Meghan Trainor: Demi Lovato’s openness has helped me

BURBANK — Meghan Trainor says Demi Lovato’s openness about her battles and troubles helped her cope with her own struggles.

Lovato’s representative said Tuesday that the singer was recovering after she was reportedly hospitalized for an overdose.

“She actually helped me get through my stuff because I was watching her and was like, ‘I know I’m not alone,’” Trainor said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday. “But I can’t imagine what level she’s going through and what her family is going through right now. And I just didn’t know it was that bad. And I didn’t know she was struggling so much.”

Lovato’s hospitalization comes a month after she released a new song called “Sober,” indicating that she relapsed after six years of sobriety.

While Lovato has been seen as a role model for speaking openly about her issues with drugs, alcohol, depression and more, music fans have also looked up to Trainor, who has been an advocate for body positivity and has denounced bullying.

Trainor, 24, said that if she had known about Lovato’s condition sooner, she would have said something.

“I wish I could’ve been there more for her or reached out more and checked on her. Because I’ve only, like, I sang at the Grammys with her once. And I do all these awards shows and I get to say hi a little bit. But you just feel like, ‘Ah, I wish I did something.’ I wish I knew,” Trainor said while promoting her album, “Treat Myself,” out on Aug. 31.

“And I’m sure all her fans feel like that right now — just what can we do to help her? But I know she’s just so strong,” she added. “Just as a fan, I know she’s so strong and she’ll come back and she’ll be better than ever.”