Finding common ground. Demi Lovato revealed to Justin Bieber that he played an important role in her recovery following her May 2018 relapse.
The “Skyscraper” singer, 27, and “Baby” crooner, 25, opened up about their respective struggles with their mental health and addiction during The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Friday, March 6. Lovato, who was acting as guest host on the talk show, asked Bieber how he decided to show such vulnerable moments of his life in his recent YouTube docuseries, Seasons.
“There’s a fear in showing vulnerability and there’s a fear in showing stuff that you feel like people will say you look weak,” Bieber said. “I think the more mature you become, the more you understand that there’s power in your weakness. And when you’re able to show that, it gives other people the confidence to say, ‘You know what? I’m going through similar things myself. It might not be the exact same thing, but I’m going through something too and I’ve been hiding it.'”
The “Never Say Never” singer continued, noting that he felt empowered to spark “a dialogue” among his fans about mental health and other important issues. Bieber has been open about the depression and anxiety that came along with growing up in the spotlight, and spoke candidly about his recovery in his documentary.
Lovato praised the Grammy winner for his honesty, and admitted that she saw him as an aspirational figure as she began the road to recovery after her life-threatening relapse and overdose.
“For me and my experience, when I struggled last year, I know I looked at you as an inspiration because you’ve been through this and you’ve come out of the other side,” the former Disney star said. “I really just admire the man that you are today.”
One day prior, the “Anyone” singer discussed her struggles at length with Ellen DeGeneres on the same daytime talk show, admitting that the “one-size-fits-all” approach to sobriety didn’t work for her. After getting sober at 19, Lovato experienced a critical relapse in her eating disorder and addiction, leading to a two-week hospitalization and three months in rehab in 2018.
“Ultimately, I made the decisions that got me to where I am today,” she said on Thursday, March 5. “If you do go through this, you yourself can get through it … and as long as you take the responsibility, you can move past it and learn to love yourself the way you deserve to be loved.”
