Demi Lovato's new album, Confident, is a lot more than just a bunch of good songs collected in one place.
Lovato has written some powerful songs for it, but there's one track in particular that deserves a little more explanation. The "Neon Lights" singer is opening up on YouTube about her song titled "Father," which is about her late dad, Patrick Lovato.
"I was very conflicted when he passed because he was abusive," she says in a YouTube clip, which reveals the meaning behind "Father." "He was mean, but he wanted to be a good person, and he wanted to have his family. When my mom married my stepdad he still had this huge heart where he would say, 'I'm so glad Eddie's taking care of you and doing the job that I wish I could do. "
Lovato, who struggles with bipolar disorder, reveals that her father also struggled with mental illness. Because of his disease, Lovato adds, he couldn't really be there for his family in the way that he should have.
"He knew he wasn't capable of raising a family, um, and it was because of his mental illness," says the "Cool for the Summer" singer. "To know that it wasn't fully his fault really was saddening to me. I wanted to write about it; I wanted to process it."
Fans have been turning out in waves to support the 23-year-old singer, commenting on the video with words of praise and awe. "I am so proud of her opening up about this," one Lovatic wrote.
"Demi, you're so strong and so brave to talk about it," another wrote. "We're always here for you, you know that."
Wilmer Valderrama's longtime girlfriend had been estranged from her father since 2007. He died in 2013 after a battle with cancer. A year after he passed away, Demi posted a touching tribute to her father that also acknowledged his struggle with mental illness.
"My dad suffered from severe mental illness so at least there's peace in knowing he's not suffering anymore," she wrote.
She later opened up about her loss on Good Morning America. "I'm handling it OK," she said. "My father and I didn't have the most ideal relationship. But at the end of the day, he's still my dad. I grew up with him, and he's a wonderful person."