"Sober" is a song by American singer
Demi Lovato. It was initially released exclusively to music
streaming services through
Island,
Hollywood and
Safehouse Records on June 21, 2018, and was made available to
iTunes on the same day.[1] Lovato revealed in the song that she had relapsed after six years of sobriety.[2] A month after the song's release, Lovato was hospitalized due to an overdose.[3]
Commercially, the song reached the top 40 in Ireland, Portugal and Hungary, and was certified gold in the United States and Portugal.
Recording
The track was written and recorded during the 2018 Bali Invitational songwriting camp. Lovato set up a house with songwriters Romans, Apte and Landon in three writing rooms. "I feel like we created such a safe place for that song to happen and she was so brutally honest about everything," revealed Apte in an interview.[4]
Release and promotion
"Sober" premiered on June 21, 2018, and was released commercially for
digital download at the same time. The lyric video begins with various clips of Lovato, including one where she is holding a wine glass, followed by footage of an ambulance.[5] In an Instagram post, the singer teased the track with a clip of a lyric video and a short caption that read, "My truth."
[6]
Live performances
Lovato first performed the song during her show at
Rock in Rio in
Lisbon, on June 24, 2018.[7] She subsequently performed the song during the
Tell Me You Love Me World Tour after "Warrior" was performed, during the shows in
London and
Birmingham.[8][9] An orchestral version of the song was arranged and directed by the composer
Alfredo Sirica.
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ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201826 into search. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
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ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201826 into search. Retrieved July 3, 2018.