Demi Lovato marks Met Gala return in Prabal Gurung gown with 500 hand-cut flowers

Demi Lovato has evolved since her last Met Gala in 2016 — and she has the dress to prove it.

The "Anyone" singer wore a custom white, strapless Prabal Gurung gown featuring 500 hand-cut mirrored mylar flowers with centers that were bejeweled and matching opera gloves. Lovato, who is known for her career eras, told Vogue that this year's Met Gala “garden of time” dress code paired well with her and Gurung's vision.

"When I think of a garden, I think of evolution, rebirth, and blooming—something that we as humans all do over time,” Lovato told Vogue.

“I have had many eras throughout my career, and I feel I’ve grown so much since my first Met, so I was really looking forward to attending this year," she continued.

Vogue noted that Lovato was drawn to Prabal Gurung for his ability to tell stories through fashion.

“Prabal’s designs always have a narrative and a reason to them, which I think he really showcases in his creative for my look,” Lovato told Vogue. “While I only met him earlier this year, we are already texting like old friends. I feel so lucky to even be a part of his creative process.”

During Lovato's first and last Met Gala appearance in 2016, she wore a dress by Jeremy Scott. This year's gown was an ode to Lovato's strength as Gurung said, “Demi is so inspiring—resilient, strong, [and] beautiful. I wanted to design a gown to reflect all of these things, and create an almost glamorous armor for the evening.”

Lovato's return to the spotlight comes after a rough decade. In 2018, Lovato suffered a near-fatal overdose and she later revealed in the 2021 docuseries “Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil” that she experienced several strokes, a heart attack, pneumonia and multiple organ failure. This left her "legally blind" but she regained some eyesight after.

Though Lovato spoke in the docuseries about drinking and using marijuana in moderation, the singer revealed in December 2021 that “sober sober is the only way to be.”

Contributing: KiMi Robinson