Demi Lovato has addressed lingering criticism over her performance of “Heart Attack” at an American Heart Association event, clarifying that the song choice was not hers. Speaking during a recent appearance on iHeartRadio, Lovato said she initially questioned the decision before being encouraged to proceed.
“They asked me to sing that,” she explained. “I flagged it beforehand and was like, ‘Isn’t this, like, not the vibe?’ They were like, ‘No, they wanna hear it.’ I was like, ‘Okay?’” Lovato added that the online backlash that followed misplaced responsibility: “Y’all, it wasn’t me! I flagged it!”
The performance in question took place on January 31, 2024, at the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection concert in New York City. Held at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the event focuses on raising awareness around cardiovascular health, particularly among women. Lovato headlined the evening and included “Heart Attack” as part of her setlist, a decision that quickly sparked debate across social media due to the contrast between the song’s title and the event’s mission.
Reaction at the time was mixed. Some viewers questioned the appropriateness of the track in that context, while others pointed to the deeper meaning behind the performance. In a statement released shortly after the event, Lovato’s representative emphasized that she had addressed the audience directly, framing the song around the “mind-heart connection” and delivering what was described as a “sensitive moment intended to champion the women in the room.”
That perspective aligns with Lovato’s own history. The singer has spoken openly about experiencing a heart attack following a drug overdose in 2018.
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