NEED TO KNOW
Demi Lovato told PAPER Magazine that “a powerful way to take the power back” is to own her viral memesThe singer said this era is about “owning where I’m at”Lovato’s ninth studio album is set for release on Oct. 24

Demi Lovato is in on the joke.

On Monday, Sept. 15, the “Heart Attack” singer appeared on the cover of PAPER Magazine and opened up about making light of her viral memes, like singing to ghosts, “Disney knees,” Poot and the infamous yogurt shop controversy.

“I think what’s been fun for me is I recently joined TikTok full time. I was always lurking. I’d go on it once in a while, but I never invested time into making videos. Once I got back online, I started seeing the memes,” Lovato, 33, told the outlet.

She added, “An incredible, powerful way to take the power back is to own the memes. Because then, if I’m laughing, nobody can laugh at me. I’m laughing at me.”

While some of memes are “so ridiculous,” Lovato — who’s set to release her forthcoming album It’s Not That Deep on Oct. 24 — said that “this whole era is about taking my power back.”

“Just owning my music, owning where I’m at, owning the position that my life is in today, which is happy, fun, and carefree,” she said.

Demi Lovato in Los Angeles in September 2025.

Stefanie Keenan/Getty 

In August, Lovato released the lead single, “Fast,” with an accompanying music video. At one point in the visual, Lovato is confronted with five TV screens that reference her iconic memes, including the time she sang “Skyscraper” to a ghost in Unidentified; “Poot,” the 2015 Tumblr image of Lovato that spawned a fictional backstory; responding to a fat-shaming commenter; revealing her favorite dish is “a mug;” and a throwback to her “Disney knees” from Camp Rock.

Days prior, Lovato revisited Los Angeles yogurt shop The Bigg Chill and shared a series of videos to social media. In the first TikTok video, she lip-synced to her previous viral video from April 2021. 

In the 2021 clip, Lovato said, “I left that yogurt store and didn’t get the yogurt that I wanted.” In the new video, Lovato said the line directly to the camera before cutting to a new clip of her dancing around the storefront with her cup of yogurt. 

She posted a second TikTok of her smiling while she’s enjoying her dessert, and the text overlay read: “‘you look happier’ thanks i finally got the yogurt that i wanted!” She also captioned the video: “you make me happy @The Bigg Chill 🍦🍦🍦.”

In April, she leaned into her 10-year-old viral Poot meme on TikTok by joking she was “never letting her out.” A month prior, she recreated her iconic “Disney knees” from Camp Rock in different parts of Disneyland.