Demi Lovato cut her hair to "put herself first"

She said: "I was trying something that didn't work for me now I'm doing something that is working for me and instead of feeling judged by everyone I'm just going to say, 'Look your opinion about me doesn't matter to me. I'm doing what I need to do for myself and my wellness, my well-being.' I'm putting myself first and in front of my career and that's something I never did before because I was so preoccupied trying to be a sexy feminine pop star that I just ignored who I am."

And the 28-year-old singer felt "so liberated" because she was not "subscribing to an ideal" created for her and instead "owning" who she is.

Speaking on The Drew Barrymore Show, she added: "I don't know, I cut my hair because I just wanted to free myself of all of the gender and sexuality norms that were placed on me as a Christian in the south.

"And when I cut my hair I felt so liberated because I wasn't subscribing to an ideal or belief placed upon me to be something that I'm not. And now that I'm owning who I am, I feel the happiest I’ve ever felt and that's because I’m being honest. Secrets keep you sick, I've heard that a million times and I fully believe it. Now there's nothing, there's no secrets for the world to find out."