The BJJ community is buzzing with the news that famous singer Demi Lovato has been promoted to purple belt, but the identity of the instructor who awarded it remains a mystery. This promotion has raised eyebrows, much like her promotion to blue belt in 2017 after just a year of training in Jiu-Jitsu. This is considered an incredibly fast pace, especially for someone without prior experience in wrestling or Judo.
Jacob Rodriguez, for instance, was promoted to blue belt in seven months, and he was a lifelong wrestler who trained full-time with elite competitors like his older brother Nicky. Lovato, on the other hand, only trained in private lessons, which raised more questions about her promotion. However, ADCC world champion Orlando Sanchez promoted her lineage, which convinced most people to overlook their doubts.
Since the promotion, Chris Light, Demi’s Jiu-Jitsu trainer has leaped to her defence.
Demi Lovato Quit Bjj Due to Substance Abuse
Unfortunately, Lovato’s struggles with substance abuse resurfaced, and she revealed in a 2021 interview on The Joe Rogan Experience that she had quit Jiu-Jitsu after receiving her blue belt and was not training at the time. Now, less than two years later, Lovato has returned to BJJ and has been promoted to purple belt in that short period.
This promotion is just as surprising as her previous one, as she would have had less than two years of consistent training at this point. Most practitioners know that it takes time to get back up to the same standard after an extended break, and the average time for a purple belt is four or five years for the average practitioner and at least three for supremely talented competitors. Lovato, however, appears to have three to maybe four years of training under her belt, with a several-year absence in the middle.
Lovato announced the news of her purple belt promotion in a now-expired Story post on her official Instagram account. The BJJ community waits with bated breath to see how her training and promotions progress in the future.
Featured image credits to Demi Lovato
