“Demi Lovato Reclaims Her Power by Embracing Memes About Herself: ‘If I’m the One Laughing, No One Else Can Mock Me’”
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“Lovato made a nod to her viral memes in the ‘Fast’ music video released in August.”
Demi Lovato is happily joining in on the fun.
On Monday, Sept. 15, the Heart Attack singer appeared on the cover of PAPER magazine, where she discussed embracing the internet memes she has inspired over the years — from “Disney knees” and “Poot” to singing to ghosts and even the yogurt shop controversy.
Lovato, 33, admitted that although she had been a casual TikTok user in the past, she only recently began posting regularly. “I used to just scroll now and then, but when I started making content myself, I kept coming across all these memes,” she said.
She explained that turning those viral moments into humor has helped her feel empowered: “The most powerful way to take control is to embrace them. If I’m laughing at myself, then no one else can use them against me.”
Though she admitted some of the memes are “absolutely ridiculous,” Lovato — who will release her new album It’s Not That Deep on Oct. 24 — said the project reflects her new outlook. “This whole era is about reclaiming my power,” she shared. “It’s about owning my music, where I’m at in life, and the happiness and freedom I feel today.”
Her latest single, Fast, dropped in August with a music video that cleverly nods to her internet fame. In one scene, five TV screens play back her most talked-about viral moments: performing Skyscraper for a ghost in Unidentified, the 2015 “Poot” Tumblr photo, her reply to a body-shaming comment, her viral “a mug” quote, and her “Disney knees” from Camp Rock.
Lovato has also been revisiting old controversies with humor. Just days earlier, she returned to The Bigg Chill yogurt shop in Los Angeles, the site of her 2021 viral moment. In a TikTok, she lip-synced the same line she once delivered — “I left that yogurt store and didn’t get the yogurt that I wanted” — before cutting to a shot of herself happily dancing with her dessert.
A follow-up video showed her smiling with the treat, with text reading: “‘you look happier.’ thanks i finally got the yogurt that i wanted!” She captioned it playfully: “you make me happy @The Bigg Chill 🍦🍦🍦.”
Earlier this year, Lovato leaned into her older memes as well. In April, she joked on TikTok about keeping “Poot” locked away, and in March, she recreated her viral “Disney knees” pose at various spots in Disneyland.