Demi Lovato releases new music video for political single 'Commander in Chief'
With the 2020 presidential election rapidly approaching, Demi Lovato released a politically charged ballad that begs President Donald Trump for compassion and empathy.
The song, "Commander in Chief," which dropped at midnight on Wednesday, implores the president to consider the deep divide rocking the nation, and to acknowledge the pain and outrage felt by voters nationwide "while you line your pockets deep."
The new music video for the single features a diverse array of individuals of different ages and backgrounds. The camera then pans to the Grammy nominee as she chants, "Won't give up, stand our ground/ We'll be in the streets while you're bunkering down" as a tear rolls down her face.
In a post sharing the release on Instagram, Lovato wrote, "I'm urging you to look out for one another, to support your loved ones, your neighbors, & those you may not have met yet in your community.
Although the song has sparked intense political backlash, the singer told fans that she doesn't "care if this ruins my career."
"This isn't about that. ... I made a piece of art that stands for something I believe in. And I'm putting it out even at the risk of losing fans. I'll take integrity in my work over sales any day," she said in her Instagram Story. "I'm ... bummed that you expect me, a queer Hispanic woman, to silence my views/beliefs in order to please my audience, i.e., your family."
In the song, she voices the concerns expressed by the millions of Americans that have been rattled by these tumultuous times, reciting continuously that "if I did the things you'd do, I couldn't sleep."
"Commander in Chief" touches upon a series of social justice issues, such as the Black Lives Matter movement and access to affordable health care during COVID-19, to punctuate the point that people are needlessly suffering and dying.
"We won't give up, stand our ground/ We'll be in the streets while you're bunkering down/ Loud and proud, best believe/ We'll still take a knee, while you're commander in chief," Lovato relays to Trump as a chorus of gospel voices swell behind her.
Lovato also references victims of police brutality by asking the president, "How does it feel to still be able to breathe?"
This isn't the first time a pop star issued a poignant letter in opposition of a sitting president. In 2006, singer Pink released an emotionally raw message to then-President George W. Bush, titled "Dear Mr. President," that criticized his record on the Iraq War, LGBT rights and helping the less fortunate.
