competition judge?

She laughed, "That's a question I've never even thought about."

PHOTOS: 2012 American Idol Finale

source: eonline.com

Demi Lovato goes back on tour, a year after breakdown

LOS ANGELES - Teen star Demi Lovato is going back out on the road, a year after entering treatment for bulimia and other emotional problems.

Lovato, 19, will start a 10-city U.S. tour in November to celebrate the success of her latest album "Unbroken" and its debut single "Skyscraper", her spokesman said on Friday.

Lovato, the former star of Disney Channel's "Sonny with a Chance", suffered an emotional breakdown in November 2010 when she pulled out of a concert tour with the Jonas Brothers and entered a three month treatment program.

She has since spoken openly about her 10 year battle with eating disorders and said she started cutting herself at the age of 11.

Lovato has since quit the TV series that made her one of Disney Channel's biggest international teen stars, saying she wanted to focus on her music career.

Lovato has performed recently in New York and Los Angeles to promote the September release of "Unbroken". The new mini-tour will start in Detroit on November 16 and end in Chicago on December 3. - Reuters

Source: gmanews.tv