Demi Lovato Chastises Trump for Acting ‘Selfishly’ in New Song ‘Commander in Chief’
Demi Lovato debuted a new anti-Trump anthem “Commander in Chief” online Wednesday morning that criticized the president’s voter suppression efforts and violent response to protests against racial inequality and police brutality.
The song opens by saying Trump acts “selfishly”:
The lyrics address President Trump directly and call out his lies, opening with:
Were you ever taught when you were young
If you mess with things selfishly, they’re bound to come undone?
I’m not the only one
That’s been affected and resented every story you’ve spun, and I’m a lucky one
Later in the chorus, she references an unspecified nationwide crisis, which could be the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and/or the racial inequality and police brutality that protestors continue to fight. “How does it feel to still be able to breathe?” Lovato asks, which can apply to those battling COVID-19 or placed in chokeholds by law enforcement.
Commander in Chief, honestly
If I did the things you do, I couldn’t sleep
Seriously, do you even know the truth?
We’re in a state of crisis, people are dying
While you line your pockets deep
Commander in Chief
How does it feel to still be able to breathe?
The song is also a call to action to vote, with Lovato wearing a “Vote” face mask in the promotional artwork and linking to the iwillvote website in song description and on social media. Lovato is slated to perform the song during the 2020 Billboard Music Awards that evening.
Finneas — best known for his work with his sister Billie Eilish — produced the song, written in collaboration with Julia Michaels, Eren Cannata and Justin Tranter. Godfrey Furchtgott plays strings while gospel legend Kirk Franklin leads the choir.
You can listen to the full song above and read the full lyrics here.
The singer also posted several clips previewing the song’s music video, which will premiere Wednesday night. One clip shows a young Black girl lip-synching the lyrics; another shows a man wearing a red cap with the slogan Make America United Again doing the same.
Were you ever taught when you were young… If you mess with things selfishly, they’re bound to come undone? pic.twitter.com/x0gYZ63VWa
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) October 13, 2020
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