After dropping her last album "Confident"in 2015 and wrapping the FutureNow tour with Nick Jonas last year, Demi Lovato was not shy about speaking out on Twitter that she needed a break for her own health and wellness. Fans were nothing but supportive of the singer's hiatus, but now she's back and she just dropped a brand new, badass single called "Sorry Not Sorry"--and it’s a reminder that I don't have to be sorry anymore.
Demi Lovato, the singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and activist, has always been, and remains, an empowering figure for girls and women. She isn't afraid to open up about her real life struggles with body image, heartbreak, and mental illness.
One of the things I love most about Lovato is her honest music. She's no stranger to songs that speak to her weaknesses and struggles, including chart-topping hits like "Skyscraper" from the album "Unbroken," which was the first single to reflect her struggles with depression.
On the surface, "Sorry Not Sorry"is the perfect song for anyone wanting to remind their ex that they’re moving on and they’re stronger than ever. Lovato even teased the song to her fans on Instagram by saying "this is an anthem for anyone who's ever been hated on and has risen above it and come out from the other side like a f—ing savage."
But this song speaks to me on a much deeper lever. It reminds me that I should never feel sorry for my feelings.
What a concept, I'm allowed to feel my feelings.
However, it's not as easy as it sounds. It took me years to learn that feeling is totally acceptable. Sometimes it's easy to forget that I'm entitled to my own feelings whether that's sadness, anger, jealousy or spite--you know, all those ugly emotions no one likes to admit they feel.
I've always been one of those people that felt my anger or jealousy was never justifiable or acceptable. I legitimately would feel bad about feeling bad. I don't know why I've felt this way the majority of my life, maybe it's because I’ve been told that my feelings are irrational.
Lovato's new single explores some of those negative emotions--the lyrics are even a little vengeful and spiteful at times--but she makes those emotions seem totally justified which isn't easy to do.
The main line of the song is "baby, I’m sorry (I'm not sorry)," which is directed to someone who has obviously hurt her in the past. She covers topics such as empowerment after someone has broken you down, but it's also an anthem for self-confidence. To be honest, the song just exudes ultimate bad-assery.
To this day, I still struggle to remember that there is a reason I feel the way I feel, and that those feelings aren't wrong. I finally figured out there's no such thing as feeling the wrong thing, but how I choose to act on those feelings is a whole other story. So thank you, Demi Lovato for a great new jam to add to my playlist, but for also reminding me that I don’t owe anyone an apology for my feelings (even the negative ones).
#SorryNotSorry for my feelings.