On Wednesday, singer Demi Lovato apologized for her recent trip to Israel, explaining that she didn’t know her visit would be perceived as a “political statement.”
“I’m sorry if I’ve hurt or offended anyone,” the “Sorry Not Sorry” singer posted to her Instagram story.
According to Page Six, Lovato quickly deleted the post from her page.
“I’m extremely frustrated,” Lovato wrote in the lengthy apology. “I accepted a free trip to Israel in exchange for a few posts. No one told me there would be anything wrong with going or that I could possibly be offending anyone. With that being said, I’m sorry if I’ve hurt or offended anyone, that was not my intention.”
“Sometimes people present you with opportunities and no one tells you the potential backlash you could face in return,” she continued. “This was meant to be a spiritual experience for me, NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT and now I realize it hurt people and for that I’m sorry. Sorry I’m not more educated, and sorry for thinking this trip was just a spiritual experience.”
“Going against all advice right now and apologizing because it feels right to me and I’d rather get in trouble for being authentic to myself, than staying quiet to please other people,” she wrote. “I love my fans, all of them, from all over.”
Demi Lovato apologizing for her recent trip to Israel. The singer has also disabled the comments on her Instagram pics from Israel. pic.twitter.com/fHgWqQ8wO9
— Amanda Prestigiacomo (@AmandaPresto) October 3, 2019
The singer posted a series of photos from her trip to Instagram, but it appears she has disabled the comment sections on all of the Israel-related posts. Her other posts on the platform allow for comments.
Captioning photos of the singer being baptized in the Jordan River and visiting the Western Wall, Lovato emphasized the spiritual significance of the trip and thanked Israel for hosting her:
I am an American singer. I was raised Christian and have Jewish ancestors. When I was offered an amazing opportunity to visit the places I’d read about in the Bible growing up, I said yes.
There is something absolutely magical about Israel. I’ve never felt such a sense of spirituality or connection to God…something I’ve been missing for a few years now. Spirituality is so important to me…to be baptized in the Jordan river – the same place Jesus was baptized – I’ve never felt more renewed in my life.
This trip has been so important for my well-being, my heart, and my soul. I’m grateful for the memories made and the opportunity to be able to fill the God-sized hole in my heart. Thank you for having me, Israel.
Another post from Lovato’s Israel trip was the celebrity meeting with special needs children.
“While I was over there I fell in love with this little beauty at the Shalva National Center. What an amazing center for children with special needs,” she captioned the photo.
The other Israel post was a tribute to Holocaust victims:
Lovato has not always shied away from politics, though she was apparently deeply disturbed by the “political statement” she made by merely visiting Israel. The pop singer performed at a pro-gun control “March for our Lives” rally earlier this year and was a big supporter for then-candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016. In fact, as noted by InStyle magazine, Lovato didn’t just express her support for the Democrat publicly, but she actually worked for the Hillary campaign directly.