BIOGRAPHY

Demetria Devonne "Demi" Lovato (born August 20, 1992) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress. She made her debut as child actress in Barney & Friends. In 2008, she came to prominence as a starring cast member in the television film Camp Rock. She signed to Hollywood Records the same year, and released her debut studio album Don't Forget in September. It has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In 2009, Lovato was commissioned her own television series Sonny with a Chance. That year, her second album Here We Go Again became her first to debut to top the U.S. Billboard 200.
After the release of additional television films and their accompanying soundtracks in 2010, Lovato's personal struggles the following year sent her acting career into hiatus. Her third album Unbroken (2011) addresses several of her difficulties, notably her lead single "Skyscraper". Since 2012, Lovato has served as a judge and mentor on the American version of The X Factor. Her fourth album Demi (2013) was preceded by its lead single "Heart Attack".
Throughout her music career, Lovato has embarked on several concert tours. In 2008, she served as the opening act for the Jonas Brothers' Burnin' Up Tour and Avril Lavigne's Best Damn Tour. Later that year, she embarked her first headlining tour, the Demi Live! Warm Up Tour, and has held four additional promotional tours in the ensuing years. Her work has additionally earned several accolades, including one MTV Video Music Award and several Teen Choice Awards nominations. Outside of her work in the entertainment industry, Lovato is involved in philanthropic activities through charity work and various social and environmental causes.
Lovato was born on August 20, 1992, in Albuquerque, New Mexico to parents Dianna Hart de la Garza, a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and country singer, and Patrick Lovato. She has an older sister, Dallas, a younger half-sister, actress Madison De La Garza, and an older half-sister whom she first spoke to when she was 20. She is of Mexican, Irish, and Italian descent. Raised in Dallas, Texas, Lovato, alongside eventual friend Selena Gomez, began her acting career on the children's television series Barney & Friends portraying Angela at the age of 7. She started playing piano at the age of seven and guitar at the age of ten, at which time she also enrolled in dancing and acting classes.
In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Lovato revealed that she was bullied so severely that she requested a home-schooled education. Lovato earned a high school diploma through homeschooling in April 2009. She later became a spokesperson for anti-bullying organization PACER and appeared on America's Next Top Model to speak out against bullying. Lovato had suffered from eating disorders and self-mutilation of her wrists to cope with her emotions and depression. In 2006, she appeared on Prison Break, and she was on Just Jordan the following year.

2007–08: Camp Rock and Don't Forget


Lovato on the Demi Live! Warm Up Tour, 2008.
In 2007 and 2008, Lovato played the role of Charlotte Adams on the Disney Channel short series As the Bell Rings. On the same day in summer 2007, she auditioned for the channel's television film Camp Rock and the television series Sonny with a Chance, and got both parts. Lovato received the lead role in Camp Rock, playing aspiring singer Mitchie Torres. The movie premiered on June 20, 2008 to 8.9 million viewers. Lovato provided vocals for four of the songs featured on its soundtrack, including "We Rock" and "This Is Me"; it was released on June 17, 2008. That summer, Lovato embarked on her Demi Live! Warm Up Tour prior to the release of her debut album; she also appeared during the Jonas Brothers' Burnin' Up Tour.
Lovato's debut album Don't Forget was released on September 23, 2008; it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, with 89,000 copies in first-week sales. Ten of its songs were co-written with the Jonas Brothers. The album has since been certified Gold in the U.S., having sold over 500,000 units in the country. It spawned two singles, "Get Back" and "La La Land", which peaked at number 43 and 52 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.

2009–10: Sonny With a Chance and Here We Go Again


Lovato at the premiere of Hannah Montana: The Movie, 2009.
In 2009, Lovato, with Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers, recorded "Send It On", a charity single that served as the theme song for environmental organization Disney's Friends for Change All of the song's proceeds were sent to environmental charities to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. On February 8, Lovato's Disney Channel sitcom Sonny with a Chance premiered, in which her character Sonny Munroe became the newest cast member on the show-within-a-show So Random!. That June, she co-starred in the Disney Channel film Princess Protection Program as Princess Rosalinda, alongside Selena Gomez. It is the third highest-rated Disney Channel Original Movie, premiering with 8.5 million viewers.
Lovato's second studio album Here We Go Again was released on July 21, 2009.

