Ever felt like you're living a life that isn't yours? Like you've basically traded your soul for a handful of likes and some vague approval from people who don't even know your middle name? Demi Lovato knows. They’ve lived it. Specifically, the track Demi Lovato What Other People Say—a collaboration with Australian singer Sam Fischer—is the anthem for anyone who woke up one day and realized they’ve become a stranger to themselves.
It isn't just a pop song. It's a confession.
Why What Other People Say Hits So Different
Most celebrity collaborations feel like business deals. This one didn't. Sam Fischer actually wrote the song years before it ever reached Demi. He was sitting on it, knowing it needed a specific kind of vulnerability that most "polished" pop stars are too scared to touch. Then Demi heard it. At the time, they were deep in the process of rebuilding after a near-fatal 2018 overdose, a journey chronicled in the raw docuseries Dancing with the Devil.
The timing was eerie.
When you look at the lyrics, you see why it clicked. Demi sings about how they thought they’d grow up and be just like their parents—staying away from the "same old drugs" everyone else takes. But then the chorus hits with a heavy dose of reality: "But look where I'm at... I'm living the life that I said I wouldn't."
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It’s about the crushing weight of external expectations. We spend so much time worrying about Demi Lovato what other people say that we forget to listen to what we're saying to ourselves.
The Making of a "Human" Record
Sam and Demi didn't even meet in person to record it. That’s the wild part. Because of the pandemic, they were connecting via screens and separate studios. Yet, when they finally met on the set of the music video—directed by Dano Cerny—the connection was instant. Fischer mentioned in interviews that watching Demi work was like watching a pro who could turn on "the light" the second the camera rolled, but the emotion behind the eyes was real.
The music video uses a train car as a metaphor. You’ve got all these strangers sitting together, totally isolated in their own heads, not realizing everyone else is carries the same baggage. It's a "lonely together" vibe.
Breaking Down the "What Other People Say" Lyrics
If you listen closely, the song is structured like a prayer that went unanswered for a long time.
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- The Verse of Regret: Demi mentions it’s been so long since they last prayed and how their heart has changed because they care too much about the gossip and the headlines.
- The Shared Burden: Sam’s verses mirror this, talking about the "LA machine" and the pressure to be someone "better" or "more" than just a human being.
- The Harsh Realization: The song doesn't end with a "happy ever after." It ends with the realization that the search for approval is a trap.
Honestly, it’s kinda rare to hear a superstar admit they’re "all f***ed up" in a way that doesn't feel like a marketing stunt. For Demi, this was part of a larger era of "earnest oversharing." The album it appeared on, Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over, was basically a 19-track open wound.
Public Reception and That One Reddit Comment
The song peaked at 58 on the UK Official Singles Chart and had a decent run on the Billboard Adult Pop Airplay. Critics at Rolling Stone and Billboard praised it as a "moving ballad."
But the internet is never 100% nice. If you dig into old Reddit threads from 2021, some fans were skeptical. One user on r/popheads famously called the subject matter "generic," claiming we didn't need another song about "believing in yourself."
But they missed the point.
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The song isn't about believing in yourself. It's about the failure to do so. It’s about the moment you realize you’ve failed your younger self. That's not generic; that's a mid-life crisis set to a piano melody.
Actionable Takeaways from Demi's Journey
If you’re feeling the weight of "what other people say" in your own life, there are actual lessons to take from this track beyond just adding it to your crying-in-the-shower playlist.
- Identify the "Other People": Half the time, the "they" we're trying to please doesn't actually exist. It's a ghost. Write down whose opinion actually matters to your health and safety. Hint: it's usually about three people.
- Practice "Radical Honesty": Demi’s whole 2021-2022 era was built on this. Stop pretending things are fine when you’re "living the life you said you wouldn't." Acknowledging the gap between who you are and who you want to be is the only way to close it.
- Find Your Tribe: As Demi told Notion Magazine, it's less about the city you're in (like the "shitty" version of LA Sam Fischer sings about) and more about the people you surround yourself with.
- Audit Your Social Media: Demi has been vocal about how social media isn't healthy for mental health. If you’re constantly checking what people are saying in the comments, you’re feeding the monster.
Ultimately, the song serves as a reminder that you can't find yourself if you're constantly looking through someone else's eyes. It's a hard lesson, and apparently, even being a global superstar doesn't make it any easier to learn.
To really apply this, try a "digital fast" for 48 hours. Disconnect from the noise and see what your own voice sounds like when it’s not competing with the choir of public opinion. It might be quieter than you expect, but at least it'll be yours.