Demi Lovato opens up about penning single on her abusive, ’mean' father
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Demi Lovato at Hammerstein Ballroom on September 17, 2015 in New York City. (2015 Getty Images)
Demi Lovato is truly an open book and now she is using the power of music to heal some wounds.
The “Cool for the Summer” singer recently revealed that she felt very conflicted when her estranged father Patrick Lovato died of cancer in 2013. She said he was “abusive” and “mean,” but still wanted to pen a song about him.
Lovato’s new album “Confident” includes the song “Father,” which she wrote about her dad, who suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“He knew he wasn’t capable of raising a family, and it’s because of his mental illness,” Lovato, 23, said in video series promoting her new album. “To know that it really wasn’t his fault, really was saddening to me.”
The “Skyscraper” singer, who has spoken very candidly about her own struggles with addiction and bipolar disorder, had been estranged from her father since 2007 and never really reconnected before his death.
“He wanted to be a good person, and he wanted to have his family,” Lovato revealed. “When my mom married my stepdad (Eddie De La Garza), he still had this huge heart where he would say, 'I'm so glad Eddie's taking care of you and doing the job that I wish I could do.'"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She told People magazine recently that her relationship with her dad was not strong because his mental health remained untreated. She said his death inspired her to help other people live a happy life because “nobody deserves to suffer."
In 2014, the singer started the Lovato Treatment Scholarship in honor of her father, which helps cover the expenses for people struggling with mental health and addiction.