The album received favorable reviews from critics, and debuted atop the Billboard 200, with 108,000 copies in first-week sales. Its music incorporated acoustic styles, which she described to be similar to the work of John Mayer. Prior to the album's release, Lovato embarked on the Summer Tour 2009 for promotion. Its lead single "Here We Go Again" peaked at number 15 on the Hot 100, becoming Lovato's first top 40 hit as a solo artist. Its second and final single "Remember December" peaked at number 80 on the UK Singles Chart.
In March 2010, Lovato and Joe Jonas recorded "Make a Wave" as a second charity single for Disney's Friends for Change. Later that year, she headlined her first international tour, the South American Tour; she later joined the Jonas Brothers Live in Concert tour as a special guest. In May, Lovato appeared as a guest star in an episode of the medical drama series Grey's Anatomy as a teenage schizophrenic Hayley. Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam premiered on September 3, 2010 to 8 million viewers, becoming the number one cable television movie of the year by number of viewers. However, it debuted with roughly 1 million less viewers than its predecessor. The film holds a 40% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Its accompanying soundtrack was released on August 10; Lovato provided vocals for nine songs, including "Can't Back Down" and "Wouldn't Change a Thing". The soundtrack debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, with 41,000 copies in first-week sales. The Jonas Brothers' 2012 World Tour was reworked to incorporate Lovato and the rest of the film's cast; it began on August 7, two weeks later than planned. The Sonny with a Chance soundtrack was released on October 5; Lovato provided vocals for four tracks, including "Me, Myself and Time". It debuted at number 163 on the Billboard 200, making it Lovato's lowest debut and peaking soundtrack there.

2010–12: Personal struggles, acting hiatus, and Unbroken


Lovato in Credicard Hall, São Paulo, Brazil, 2012.
On October 30, 2010, Lovato withdrew from the Jonas Brothers Live in Concert to enter a treatment facility to confront "physical and emotional issues". Reports indicated that Lovato decided to enter treatment after punching female back-up dancer Alex Welch during a confrontation, which led to an intervention by her family and management; she later took "100 percent, full responsibility" for the incident. A financial settlement was reached in December, a portion of which was donated to charity. On January 28, 2011, Lovato completed her inpatient treatment at the Timberline Knolls facility and returned home to Los Angeles, where she would "continue to see doctors" to "help her work on the issues she confronted in treatment". Lovato later acknowledged having suffered from bulimia, self-injury, and "self-medicating" with drugs and alcohol, which she stated was "like a lot of teens do to numb their pain". Lovato added that she had "basically had a nervous breakdown" and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder during treatment. In April, she became a contributing editor for Seventeen magazine, where she discussed her personal struggles, directed towards teenage girls.
Also that April, Lovato announced her departure from Sonny with a Chance, effectively putting her acting career in hiatus and ending the series; she commented that "...it's kind of sad for me that a chapter of my life has ended but there couldn't be a better time for me to move on...I don't think going back to Sonny would be healthy for my recovery...Being in front of a camera would make me nervous." She later stated she was willing to return to acting when she felt confident about doing so. Her exit led to the creation of the spin-off So Random!, which focused on the sketches of the former show-within-a-show. The show featured the former Sonny cast members (with exception of Lovato), however was later cancelled after one season.
Lovato's third studio album, Unbroken, was released on September 20, 2011. She began working on the album in July 2010, and experimented with R&B elements in its music. The album received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, who recognized it as a growth in musicianship in light of her personal struggles. Its singles "Skyscraper" and "Give Your Heart a Break" peaked at numbers 10 and 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, and both received critical acclaim. Both singles were certified platinum in the United States. Lovato held her Summer Tour 2012 from June through September. In July 2012, "Skyscraper" was nominated for "Best Video With a Message" at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, which she won.

2012–present: The X Factor and Demi


Lovato at The X Factor auditions in San Francisco, June 2012.
In March 2012, MTV aired a documentary special, Stay Strong, about Lovato's time in rehab and recovery. In April, Lovato began work on her fourth studio album. At the Minnesota State Fair in August, she announced plans to continue work after her pre-show performance at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, with a single to be released by December, though this never came to be. Lovato commented that she was "tired of all the dubstep that's on the radio right now" and "[wanted her] music to grow with [her]".
In May 2012, Lovato was hired as a judge for the second season of the American version of The X Factor with a reported salary of $1 million, joining fellow new judge Britney Spears and returning judges Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid; her hire was speculated to be in hopes of luring a younger audience. She mentored the Young Adults category; her final act, CeCe Frey, finished in sixth place. In March 2013, Lovato was confirmed to return for the third season. Her salary has reportedly doubled.
On December 24, 2012, Lovato released a video of her performing "Angels Among Us" on her YouTube account, which she dedicated to the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. In January 2013, it was reported that Lovato had been residing in a sober living facility in Los Angeles for more than a year, feeling it was the best way to avoid returning to her addictions and eating disorder. On February 24, "Heart Attack" was premiered on On Air with Ryan Seacrest as the lead single from her fourth album Demi. The song has peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was positively received by critics. Having sold over 215,000 units in its first week, "Heart Attack" currently holds the third-highest opening-week sales figure of 2013, behind Justin Timberlake's "Suit & Tie" and Ariana Grande's "The Way". Reaching international airplay, "Heart Attack" became a top twenty hit in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Ukraine and United Kingdom. Shortly after, the track reached the 10 in the United States, making it Lovato's third top-ten hit in her primary market. The song reached number 7 in Canada, this marked Lovato's first top 10 hit in Canada. Demi was released on May 10 and debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 110,000 copies, becoming her best-selling debut week of her career and also her fourth top 5 album and debuted at number 1 at the Canadian Albums Chart, making it her first number 1 album there and her fourth top 10 album. Lovato also plans to release an e-book in June 2013.
Philanthropy



