Demi has a four-part documentary free on YouTube, Dancing With The Devil, that quite openly talks about her overdose and the long, hard road back. She speaks out about being raped at 14 years old, being six-months sober then breaking that days after, and how she was 10 minutes away from being forever dead.

Her mother, stepfather, stepsister, former and current manager (the latter of whom is the gross-ass Scooter Braun), former assistant, creative director (who got an onslaught of hate post-overdose because fans blamed her for it), and more are in it. She even talks about writing "Sober" while being exactly not that. She talks about how the Grammy performance overshadowed the OD.

It feels real and raw. I'm not necessarily a fan of Demi's music. But I appreciate the things she's been through so far and that she's alive.

Part 1: losing control

Part 2: 5 minutes from death

Part 3: dancing with the devil

Part 4: rebirthing

Anyone seen it? Thoughts?

[Edited 4/6/21 23:21pm]

Yeah its a whirlwind with DEMI she was one of those "child" stars that everything got to be way too much as she got older and also personal private issues she always had. I do feel for her, and I do hope that circle she has had in the past is gone, becuase she had some things go on then she did the whole "Sorry Not Sorry" album tour where she was all about her body image and being comfortable with who you are etc... But the people around her at that time I feel were toxic and alsoI feel sometimes its best not to air your struggles in public like this. As for her musicially I think she has a great voice but again a lot of her material is pretty bland and she seems to be in so many lanes that musically she misses and now even on the new record, 19 songs, way too much to digest and then the series and then interviews talking about her sexuality who she is attracted to, men, women, it just seems sometimes, especially now in this media world everyone wants to put their whole life out there, and i understand you are struggling and also at the same times want your fans to know more, I think though many bring more bad attention on themselves. The tour she was on when she fell off, supposedly was the "tour" where she was embracing other things and she made it about that, now this album has a series and interviews hopefully this goes differently personally for her.

lastdecember said:

Yeah its a whirlwind with DEMI she was one of those "child" stars that everything got to be way too much as she got older and also personal private issues she always had. I do feel for her, and I do hope that circle she has had in the past is gone, becuase she had some things go on then she did the whole "Sorry Not Sorry" album tour where she was all about her body image and being comfortable with who you are etc... But the people around her at that time I feel were toxic and alsoI feel sometimes its best not to air your struggles in public like this. As for her musicially I think she has a great voice but again a lot of her material is pretty bland and she seems to be in so many lanes that musically she misses and now even on the new record, 19 songs, way too much to digest and then the series and then interviews talking about her sexuality who she is attracted to, men, women, it just seems sometimes, especially now in this media world everyone wants to put their whole life out there, and i understand you are struggling and also at the same times want your fans to know more, I think though many bring more bad attention on themselves. The tour she was on when she fell off, supposedly was the "tour" where she was embracing other things and she made it about that, now this album has a series and interviews hopefully this goes differently personally for her.

I agree with you about how there may be times you don't share every emotional issue that you are going through with the world, especially when you haven't fully resoved the issue. I have had the idea that Demi puts things out about her life with the hopes of closing that personal chapter, which hasn't been the case. Also, if her goal is to inspire fans with her honesty, then this may at times backfire when she falls down again. If she was 40 years old and had some years of stability, then it might make better sense to talk about the pitfalls of her journey and how she got through them. Not to say she doesn't have the right to do it her way. I just wonder if she will look back at it one day and put it in her stack of regrets. Wish her the best.

MotownSubdivision said:

Nothing against her personally but I think Demi is one of the biggest personifications of living too fast. There's various negative side effects of being a child star and while there are countless examples, I think Demi is the biggest, most modern example. Thankfully, she's still alive and she deserves to tell her story but I can't help but feel like behind the scenes, her recovery is being rushed and her demons being used to market her. Not saying she's to blame for this but it feels like her handlers are just trying to squeeze ever drop of juice from this girl and by jumping on this mental illness bandwagon that is so prevalent today and promoting this supposed triumph over her struggles without truly investing in that. It all just feels contrived and disingenuous with how Demi's career has been transpiring; like she's being used as some half-baked attempt at being an inspirational figure without having healed enough to be in that position. I know that's a hot take but that's the vibe I get from her. [Edited 4/4/21 10:46am]

Your hot take is burning in all the right ways !

MotownSubdivision said:

Nothing against her personally but I think Demi is one of the biggest personifications of living too fast. There's various negative side effects of being a child star and while there are countless examples, I think Demi is the biggest, most modern example. Thankfully, she's still alive and she deserves to tell her story but I can't help but feel like behind the scenes, her recovery is being rushed and her demons being used to market her. Not saying she's to blame for this but it feels like her handlers are just trying to squeeze ever drop of juice from this girl and by jumping on this mental illness bandwagon that is so prevalent today and promoting this supposed triumph over her struggles without truly investing in that. It all just feels contrived and disingenuous with how Demi's career has been transpiring; like she's being used as some half-baked attempt at being an inspirational figure without having healed enough to be in that position. I know that's a hot take but that's the vibe I get from her. [Edited 4/4/21 10:46am]

Yup this is it right here. I totally feel the same way, and its how it looks because of the constant changes in her as a person, seeing all these things over such a short period of a time and then taking on a docuseries now and then also that "Sober" performance that she did on the AMA or Grammy show I forgot which, and I often feel she makes these appearances and its all tied to selling a record, which to me is not helping its only making things worse. Not that she is not honest with all the struggles but given the culture of today where the feeling is WE all need to know, or you have to do these things in the spotlight, I almost dont think this generation understands the term "under the radar".

gandorb said:

MotownSubdivision said:

gandorb said:

Your hot take is burning in all the right ways !

