20 years I hope we’ll look back like, Wow, that’s how it used to be.
GLAMOUR: You’re putting this new music out with your own Safe-
house Records. Why did you, Nick, and Phil start a label?
DL: We w a nt e d t o help de velop ne w a r t i s t s t h at we b el ie ve d i n. We
also wanted our music rights—if the label is making this much
money off our music, why shouldn’t we?
GLAMOUR: And why together?
DL: I a lway s a sk Phi l a nd Nick what t hey t hin k. New music , a ny-
thing. The other day I asked Nick what I should do on a date. He
was like, “You should go bowling.” Ehh. But we all run things by
e a c h o t he r a ny w ay, s o p a r t ne r i ng up on a l a b e l on l y m a de s e n s e.
GLAMOUR: You and Nick met through Disney years ago, and you’re
still friends today. What connects you after all these years?
DL: There’s an element of trust that you don’t find with people now-
adays. He’s family. I am the person who tells him things he doesn’t
want to hear, like I told him to be more vulnerable with his music.
And I was like, “Let people see how funny you are.” I want the
world to be able to laugh the same way I do when I’m around him.
GLAMOUR: How do your Disney roots still manifest in you two?
DL: PTSD. [Laughs.] We used to work so much and so hard for
very little that when our schedules get too busy, I immediately
think about the past. It gives me anxiety, and it’s kinda like legit
PTSD.... You work so hard, and you don’t really reap the rewards,
or I didn’t. But I was on such a platform that gave me the rest of
my career—I couldn’t complain. [So now] whenever our sched-
ules start to get busy, I start getting triggered because the things I
u s e d t o d o t o c o p e w e r e u n h e a l t h y. W h e n I h a v e a l o n g d a y, I t h i n k ,
if [I went back to those things], I’d be able to get through it. But
w e now w ork w it h ou r m a n a g e r, a nd w e h av e a m a z i ng s c he du le s.
GLAMOUR: You and Nick are both single now. You’ve been on tour
together. Are you each other’s wingman?
DL: We’re definitely each other’s wingman/woman. There was one
night in New York where he introduced me to somebody. And Nick
a nd I lo ok e d a t e a c h o t he r a nd h ig h -f i v e d e a c h o t he r. [Laughs.]
GLAMOUR: You call yourself a feminist...
DL: I believe in gender equality.
GLAMOUR: A n d y o u’ v e s a i d b e f o r e , i n r e g a r d t o Ta y l o r S w i f t , “ D o n’ t
brand yourself a feminist if you don’t do the work.” How do you see
yourself doing the work?
DL: Just speaking out. I’m not afraid to talk about the fact that
women get paid less than men in the United States and how
unfair that is. Talking about it at all is doing the work. And I think
every woman does her part in some way. But I think in certain
situations, certain people could be doing more if they’re going to
c l a i m t h a t a s p a r t of t hei r br a nd. To b e hone s t , a nd t h i s w i l l pr ob-
ably get me in trouble, I don’t see anybody in any sort of squad
t h a t h a s a n o r m a l b o d y. It ’s k i n d o f t h i s f a l s e i m a g e o f w h a t p e o p l e
should look like. And what they should be like, and it’s not real.
GLAMOUR: Well, there are many kinds of “normal” bodies. I think
w h a t y o u’r e g e t t i n g a t i s t h e r e ’s j u s t o n e t y p e o f b o d y i n t h a t s q u a d.
DL: It’s not realistic. And I think that having a song and a video
about tearing Katy Perry down, that’s not women’s empowerment.
We all do things that aren’t, but I have to ask myself, Am I content
with calling myself a feminist? Yes, because I speak out.
GLAMOUR: Let’s talk about your advocacy on behalf of mind and
body health. You share your experiences so we can learn from them.
DL: Right—when you’re an artist, you have a platform that can
reach millions. I feel it’s selfish when you don’t use your voice,
because then you’re just relishing the attention—you’re not using
it for good. I have felt uncomfortable having people say, “You’re my
idol,” because I want them to idolize God. I want them to idolizesomebody that’s done a lot. So I think it’s important that artists
use their voices for so much more than just their talent.
GLAMOUR: How do you feel different today than in 2010?
DL: I feel healthy, I feel happy. Back then I felt an emptiness inside
of me, and I reached for so many things—a person, a substance,
a behavior—to fill that void. And now there’s not a void anymore.
The void is filled by me taking care of myself.... Getting sober was
dif f icult. I went into rehab, I c a me out , a nd I didn’t stay sober. I
still had issues occasionally. Now some days it’s difficult; some
days it’s easy. But I like to focus on what I’m doing now, which is
g i v i n g b a c k. I ’ v e d o n e i n t e r v e n t i o n s w i t h p e o p l e I ’ v e b e e n c l o s e t o.
GLAMOUR: Really? How so?
DL: In one situation a mother called me and said, “Hey, so-and-so
is doing this and this. We’re terrified for her health. I need your
help.” So Mike [Bayer, founder of CAST Centers, whom she credits
with helping save her life] and I f lew out for 11 hours to be with this
person, and it led to an intervention with her family. Sometimes
it’s dramatic, but mental health, as a whole, has to become main-
stream. You don’t have to be at rock bottom to take care of yourself.
You don’t have to be a drug addict to care for your mind. If every-
body in the world saw a therapist, we would have a better world.
GLAMOUR: Do things besides a busy schedule still trigger you?
DL: Yeah, of course. Seeing cocaine in movies. I’ve never watched
The Wolf of Wall Street. I can’t. I don’t like to go out to clubs,
because I find myself seeing remnants of drugs in the bathroom.
I did the Victoria’s Secret Swim Special, and being surrounded
by supermodels’ bodies was triggering to me. I remember asking,
“How do you ma int a in your f ig ure? ” Some sa id, “I rea lly have to
work at it.” Others said, “It’s genetics.” It was interesting to hear
that it wasn’t through unhealthy [behaviors]. It was a great learn-
ing experience. I still felt sexy, having a different body than these
women. I had Wilmer there, who loved my curves—that helped.
GLAMOUR: You and Wilmer ended your relationship in June. How
did it feel to part ways with a man who knew your history?
DL: I think it’s healthy to be able to start over with someone else.
Being sick was always a part of my“You don’t have to be at
rock bottom to take care
of yourself. You don’t
have to be a drug addict
to care for your mind.”
(continued on page 182)164 glamour.com