Demi Lovato Returns to the Met Gala for the First Time Since Sharing Her 'Uncomfortable' 2016 Experience

The singer said in 2018 that she had a "terrible experience" at her first Met Gala eight years ago

Despite what she might have previously felt or said about the Met Gala, Demi Lovato is back at fashion's biggest night.

The "Confident" singer, 31, (who uses she/they pronouns) returned to the star-studded event on May 6 dressed in Prabal Gurung. The gown, which Lovato showed off on social media, stayed true to this year's "Garden of Time" theme with flower appliqués and a flowing train.

Lovato looked stunning in KIKO Milano makeup including a sultry eye and glossy lip. They pulled the whole look together with icy De Beers jewelry and a drop necklace that accented the silvery dress. Of course, they also made sure to wear their brilliant engagement ring from her fiancé, Jutes.

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Lovato's return to the Met Gala marks her first since she made her debut in 2016. While she dazzled in a standout Moschino sequin-covered gown, not all was glamorous behind the scenes. In a 2018 Billboard interview, the former X Factor judge said she had a "terrible time."

“This one celebrity was a complete b---- and was miserable to be around. It was very cliquey," she said, not revealing any names. However, fans speculated that it was Nicki Minaj who had beef with the singer, after a photo was snapped of the "Super Bass" rapper giving Lovato major side-eye on the carpet while posing with designer Jeremy Scott (who also dressed Lovato).

"I remember being so uncomfortable that I wanted to drink," added Lovato who, now sober, had been through a years-long journey to sobriety after seeking treatment for bipolar disorder, bulimia, self-harm and substance abuse.

That night, Lovato texted her manager and went straight to a 10 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. “I changed my clothes, but I still had my diamonds on — millions of dollars of diamonds on in an AA meeting,” Lovato told Billboard. “And I related more to the homeless people in that meeting who struggled with the same struggles that I deal with than the people at the Met Gala — fake and sucking the fashion industry’s d---.”

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Related: The Most Controversial Met Gala Looks of All Time, from Kim Kardashian and Rihanna to Princess Diana

Since then, Lovato has experienced happier milestones, such as getting engaged to Jordan 'Jutes' Lutes, who popped the question with a "personal and intimate proposal" — and a bespoke diamond engagement ring — in December 2023. The couple, who met in January 2022 when they co-wrote Lovato's song, "Substance," made their relationship public in 2022.

Lovato's also learned to ignore the haters — and she's definitely not sorry about it.

"My relationship with social media has evolved over the years from looking to the Internet for validation to not looking at Internet comments at all. If I happen to see something negative, it doesn't affect me the way that it used to," Lovato told PEOPLE exclusively in March.

This year, she'll make her directorial debut with Hulu's documentary Child Star, following up a successful year of music making in 2023.

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