“Fix a Heart” came out on September 20, 2011, as part of Demi Lovato’s Unbroken album. It wasn’t a single but still got attention for being super emotional.
Priscilla Renea and Emanuel Kiriakou wrote it, and it’s all about heartbreak and feeling like you can’t really recover after someone hurt you.
“Fix a Heart” by Demi Lovato piano-driven ballad that showcases Lovato’s powerful vocal range. The track stands out on the album due to its somber tone, contrasting with some of the more upbeat pop songs on Unbroken.
When Unbroken dropped in 2011, Demi had just gone through a pretty public breakup with Joe Jonas. They dated for a bit in 2010, but it didn’t last long.
Because they were co-stars in Camp Rock and part of that whole Disney scene, their relationship was all over the place. By the time Unbroken came out, people were speculating that some of the more emotional songs, like “Fix a Heart,” were about Joe or that breakup.
But Demi never actually said the song was about him.
It wasn’t just about relationships either—Demi had gone into treatment in 2010 for emotional and physical health issues, so the talk around the album wasn’t just about who she dated. It was more about how Demi was dealing with everything in her life.
A lot of fans and media thought “Fix a Heart” was super personal and tied to all the tough stuff Demi was going through, from love to healing.
LYRICS: FIX A HEART – DEMI LOVATO
It’s probably what’s best for you
I only want the best for you
And if I’m not the best, then you’re stuck
I try to sever ties and I
Ended up with wounds to bind
Like you’re pouring salt in my cuts
And I just ran out of bandaids
I don’t even know where to start
Cause you can bandage the damage
You never really can fix a heart
Even though I know what’s wrong
How could I be so sure
If you never say what you feel, feel
I must have held your hand so tight
You didn’t have the will to fight
I guess you needed more time to heal
Baby, I just ran out of bandaids
I don’t even know where to start
‘Cause you can bandage the damage
You never really can fix a heart
🎶
You must be a miracle worker
Swearing up and down
You can fix what’s been broken, yeah
Please don’t get my hopes up
No, no
Baby, tell me how could you be so cruel
🎶
It’s like you’re pouring salt on my cuts
Baby I just ran out of bandaids
I don’t even know where to start
‘Cause you can bandage the damage
You never really can fix a heart
Baby I just ran out of bandaids
I don’t even know where to start
‘Cause you can bandage the damage
You never really can fix a heart
Oh no no no
You never really can fix a heart
Oh no no no
You never really can fix a heart
Oh oh oh, oh oh yeah
Oh oh oh oh
You never really can fix my heart
While “Fix a Heart” didn’t chart, it sat alongside these emotional, vulnerable tracks in the same space of heartache and introspection, competing for attention from listeners who gravitated toward those themes.
2011
- Selena Gomez & The Scene – “Ghost of You”
This song from Selena’s When the Sun Goes Down album is all about heartbreak and hits you right in the feels. It’s got a haunting vibe and lyrics that really resonate, making it a chill favorite for fans, kind of like Demi’s “Fix a Heart.” - Taylor Swift – “Dear John”
Even though this song came from Taylor’s 2010 Speak Now album, it was still a big deal in 2011. “Dear John” was another super emotional ballad that people guessed was about John Mayer, and it totally matched that heartbreak narrative. - Miley Cyrus – “Stay”
From Miley’s Can’t Be Tamed (2010) album, “Stay” is a slower, more emotional track about wanting someone back, making it a parallel to “Fix a Heart” in terms of theme and tone. It continued to resonate in 2011. - Kelly Clarkson – “Dark Side”
Released in October 2011, this song from Stronger was another powerful ballad about vulnerability, self-doubt, and love—similar themes to “Fix a Heart.”
2012
- Selena Gomez & The Scene – “My Dilemma”
Another track from When the Sun Goes Down, “My Dilemma” is all about those mixed feelings you get in a relationship, kind of like the emotional wreckage you hear in “Fix a Heart.” - Christina Perri – “A Thousand Years”
This song dropped in late 2011 and really blew up in 2012, mainly because it was featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 soundtrack. It’s a super heartfelt ballad about everlasting love and devotion. While it’s a bit more romantic, it still packs the emotional punch like “Fix a Heart.” - Adele – “Turning Tables”
Adele dropped this hit in 2011, and it was still making waves in 2012. The song is all about setting limits and dealing with heartbreak, and it totally became an anthem for anyone going through tough times in love. Kind of like “Fix a Heart,” it really struck a chord with fans facing love and loss. - Katy Perry – “Not Like the Movies”
This dreamy, emotional ballad from Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream album (2010) continued to be a fan favorite in 2011 and 2012. It’s about expectations versus reality in love, making it relatable to those drawn to the vulnerability in “Fix a Heart.”
