Demi Lovato's New Song 'Sober' Suggests a Relapse After 6 Years of Sobriety

In April of this year, Demi Lovato gave a touching speech about mental health at her Brooklyn concert. On stage, she talked about her struggles and told the crowd she had happily entered her sixth year of sobriety at age 25. Her new song “Sober,” however, alludes to a recent relapse.

Lovato released the song via Twitter and Instagram on Thursday with a simple message: “My truth…” Above a quiet, somber piano, she sings: “Momma, I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore/And daddy, please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor/To the ones who never left me/We’ve been down this road before/I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore.” It’s a gorgeous confession that might just rip your heart out your chest.

Back in May, Lovato wrote on Twitter: “There’s nothing like the truth. The honest to God, uncomfortable and shocking truth. Sometimes you have to share your story in the most honest way possible… for me that’s through music.” We’ll have to wait to hear more from her about this song, but it reminds me of something Sarah Hepola, author of the memoir Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget, wrote on Jezebel in 2016: “I had to practice quitting for a while. Some people call this ‘relapse,’ but we might also call it ‘preparation.’”