reflected on the criticism she faced after singing Heart Attack at the American Heart Association event over two years ago.
She recalled how she performed her hit song at the heart disease awareness event in 2024 and, shortly thereafter, went viral for the 'tone-deaf' display.
While making an appearance on the Elvis Duran Show on Thursday, the singer addressed the backlash she faced and insisted it was not her decision.
Lovato, 33, said she 'flagged' the song choice before her performance at the Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection event.
The former Disney star, who previously suffered a heart attack in 2018 after a drug overdose and in the same interview, said, however, she was encouraged to go ahead and perform her 2013 hit song anyway.
'I want to say they asked me to sing that,' she said. 'Because I flagged it beforehand and was like, "Um, isn't this, like, not the vibe?" And they were like, "No, they want to hear it." I was like, "OK."
Demi Lovato addressed the backlash she faced after performing Heart Attack at a heart disease awareness event two years ago
She recalled how she performed her hit song at the heart disease awareness event in 2024 and, shortly thereafter, went viral for the 'tone-deaf' display; pictured in January 2024
'And then, of course people online are like, "Why did she sing that?" And I'm like, "Y'all, it wasn't me. I didn't ask. I flagged it."'
At the time, a rep for Lovato told Entertainment Weekly and defended the song choice, calling it a 'beautiful moment.'
'It was a sensitive moment intended to champion the women in the room — the very reason why Demi was at the event,' the rep said.
'She did open with a beautiful intro on why she chose the song and addressed the room, talking about the mind and heart connection. It was actually a beautiful moment.'
In the same interview, Lovato reflected on her sobriety journey and shared an emotional message she would give to her younger self while going through recovery.
'I would say that there's a light at the end of the tunnel, and all of the hard work becomes worth it,' Lovato said.
'Whether it's hard work on your recovery from an eating disorder, or whether it's recovery in sobriety, it's possible to find joy again and to live the life that exceeds your wildest dreams,' she continued.
On the radio show, she said she 'flagged it beforehand' and had pointed out that the song was 'not the vibe'
She recalled how she was encouraged to perform the song anyway and was told: 'They want to hear it'
At the time, she faced criticism for her 'tone-deaf' decision to sing her 2013 hit song Heart Attack at a heart disease awareness event; pictured in January 2024
She will also be embarking on a North American tour next month in support of her latest album, It's Not That Deep
'And I just wish I could've heard that when I was struggling when I was younger,' she added.
The star was promoting her upcoming cookbook, One Plate at a Time: Recipes for Finding Freedom with Food, while opening up about her relationship with food amid her eating disorder recovery journey.
Her cookbook will be published and hit bookshelves at the end of the month on March 31.
Shortly thereafter, she will also be embarking on a North American tour next month in support of her ninth studio album, It's Not That Deep, which she released late last year.
