Demi Lovato brought the house down at Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards Monday night, performing her emotional 2011 hit, “Skyscraper.”
The performance, sponsored by StubHub, took place at the top of the WOTY Awards, and it set the tone for the powerful evening that followed.
Because “Skyscraper” is a powerful song. Lovato recorded the slow-burning pop tune—which hit No.10 on the Billboard Hot 100—right before she entered rehab for self-harm, an eating disorder, and substance abuse issues. When she left rehab, Lovato wore the song as a form of armor—a symbol that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. That hopeful message resonated—and still resonates—with fans, particularly ones battling similar issues.
But what makes “Skyscraper” so great is its universal message. The lyrics even ring true in light of the 2016 presidential election results, which saw Donald Trump beating Hillary Clinton in a stunning upset that few saw coming. The loss was particularly devastating for many American women, who were hoping Clinton would be the country’s first female president. However, as Lovato sings in “Skyscraper,” women will take this loss in stride and rise—like, you know, a skyscraper.
Lovato sounded pitch-perfect during her performance at WOTY—an incredible feat given the song’s heavy nature. Her emotional transparency during the performance was also thrilling; it felt like we were right onstage with her, crying and celebrating.
Queen D released her last album, Confident, in October 2015. The album’s title track was one of 2015’s most popular songs, reaching No.15 on top 40 radio. She recently wrapped a joint concert tour with fellow Disney alum Nick Jonas.
Stay plugged into Glamour.com for more updates from the 2016 Women of the Year Awards.
