Over a decade later, a clip from Demi Lovato’s 2011 performance of “Who’s That Boy” is making the rounds on social media, and fans are sounding off with a wide range of reactions. Originally featured on Lovato’s third studio album Unbroken, the song, a collaboration with Dev, always stood out as a surprising detour from the rest of the album’s emotional tone. Now, as the resurfaced video gains traction online, viewers are pointing out everything from the pop star’s appearance to the mental health struggles she faced at the time.
“She has an identity crisis every 3 months,” one user commented, referencing Lovato’s frequently evolving style and image over the years. Others expressed a more empathetic take, writing, “She was super depressed at the time but nobody noticed,” highlighting the hidden turmoil Lovato has since spoken about from that period in her life.
Just a year prior to her Unbroken era, in 2010, the singer had entered treatment for physical and emotional issues, including struggles with bulimia, self-harm, and substance abuse. While Unbroken marked her return to the spotlight, Lovato has since revealed she was still battling inner demons during that time.
In interviews and documentaries, the “Skyscraper” singer has opened up about feeling immense pressure to maintain a polished pop star image while quietly grappling with addiction and mental health issues. “I was sneaking drugs on planes, sneaking drugs in bathrooms, sneaking drugs through the night,” Lovato confessed in her 2017 documentary Simply Complicated. “I would sneak out and get drugs. I would fake drug tests with other people’s urine. It was a never-ending cycle.”
Demi Lovato’s 2011 ‘Who’s That Boy’ Performance Resurfaces
Some fans looked back on the video fondly, remembering the initial impact of the performance. “I remember thinking how pretty she looked here when this video first came out,” one user shared, while others critiqued the track’s fit within the overall album, “This song was so random also on the album it didn’t really fit.” The mixed reactions didn’t stop there. One particularly harsh comment read, “This aged like milk ngl. Are people still listening to that album at all?”
While Lovato has dramatically shifted her sound and identity since her Unbroken era, the resurfacing of old content like this reminds fans of how much she’s evolved, and how closely her personal battles have been tied to her public image.