I guess now that I've read your comments, my take wasn't very hot after all lol Demi is gravely mismanaged. Girl is just another marionette of the machine; talented but misused, completely manufactured and exploited. Strictly speaking musically, she comes from the Christina Aguilera Academy of Oversinging where her vocals is supposed to help compensate for an absence of actual persona. She's still young and can overcome but I don't trust this modern music industry she's unfortunately a part of to help her cause in the long-term.

She's 28 or 29. Young yes, but not a newbie by any means. She does have a voice, and Aguilera is in the last part of the doc.

As far as mismanaged: Scooter Braun (sp) is her manager now. So - there's that.

Everyone young or new to the business is a puppet to some extent. There are very few exceptions to that. New artists are honed and fashioned early on because frankly most have no idea what to do to really sell themselves as a singer. It takes the artist breaking out of that and stretching their clout a bit. It seems with female artists, that "adulting" step is taking their clothes off. Aguilera, Spears, even Madonna have gone through that "I'm naked and grown and this is the real me" stage. I wonder if Demi is going to go there at some point, in her 30s.

She's a person, she has a personality. A persona seems more like something manufactured, so maybe she can skip that altogether.

But I do agree she's a bit mishandled. Part 4 was really telling. Elton John is in it and said "moderation doesn't work, it just doesn't. You have one beer, you want 10 beers. You have one joint, you want to smoke everything." He noted asking for help is the hardest thing he ever did but it's kept him sober for thirty years. Lovato has described herself as "California sober," aka moderation. But if she's an addict, that just isn't going to last.

I've never struggled with drug or alcohol addiction. I've smoked pot once, and drink maybe once or twice a year (for no other reason than I just don't think much about it). Lovato, as an addict, is going to continually have this near-death-turn-rebirth experience in her life, I fear. It's just so stereotypical. But, is it? It's more that it's how the music biz works. Drugs are everywhere, as are enablers. And unless someone really keeps non-yes-men around them, then they'll continually go thru the cycle. I expect in 5 years we'll be seeing another "Okay that time wasn't honest, this is the truth," which is what she said this time about last time, and said last time about the time before that.

I sincerely hope it doesn't turn into that, but I don't necessarily believe she has the right folks near her. I was sorta on her side in the doc, until near the end. Her mom said, "I think she has things under control." There was just a blank look on her face, like she didn't even believe it. I thought, am I the only one seeing the utter bullshit of this?? The friends, while probably are real friends, are still enabling her. Their stories or attitudes about it all changed from part 1 to part 4.

It's her journey. Here's hoping there are better days ahead for her.

TrivialPursuit said:

MotownSubdivision said:

.... I have no true interest in watching this doc but I may take a peek just to have a firm understanding of what's being discussed here. The consensus seems to be though that Demi's struggles are being mined for profit with no regard for her as a human being. That's the music biz but how they use it as blatant marketing is setting a dangerous, despicable precedent by trivializing mental illnesses, addiction and other personal trauma into a commercial.

I often watch music docs on folks I don't necessarily listen to, just out of sheer curiosity. The doc is her idea, and apparently there was another in 2018 that was canceled for various reasons. Each part is only around 20+/- minutes, so it's not long to get thru it, if you do choose to watch.

And yeah, Scooter is never good news. I really wonder who else he's fucked over.

I'll probably never own a Demi album or whatever, but I do wish her nothing but good health in her life.

I saw a quick clip from this show/series and I also saw a brief clip of Elton John talking how its great that she does this and it will help people in the future. I get what he is saying as he went through many things with an eating disorder and a lot of drugs and alcohol, BUT I think sometimes if we see repeat things, there is a deeper issue and sometimes the "spotlight" might not be the place. I can understand the whole "child star" thing but if that is to apply and all those pressures than part of that pressure is the constant spotlight people are not ready for. I also think its those around you, she has had many instances of bad circles around her and going back to the same people, and even family and upbringing because there have been other child stars and some who were more in the light but it didnt effect them same, all are different. Lastly I think she should look to become an indie artist, leave things behind just start from scratch literally dont be dependant on management and who is directing you to shows and tours and this and that because those people MOST of the time are in it for the job the check, not your well being.

coldcoffeeandcocacola said:

Oh dear this girl peddles her troubles for all who will listen. I think she needs to go away for 5 years and actually sort her head out instead of airing her laundry. I don't get it at all. It's a bit like when miley cyrus had her boobs and tongue out all the time.

Agree

She was recently interviewed in relation to DMX's overdose, saying it could have been her.

What stayed with me, though, was her continued drinking, in 'moderation.'

She does not seem to be all-in regarding her sobriety.