Perez Hilton
Perez Hilton at Barnes & Noble book signing (Union Square, New York City, September 6, 2011)
Born	Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. (1978-03-23) March 23, 1978 (age 34) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Blogger, television personality
Years active	2001–present
Website
PerezHilton.com

Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. (born March 23, 1978), better known as Perez Hilton (a play on "Paris Hilton"^[1]), is an American blogger and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com (formerly PageSixSixSix.com), is known for posts covering gossip items about celebrities. He is also known for posting tabloid photographs over which he has added his own captions or "doodles." His blog has garnered negative attention for its attitude, its former "outing" of alleged closeted celebrities and its role in the increasing coverage of celebrities in all forms of media.

Early life[link]

Hilton was born in Miami, Florida to parents from Cuba. He graduated in 1996 from Miami's Belen Jesuit Preparatory School and received his BFA in drama from New York University. In 2002, Hilton moved to Los Angeles, where he currently resides.^[2]

PerezHilton.com[link]

After graduation from New York University in 2000, and before beginning his blogging career, Hilton attempted a career as an actor.^[3] He briefly worked as a media relations assistant for LGBT rights organization GLAAD, was a freelance writer for gay publications, worked as a receptionist for NYC gay events club Urban Outings, and was briefly the managing editor of Instinct, a gay men's magazine.^[4] He says he started blogging "because it seemed easy."^[5][6]

Hilton's angle on celebrity gossip includes an unapologetic desire to mingle with and be a part of celebrity culture. He often describes celebrity awards shows, clubs, and private events he has attended, and posts photographs of himself with the celebrities he writes about under the "Personally Perez" category of his blog. Although Hilton has an affinity for some celebrities, such as Lady Gaga and Sophia Bush, he also has a "vendetta" against certain stars, such as Disney Channel star Vanessa Hudgens and Gossip Girl teen actress Taylor Momsen. Teen phenomenon Miley Cyrus publicised her personal disapproval of Hilton over Twitter to which he replied.^[7][8] Some have suggested, however, that Hilton's proximity to the celebrities about whom he writes has led to biased coverage on his blog. He purports to have befriended Paris Hilton, the source of his nickname and frequent subject of his posts. It has been noted, for example, that he rarely reports on stories or rumors casting Paris Hilton in a negative or unflattering light,^[9] and that, unlike most gossip blogs, he often acknowledges and praises her positive achievements.^[10] Additionally, Hilton has been known to speak out publicly against the discriminatory behavior of celebrities and other public figures. For instance, he called for the firing of Isaiah Washington from ABC television series Grey's Anatomy for making homophobic remarks and called for his readers to do the same.^[11] However, in early 2007, he was criticized by the blog The Hollywood Gossip for ignoring racist and homophobic remarks made by Paris Hilton.^[12]

Hilton often promotes his favorite up-and-coming musicians by posting streams of their songs under the "Listen To This" category of his blog.^[13] London-based singer Mika's 2007 rise to popular success in North America has been partially attributed to Hilton's frequent support.^[14][15] Hilton and Mika also claim to be friends.^[16][17]

Blogging success[link]

During an interview in Cliché Magazine's June/July 2010 issue, Hilton said that he only started blogging as a hobby. "What set my site apart is that prior to PerezHilton.com, most blogs were mainly online journals and diaries, but that never interested me. I wanted to talk about celebrities because they're far more entertaining."^[18] On March 11, 2005, within the first six months of Hilton's blogging career, PageSixSixSix.com was named "Hollywood's Most-Hated Website" by The Insider, catalyzing an initial surge in its popularity which temporarily crippled its server.^[19][20][21] Hilton claimed that on July 30, 2007, a seemingly "ordinary day," Perezhilton.com had over 8.82 million page views in a 24 hour period.^[22] Other sources dispute the reliability of Hilton's traffic claims.^[23]

Pop singer Fergie has confirmed that she is referring to Hilton in her 2006 song "Pedestal," in which she criticizes an unidentified person for making negative remarks about her on the internet.^[24]

