-Our first guest tonight is a Grammy-nominated musician
and actress. She's hosting the E! People's Choice Awards
which air Sunday, November 15th.
Please welcome back to the show Demi Lovato.
How are you, Demi?
-I'm so good. It's great to see you. How are you?
-I'm doing really well. And I was happy to hear
that, you know, a lot of people have been using this time
that we're separated from a lot of friends and family
to do different things,
and I've heard that self-help, self-improvement
is one of the ways that you've been spending your time.
-Yeah. Absolutely. So, at the beginning of quarantine,
I got really into meditation, actually,
and I started meditating more.
It was something that, like, I had kind of done in the past
but not really made a lifestyle out of it,
and now I've started meditating.
Like, I-I kind of came up with this new philosophy
that, like, I'm never bored.
I never have to worry about being bored
because I can always meditate
no matter where I am or what I'm doing,
so that's helped me a lot.
And then also just, like, you know,
building better relationships
with my friends and family and even my dogs.
Like, getting to walk them
is something that I didn't get to do
when I was working so much,
so this quarantine has been a nice little experience
for me to get to know myself better.
-I'm so glad you've been using it to such positive effect.
I also want to talk about
something you used your time for.
You wrote a song called "Commander In Chief"
which is basically sort of a letter to the president.
How did it come about
that you wanted to express yourself that way?
-Well, I was in the studio with a few friends of mine,
and we were coming up with concepts,
and we were just thinking, we were like, "What are some --"
I was thinking about the music that's out there right now,
and I was like, "Why isn't anyone talking about
what's happening?"
And, you know, in the '60s and '70s,
like, when anything political would happen,
music was such a key element
to help people process it and get through it.
So I was like, "You know, I really need to step up my lyrics
and make it about something other than just my life."
And so I started making more music that is less about me
and more about the broad scope of what's going on in the world,
and one of the songs that we came up with
was "Commander In Chief,"
and it was inspired by P!nk's "Dear Mr. President"
you know, when -- back however many years ago that came out.
And I wanted to do, like, a newer version.
-That's really, really cool that you did that.
And then I'm wondering, because of that
and because of the sort of perspective
that you show in that song, were you excited on Saturday?
Did you get out?
Did you dance in the street, so to speak?
-So, I was actually in Mexico,
and I was on a meditation retreat, actually.
And so when I got the news, it was on my way home.
And it was the best news.
I cried. I sobbed.
I mean, it was just an emotional day overall for me,
because I identify as queer,
and so, for me, having somebody in the Oval Office
that is supportive of that meant a lot to me,
and it just, you know, there's --
I'm also a firm believer
in feeling like the country will be united
after, you know, some time goes by,
but I think that we're on the right path
and, yeah, I'm very, very excited.
-It definitely -- I think all of Saturday
felt like a meditation retreat for me.
So I can only imagine how you felt leaving one
and then getting that news.
It was like double meditation retreat.
-Right. Right. [ Both laugh ]
-Hey, so, you're hosting the People's Choice Awards.
I mean, obviously, you've, you know, performed
at high-pressure situations before,
things like the, you know, national anthem at a Super Bowl
or the Grammys.
How do you feel about this one?
Are you feeling any nerves at all, or is it just excitement?
-I'm pretty excited, you know?
I don't feel like there is too much at stake.
When it comes to the national anthem at the Super Bowl,
there's a little bit more pressure...
-Sure, sure. -...than hosting an awards show,
just because, you know, if you mess up the lyrics,
then people come after you as an American.
So, you know, I just -- There's less pressure,
but I'm looking forward to it.
And I am still nervous. Like, don't get me wrong.
Hosting is not my first language, so to speak.
So, singing is.
And if you have any tips, please let me know,
because I know you've done a ton of hosting yourself,
including this talk show, so --
-Well, the only thing I'll tell you
is just know that you will do far better at hosting
than I would do singing the national anthem.
[ Both laugh ] -Okay. Thank you.
-Just keep that in mind
at any point that you feel nervous at all.
I think another thing that'll be nice and in general
watching anything like this for people,
is you mentioned the stakes. It will be --
You know, again, this is people choosing.
We just had an election, which is also people choosing,
but it would be nice to watch people choosing something
that doesn't seem to send us off in one direction over the other.
-This is up to the people.
And, in fact, this is actually the awards show
that's always meant the most to me,
because they are the ones that get to vote.
They are the ones casting the decisions.
And it's not up to some academy
that, you know, is political or whatever.
It's like, this is up to the people.
And that's what this year has been about --
you know, listening to the people,
and finally we're doing it again,
but it's going to be less pressure and more fun.
-I also want to talk about the fact
that you were here in 2014, as I mentioned,
and one thing we talked about
is your belief in aliens and mermaids.
And at the time, I think I sort of gave you a hard time.
I gave you a hard time, but let me tell you something, Demi,
that since 2014, so many crazy things have happened...
-Mm-hmm.
-...that if I came home,
and a mermaid was in my bathtub,
it would still probably be
the 15th craziest thing that happened
since we last saw each other. -Right.
-So I just want you to know I'm not fully there yet,
but I'm starting to come to your side of the argument.
-Alright. Fine. You know, baby steps.
I'll take it. -[ Laughs ]
But we're still feeling strong.
You're still very firmly in the alien-mermaid camp.
-I'm on a different level of that.
Like, I have made contact.
It is through meditation and consciousness.
It is like -- If you want to go deep, we can go deep,
but I feel like that's going to take way more than this segment,
so -- -So, well, you did --
I mean, I don't want to go -- I don't know.
Obviously, we don't have a ton of time,
but when you say contact during meditation, is it more likely --
Just tell us this. Are you more likely to be contacted
by an alien or a mermaid?
-Well, it depends. Do you view mermaids
as something completely separate than an extraterrestrial being?
-You know what? I'm going to defer to you now.
Are they the same?
-They could be, but we see mermaids as
could be just an extraterrestrial species
living underneath the water which we haven't --
-Oh, my God. The aliens got to Demi's feed.
This is -- This is a classic --
Oh, my God. You just got frozen
because you were about to tell us some Area 51 [bleep]
and the government cut out your feed.
I can't believe it. -Area 51 is --
[ Speaks indistinctly ] Yes. [ Both laugh ]
-Demi, it's always lovely to see you. It really --
I hope it won't be this long between your next visit.
Have a great time hosting People's Choice Awards,
and all the best.
-Thank you so much. Thank you, Seth.