Demi Lovato on Wilmer Valderrama: ‘I’ve Never Been More in Love’

Demi Lovato has a new hit single, “Cool for the Summer.” (Photo: Instagram)

It’s almost a rite of passage for former Disney stars: They soar to fame with a ridiculously wholesome preteen image that’s almost entirely scripted. They go through (unscripted) public struggles. Then, to show the world that they are all grown up, they emerge with a sexier, edgier image. Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and Britney Spears are all graduates of this well-trod teen-to-adult-star path, and the latest is Demi Lovato. The video for her new hit single, “Cool for the Summer,” shows the almost 23-year-old writhing on a bed in a teeny bandage unitard, singing breathlessly, “Don’t tell your mother.” Lovato tells Yahoo Beauty, “I feel a lot more grown-up now than I ever have when it comes to my music. The last time I released an album I was 20. I’m feeling more mature and more confident. It’s an edgier, sexier album, so I’m excited for people to hear it.”

The difference between Lovato and other stars is that her “grown-up” image seems more organic. She has gone through well-publicized struggles with body image and substance abuse and has been open about her diagnosis with bipolar disorder. The singer has come through those experiences as a surprisingly candid, mature, and strong voice for sobriety, mental illness, and body confidence. On the relationship front, Lovato is long-term with actor Wilmer Valderrama, who is 12 years her senior. In terms of career, she has several businesses, including natural skin care line Devonne by Demi. And as far as her music, she’s never been bigger, with “Cool for the Summer” at the top of the charts. She’s on a world tour and is releasing her much-anticipated album this fall. If Lovato’s “new image” aims to show her as empowered, it’s because she is.

With a new focus on healthy living, Lovato is all about body confidence. (Photo: Instagram)

Lovato says she owes her newfound strength and happiness to working on herself and replacing the negative with the positive. “I think I got here because I’ve worked really hard,” Lovato tells Yahoo Beauty. “I go to the gym every day, I’m taking care of myself, and I’m keeping healthy. I feel like when you put a lot of time and effort into being healthy, you feel it.” Lovato’s focus on fitness and health has resulted in her loving the body she once struggled with accepting, and rocking even tinier outfits. “When you’re constantly bettering yourself, you’re able to accept your body for what it is, and you learn to love it,” she says. Lovato recently posted to Instagram a leggy pic celebrating her curves and urging her fans to do the same. “Learn to lurrrrrvveee yerrrrr currrrrvveees,” she wrote. “I actually used to hate them… But then a special someone helped me learn how to love them… And he sure loves them…. #squats.”

Her openness has earned Lovato countless devoted fans, called Lovatics. “I’m very, very candid with my fans and honest with them. I think that they really respect that,” Lovato says before making the link with her latest brand partnership. “It’s another reason that I have no problem being so open about the Radiant Collection with Tampax and Always. It’s not something that a lot of people would normally want to talk about, but I’m so open and honest with my fans that I thought it was perfect. Someone’s gotta talk about it!” Lovato says she also relies on her fans. “My fans have inspired me a lot, and they’ve gotten me through some rough times. I’m very grateful for them, so any time I’m going through something, I always turn to them for support. And their support online just makes me feel so much better.”

Lovato shares a candid moment with her boyfriend, Wilmer Valderrama. (Photo: Instagram)

Lovato says her biggest source of support these days is her boyfriend, Valderrama. The two often share gushy pictures and messages on social media. A few weeks ago, Lovato shared a screenshot of messages between them in which Valderrama referred to her as his soulmate. Asked if she would describe him the same way, Lovato doesn’t hesitate: “I’ve never been more in love. I’m so excited to have him in my life as my best friend and my boyfriend.”

Demi Lovato’s new single “Cool for the Summer.” (Video: Vevo)

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