On August 17, 2007, citing exclusive sources, Hilton announced the death of Cuban President Fidel Castro, and claimed that he was the first media outlet in the world to break the news.^[25] Although Hilton claimed that U.S. officials would be making an announcement within hours, no announcement was made, and no major media outlets verified Castro's death.^[26] The Associated Press later determined that rumors were sparked by a meeting of Miami officials who were to discuss the city's plans when Castro dies. Rumors were further fueled by a road closure in the Florida Keys that was due to a police standoff.^[27] Castro appeared in an interview on Cuban television on September 21, 2007, "looking frail but sounding lucid," and mocking rumors of his death.^[28] On September 9, 2009, Perez appeared on The Tyra Banks Show and cited his premature reporting of Castro's death as his "one regret."

On September 15, 2008, Terra.com named Perez Hilton as the Hispanic of the Year in Honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.^[29]

As of April 2009 PerezHilton.com was ranked by Alexa as the 491st most trafficked website on the Internet (143rd within the United States) with 2/3 of users being American and strongest demographic being females between the ages of 18 and 24.^[30]

Civil litigation[link]

A suit against Hilton for copyright infringement was filed by Zomba Label Group on October 11, 2007, stating that Hilton illegally posted recordings by Britney Spears on PerezHilton.com. The illegal postings include at least 10 completed songs and unfinished recordings leaked over a period of three months. The suit asks for real and punitive damages in an unspecified amount as well as legal costs. Spears is not a party to the suit.^[31] In March 2008, Hilton announced on his blog that he would no longer blog about artists signed to Sony BMG (which owns Zomba). However, when the lawsuit was settled in November of that year, Hilton ended his boycott and resumed regular blogging about Sony BMG artists.^[32]

On October 11, 2007, a judge cleared the way for Hilton to be deposed in an on-going defamation suit brought against him by DJ Samantha Ronson, after a post on PerezHilton.com claimed that she had planted cocaine in friend Lindsay Lohan's car and set Lohan up to be photographed while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Hilton's report was a repetition of gossip initially posted on CelebrityBabylon.com. The judge was informed in court that the owner of that site has already settled the case with Ronson.^[33] On January 23, 2008, Perez Hilton was awarded $85,000 by Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle in this lawsuit filed by Ronson.^[34]

Hilton has attracted lawsuits due to his use of video footage of celebrities on his blog. He was named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by attorneys for Irish actor Colin Farrell on July 18, 2005, after posting a link to Farrell's sex tape with then-girlfriend Nicole Narain on his site^[35] and on February 20, 2007, a lawsuit filed against him by Universal City Studios Productions LLP for posting a topless image of actress Jennifer Aniston that was allegedly "misappropriated and illegally copied" from unreleased footage from her 2006 motion picture The Break-Up.^[36]

Bloggers, journalists, news agencies and photographers alike have charged that Hilton posts paparazzi photographs and other copyrighted content from their sites.^[37] On November 30, 2006, celebrity photo agency X17Online filed a lawsuit against L Hilton in federal court, seeking over US$7.5 million in damages for copyright infringement.^[38] X17's co-owner Robin Navarre told the LA Times that the sale value of their photographs has been significantly reduced because the photos have appeared on PerezHilton.com before they could be published in magazines to which exclusivity is important. Navarre said,

"X17 can make as much as tens of thousands of dollars from one magazine on an exclusive story. In the case of the Spears smooch shot, X17 sold a two-page spread to Us Weekly, but the magazine decided to shrink the photo play (which lowered the price by $10,000, to $15,000)...because the images had already been on Hilton's site and others."^[39]

Hilton defends his use of this material by claiming it falls under the fair use exception to the Copyright Act; that is, according to the LA Times, the photos are altered "to achieve a satiric or humorous end."^[39] On March 9, 2007, a judge ruled that Hilton could continue operating his website while the lawsuit remained before the courts.^[40] On April 23, 2007, a consortium of five celebrity photo agencies filed a joint lawsuit in federal district court in California against Hilton, claiming more than US$7 million in damages from 25 instances of alleged copyright infringement.^[41] Just days later, on April 26, 2007, upon arriving at the Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia to attend the MTV Australia Video Music Awards, Hilton was served with a lawsuit by celebrity photo agency PhotoNews claiming C$4,200 in damages for his alleged unauthorized use of a single copyrighted paparazzi photograph of John Mayer and Jessica Simpson.^[42]

