Demi Lovato Goes Naked and Un-Retouched In the Name of Body Confidence

It’s not often that a celebrity is willing to do an entire photoshoot without makeup, retouching, or clothes—and, presumably, it’s even less frequent that she comes up with the idea herself.

Demi Lovato has done just that, having suggested that a scheduled photo session with Vanity Fair become, instead, a documented exercise in self-acceptance. Photographer Patrick Ecclesine recalled Lovato, 23, telling him, “I’m about to launch an album that finally represents who I truly am. How do I embrace this new chapter in my life? How do I really walk the walk? What does it mean to be confident?”

Demi Lovato posing naked in a marble bathtub. Photo: Patrick Ecclesine for Vanity Fair

She continued, “It means letting go, being authentic, saying I don’t give a f*** and this is who I am. I want to show the side of me that’s real, that’s liberated, that’s free. What if we do a photo shoot where it’s totally raw? Super-sexy, but no makeup, no fancy lighting, no retouching, and no clothing. Let’s do it here, let’s do it now.”

So they did, right there in New York’s Greenwich Hotel. And the resulting pictures—in all their dim, grainy glory—are truly stunning.

Demi Lovato poses naked with a camera. Photo: Patrick Ecclesine for Vanity Fair

Lovato, who’s been very vocal about her struggles with eating disorders and body acceptance, said, “I would’ve never thought that I would’ve ever gotten to a place in my life where I could feel comfortable doing [a shoot like this].” She hopes her own journey will inspire those in similar situations to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Quoth the pop star, “It’s empowering and it shows other women that you can get to a place where you can overcome the obstacles of body image issues, and you can feel comfortable and confident in your skin.”

See more of Lovato’s photo shoot at Vanity Fair.

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