Demi Lovato's fifth and newest album, "Confident," has been released on Oct. 16, and among the songs that are in it, one was particularly very close to her heart.
Opening up in her channel on YouTube, the singer said that Track 11, entitled "Father," is aptly dedicated to her own dad, Patrick Lovato, and it is the album's most evocative song, according to Billboard.
Demi lost her dad in 2013 to cancer, according to MTV, but for years the man battled mental illness. "I was very conflicted when he passed, because he was abusive ... he was mean," she said in the video. "But he wanted to be a good person, and he wanted to have his family. And when my mom married my stepdad, he still had this huge heart where he'd say, 'I'm so glad he's taking care of you and doing the job I wish I could do.'"
The young singer shared that making the song was her therapy as she had unresolved feelings about her dad. She wanted to process those feelings by writing a song. "To know it wasn't fully his fault was really saddening to me," she said.
Demi previously made a song about her father in "Unbroken," her third album. "For the Love of a Daughter," was a song about her strained relationship with her dad and at that time it was released, Patrick was still alive.
But now, the star understands that her father "wasn't capable of raising a family," she went on to say in the video. Part of the lyrics to "Father" included: "I know you were a troubled man/I know you never got the chance/To be yourself, to be your best/I hope that heaven's given you/A second chance."
Demi is no stranger to mental illness and addiction too, as she underwent rehab for it in 2010, according to Entertainment Tonight. Back in June 2014, the singer honored her father's death anniversary with a tweet, according to Us Weekly. She posted a photo of Patrick and her and wrote: "Can't believe it's already been a year... Wish I could've hugged you one last time... RIP Daddy, I love you."
Meanwhile, "Confident" has been well-received by critics and earned four and a half stars from Billboard. The album also received four stars from All Music. "Confident is an impressive album by a pop star who knows what she wants-and also knows exactly how to get there," said the review of the album from The AV Club.