Lovato at the 15th Annual Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, 2010.
In May 2009, Lovato was awarded Honorary Ambassador of Education by the American Partnership For Eosinophilic Disorders. As part of her involvement with the environmental organization Disney's Friends for Change, Lovato, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers recorded the charity's theme song "Send It On" in 2009. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 20.The proceeds from the song were directed to environmental charities to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. Lovato and Joe Jonas recorded another song for the charity, "Make a Wave", in March 2010.[42] Lovato is also the spokesperson for the Join the Surge Campaign!,DoSomething.Org and the Clean & Clear Brand launched Joining the Surge, which is a national campaign that empowers teenagers to take action in their communities.
She was featured in a January 2010 public service announcement for Voto Latino to promote the organization's "Be Counted" campaign for the 2010 United States Census. In October 2010, she served as the spokeswoman for the anti-bullying organization PACER. Lovato was also part of the "A Day Made Better" School Advocacy Campaign, and has supported DonateMyDress.org, Kids Wish Network, Love Our Children USA, ST. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and City of Hope. In April 2012, Lovato became a contributing editor for Seventeen magazine, where she discussed her personal struggles, directed towards teenage girls.[64] In October, she was named the new Ambassador of Mean Stinks, an anti-bullying campaign focused on eliminating bullying among girls.
Artistry

Influences


Lovato performing in Springfield, Illinois, 2012.
Lovato has cited John Mayer, with whom she worked on her second album Here We Go Again, as one of her "biggest musical influences". Other musical influences include Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Aretha Franklin, Paramore, Gladys Knight, Billy Gilman, Billie Holiday, Whitney Houston, and Beyoncé Knowles. She said of Gillman: "We had the same voice range when I was young. I would practice to his songs all the time."She has also added that she likes black metal and metalcore music, calling symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir "one of her favorite live acts". On Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in July 2009, Lovato stated that three of her favorite bands were metalcore/symphonic black metal band Abigail Williams, deathcore band Job for a Cowboy and southern metal band Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. She listed songs by Jon McLaughlin, Eminem, Sam Cooke, and the contemporary Christian music artists Stacie Orrico, MercyMe, BarlowGirl, and Bethany Dillon as her favorite songs, explaining they keep her feeling positive and remind her to stay strong. She said she is a fan of Britney Spears, calling her "the epitome of pop."Following the release of Unbroken, she commented that her musical styles have shifted towards hip-hop and R&B, adding that Rihanna is one of her favorite R&B artists. Additionally, she listed Bruce Springsteen as a musical role model.
Voice
Lovato possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range and her vocals have been met with positive responses from music critics. Nick Levine of Digital Spy commented that her vocals on Don't Forget were "consistently impressive". Singer and producer Ryan Tedder who worked on Unbroken said that "Demi blew me out of the water vocally! I had no idea how good her voice is. She's one of the best singers I've ever worked with. Literally, that good... I mean, she's a Kelly Clarkson-level vocalist. And Kelly has a set of pipes." Becky Brain of Idolator wrote Lovato has a "killer voice and the A-list material to put it to good use". The Hollywood Reporter writer Sophie Schillaci stated she "has a voice that can silence even the harshest of critics. Something not often found in her peers."
Public image



Lovato on the South Bank, London, 2008.
Lovato is a Christian and prays with her band before they perform.[8] She has described herself as very spiritual rather than very religious and confirmed her belief in God. She is best friends with Selena Gomez, whom she met at the auditions for Barney & Friends. Lovato was a vegetarian, but since entering treatment, has started eating meat.
In March 2009, Lovato commented "My first passion is music, because it comes naturally to me. Acting has been like a hobby." In 2010, Lovato briefly dated Joe Jonas. Later that year, on her eighteenth birthday, she bought her family a Mediterranean-style house in Los Angeles; she described giving to her family as the "best present" she had received. Lovato also purchased their current $1.88 million home in Toluca Lake when she was 16.
Lovato stated that she has no interest in having a relationship with her estranged father Patrick; she wrote the song "For the Love of a Daughter" about him, which was reportedly prompted by a series of interviews given by her father to benefit himself from her fame.
On December 23, 2011, Lovato posted a message on Twitter criticizing her former network for airing episodes of Shake It Up and So Random! which featured characters making jokes about eating disorders. Disney Channel publicity officials quickly took action and apologized to Lovato, then removed those episodes from the network's airing cycle and video on demand sources, after further criticism in the wake of Lovato's message to the network's public relations account. In January 2013, it was reported that Lovato had been residing in a sober living facility in Los Angeles for more than a year, including during her judging stint on The X Factor. She reportedly decided to move there shortly after her release from rehab in 2011 because she felt it was the best way to avoid returning to her addictions and eating disorder. 2014, Demi debuted her new tour "The Neon Lights Tour" and turned it into a world tour "Demi World Tour"