Demi Lovato Gets Real About Addiction On New Rock Song 'Skin Of My Teeth'
By Rebekah Gonzalez
June 10, 2022
After months of teasers, Demi Lovato has released their new single "Skin Of My Teeth," marking the start of her new punk rock era. On Friday, June 10, the singer released the lead single from their upcoming album HOLY FVCK. Fans have heard clips of the song as Demi posted snippets and teasers to their TikTok over the past month. But the full lyrics of the song accompanied by the grungy music video really shines a light on the autobiographical storytelling Demi has achieved on this new single.
During the track's high-energy chorus, Demi belts, "I’m alive by the skin of my teeth/ I survived but it got harder to breathe/ Asking why doesn’t make it easier/ Go easier on me. God damn it I just want to be free/ But I can’t ’cause it’s a f---ing disease.”
The personal lyrics seem to be in reference to how the media and internet reacted to her struggle with addiction. In the music video, a sleazy-looking gentleman with a camcorder and a room full of tabloid papers serves as a personification of the media, and maybe addiction as well. As Demi gets ready in a creepily lit bathroom, she has visions of her teeth falling out, bathtubs of blood, and the creepy man ready to film her.
Demi has discussed their near-fatal opioid overdose in July 2018 at length in her 2021 YouTube docuseries Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil. In a promotional newsletter to fans, Demi sent a newspaper clipping that featured headlines like "Demi Leaves Rehab Again!" and most shockingly "Demi Lovato's Pop Music Career 09/20/11 - 01/20/22." The singer doubled down when they captioned an announcement post with, "a funeral for my pop music."
Their new album HOLY FVCK is set to drop on August 19. Demi will also hit the road in support of the album that same month.