Demi Lovato Up-Lyfting The Already Semi-Privileged

I stopped using Uber when Lyft started promoting 50% off the same exact ride. If you’re going to hop in a complete stranger’s car who probably never received a proper background check, you might as well save some money in the process. Same distance and destinations, same odds of running into a serial killer who wanted to make some extra cash to pay for their killing utensils, but you only spend half the amount you would taking an Uber. Now Lyft is being even more generous by teaming up with Demi Lovato for an off-brand version of American Idol auditions for a commercial. Somehow pulling from a pool of people who have the specific talent of singing counts as giving back to everyone. If you’re a driver with terrible vocals who was looking for their big break it looks like you’re shit out of luck. The best you can hope for now is to not pick up the next Jeffrey Dahmer anytime soon.

In late March, Lyft put out an all-call in the Miami area asking for drivers who moonlight as musicians to audition for a commercial — and when four of those performers arrived, they met Lovato, who surprised them with studio time and tickets to her ‘Tell Me You Love Me’ World Tour. One of those lucky winners was Jarae Womack, a single mom and aspiring singer who drives Lyft to make ends meet. Music runs in Womack’s family, R&B star Bobby Womack is her uncle, and soul legend Sam Cooke is her great-grandfather.

The music industry is pretty cutthroat when you don’t have connections. But if your uncle is Bobby Womack and Sam Cooke is your great grandfather I’m going to assume your family doesn’t love you. If entering a contest is your best shot at a career in singing when you have an uncle who was heavily involved in music, maybe you suck at singing. There’s a reason why your current career choice is being a cabbie that can be digitally beckoned from a smartphone. Demi Lovato isn’t going to help turn you into a star. This is just a Lyft promotion tactic, selling the “nothing to something” story with a semi-notable name. I’d be more embarrassed than excited to heil Demi as my hero when my relatives were established musicians.

Photo Credit: Splash News / Pacific Coast News / Instagram