Mar 19

Mar 19 The Most Shocking Revelations From Demi Lovato's Documentary 'Dancing With the Devil'

celebrity, Film Review, Health, lifestyle

Demi Lovato has always been an open book. When it comes to her own story, we can expect that exact same honesty. The 28-year-old starlet just released her new four-part documentary, Dancing With the Devil, at the SXSW 2021 festival, which takes her transparency to new heights.

“2018 wasn’t the end all be all of that journey. I didn’t expect to be that honest on camera. I knew. Was going to talk about 2018, 2020 but I didn’t know how honest I was going to be with 2019. I think I really surprised not only myself but my friends too when I decided to be that honest,” Lovato shares. “That’s the whole point behind this docuseries.”

The shocking docuseries has some gut-wrenching realities that are discussed for the first time ever. The ‘Confident’ singer revealed that her near-fatal drug overdose in July 2018, has left the singer with long-term health problems. In spring of 2020, nearly two years after her overdose, Lovato and her team began production to shed light on the real story. The raw story – in its entirety.

“There were other things that happened. It was a lot, it was heavy, Lovato shared during the Q+A after the debut at SXSW. “I’m really grateful that I survived and I definitely feel like I have a purpose.”

The documentary revealed that Lovato was legally blind when she woke up from the accidental overdose and suffered brain damage (and is still affected to this day).

Lovato's neurologist Dr. Shouri Lahiri revealed in the docuseries that the singer's oxygen levels were "dangerously low and trending down" when she got to the hospital, and the back of her brain and her vision were the first places to be affected from the overdose. "I don't think people realize how bad I actually was," Lovato said. "I had three strokes. I had a heart attack. I suffered brain damage from the strokes. I can't drive anymore. I have blind spots in my vision. When I pour a glass of water, I'll miss the cup because I can't see it anymore. I've also had pneumonia because I asphyxiated and multiple organ failures." She added, "I'm really lucky to be alive."

She also revealed that she was sexually assaulted multiple times as a teenager and the night of her overdose.

“Yes, I’ve done a lot of work on myself. Luckily, I had the courage to come clean so I could hold myself accountable and that’s the things. This whole journey is every evolving,” Lovato explains. This docuseries is full of emotion, and really an eye-opener for many. While Lovato may not be entirely sober (she has admitted too drinking and smoking weed in moderation), she is living her life the best to her abilities. “I’m not sitting in front of you claiming to be fixed or the poster child of recovery. I’m not that any more. I don’t want to be that. I don’t want to take that on,” Lovato says. “What I will say, is this path that I’ve taken has helped me so much and I want to share everything with the world so hopefully it can help others as well.”

Directed by Michael D. Ratner and produced by OBB Pictures and Scooter Braun’s SB Projects, the YouTube Original series, Dancing With he Devil, will premiere on YouTube for free on Tuesday, March 23, with new episodes released weekly over the following two Tuesdays.