I know I promised that I would write a profile about Selena Gomez this week, but I decided in the wake of her stint in rehab, that it would be more appropriate to focus on the life and career of Demi Lovato.
Demetria Davonne Lovato was born on August 20 1992 to Patrick and Dianna Lovato. She was the couple’s second daughter, the first being her oldest sister Dallas. Patrick and Dianna divorced in 1994, and Dianna subsequently got remarried and gave birth to Demi’s younger half sister Madison.
At the age of seven, Demi landed her first acting role on the hit show Barney and Friends. She played Angela during the show’s seventh and eighth seasons. It was during this time that she befriended future Disney alum Selena Gomez.
Because she was on a hit show, Demi faced a severe amount of bullying at school. It eventually became too much for the young star and she dropped out in order to be home schooled. Despite this minor set back, Demi was determined to make it as a singer and an actress.
However, it was Selena who realized her dream first when she landed the role of Alex Russo on the Disney Channel original series Wizards of Waverly Place in 2007. Demi soon followed suit when she joined the short series As the Bell Rings. The show was five minutes long and ran between commercial breaks for the main Disney Channel programming. Nevertheless, it allowed to showcase her singing and acting talents.
She finally got her big break in 2008 when she starred alongside the Jonas Brothers in the Disney Channel Original Movie Camp Rock. Demi played the role of Mitchie Torres, a shy but talent girl determined to go to the famous music camp, Camp Rock. There she finds herself not only falling for the charismatic lead singer of Connect Three, but also lying about her identity.
The movie was a success as was its soundtrack which featured two songs performed by Lovato; the Joe Jonas duet “This Is Me” and the solo “Who Will I Be?”
During the summer of 2008, Demi joined the Jonas Brothers on their “Burning Up” Tour. She served as their opening act, performing songs from her debut album Don’t Forget. She also joined the boys on stage to sing some Camp Rock songs. Demi was a featured guest in the film version of the concert, released in February of 2009.
Don’t Forget was released on September 28th, 2008. The album was a moderate success and spawned three singles; “Get Back,” “La La Land,” and “Don’t Forget.”
2009 proved to be a big year both personally and professionally for Lovato. She starred along side best friend Selena Gomez in The Princess Protection Program, her second Disney Channel Original Movie. She and Gomez also lent their vocals to the film’s song “One in the Same.”
February marked a milestone in Demi’s career: she got her own show. On Sonny With a Chance, Demi plays Sonny Monroe, a small town girl who landed a job on her favorite comedy show So Random. The show is currently in its second season. In 2010, Lovato released a Sonny-inspired clothing line to target stores, joining the ranks of her Disney peers Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez.
In the summer of the same year, she embarked on her first headlining tour to promote her second album Here We Go Again. It was released on July 21st 2009 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Album chart, selling more than 100,000 copies. “Here We Go Again,” and “Remember December” were the album’s two singles.
By the end of the year, Demi’s friendship with Gomez deteriorated. Many believe it was because of Demi’s association with Miley Cyrus. Cyrus, who previously dated Nick Jonas, is said to be Gomez’s rival. Whatever the reason may be, the two girls stopped being friends.
Production for Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam began in September 2009 and was released a year later. The movie outpaced its predecessor and became the year’s highest rated made for TV movie. Demi was heavily featured throughout the film and sang on nearly every song including the Joe Jonas duet “Wouldn’t Change a Thing.”
Early in 2010, Demi and Joe Jonas briefly dated, before their breakup in May. It wasn’t long before Joe began dating Twilight star Ashley Greene. Her presence during the South American leg of the Camp Rock tour was said to be a contributing factor to Demi breakdown. Though not much is known about the situation, Demi’s rep released this statement:
"Demi has decided to take personal responsibility for her actions and seek help. She is doing just that. Demi and her family ask that the media please respect their privacy during this difficult time. She regrets not being able to finish her tour, but is looking forward to getting back to work in the near future."
It has been revealed that Demi has a history of self-mutilation and eating disorders. As of now, Demi is not scheduled to rejoin the Jonas Brothers on their tour.
Despite this however, the future looks bright for Lovato. Before her breakdown, she was in the midst of working on her third album, which she said was going to have an R&B vibe with more radio friendly songs as well as a third season of Sonny With a Chance. Speculation of a Camp Rock 3 has also arisen.
It is sad to see someone so young suffer in the glare of the spotlight and we can only wish her the best. Come back next week for a profile on Selena Gomez.
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