On June 20, 2007, Variety reported that Hilton's web host had dropped his site upon threats of liability in the cases outlined above. Francois Navarre, co-owner of X17, told Variety, "It's the first victory, and we put a lot of work into trying to get this to happen." He added, "It's a precedent that's huge. When we were talking to Crucial Paradigm they were saying they were not responsible, dragging their feet. We had to threaten them and show them they were liable. His new host is Blogads, and we're contacting them already."^[43]

On June 26, 2007, Hilton posted an open call on his blog to all of X17's photographers, both past and present, to contact him if they have not been adequately compensated for working overtime or pictures submitted in the past.^[44] Hilton has not used photos by X17 on his website since the suit.

According to an August 2009 Los Angeles Times profile of Hilton, X17's lawsuit against Hilton was ultimately settled out of court. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.^[45]

"Outing" celebrities[link]

On his blog, Hilton is open about his homosexuality and about his desire to "out" those who he claims are closeted gay celebrities. When former 'N Sync member Lance Bass officially came out as gay on July 26, 2006, Hilton received criticism for having been partially responsible in the outing. "It upsets me that people think what I'm doing is a bad thing," Hilton told Access Hollywood. "I don't think it's a bad thing. If you know something to be a fact, why not report it? Why is that still taboo?"^[46] On November 2, 2006, another celebrity often questioned by Hilton for remaining closeted, actor Neil Patrick Harris, revealed that he is gay.^[47]

Prominent members of the gay community who have criticized Hilton's outing tactics include Arts & Entertainment Editor of The Advocate Corey Scholibo, AfterElton.com editor Michael Jensen, and Damon Romine, spokesperson for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.^[4] Kim Ficera, contributing writer for AfterEllen.com, wrote,

"I have to question the character of a man who attacks others on such deeply personal levels, without provocation and for self-benefit, monetary or otherwise....If he's emotionally incapable of exhibiting even the tiniest bit of compassion for closeted people, if he can't be sensitive to the fact that coming out is a very personal decision and that the process can be difficult for some — especially celebrities — I feel sorry for him. If his juvenile behavior is his shtick, I think it makes him a much more pathetic figure, and one the gay and lesbian community should not support...If we support behavior like Hilton's, we applaud shallowness, arrogance, rage and invasion of privacy, and risk becoming what we despise."^[48]

Some of Hilton's fellow gossip bloggers have also objected to his approach. Trent Vanegas, who runs "Pink Is the New Blog," told Salon.com, "I do not outright call people gay. I do not feel it is my place, or anyone else's place, to make people come out of the closet. Being shockingly hurtful just to get attention is not my style." David Hauslaib of gossip blog Jossip.com stated, "The rationale that he's doing this for the good of that gay community is tantamount to saying that there is a gay agenda. Is this a positive for the gay community? I'd say, 'No.'" Author, screenwriter, and former friend Japhy Grant has also questioned his motives, writing on Salon.com, "Spreading gossip is just your average pedestrian variety of immorality. Claiming that you're doing it to further civil rights is an outright sham."^[4]

When questioned on Midweek Politics about whether reporting on celebrities' sexual orientation incites homophobia by making it news, Hilton indicated that he did not believe so.^[49] He said that coming out in Hollywood is not necessarily a bad thing, citing Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O'Donnell as examples: "I know there is some controversy about outing people, but I also believe the only way we're gonna have change is with visibility. And if I have to drag some people screaming out of the closet, then I will. I think that lots of celebrities have an archaic fear that being gay will hurt their career but look at Rosie. Look at Ellen."^[50]

Some prominent gay rights advocates disagree. GLAAD spokesperson Damon Romine told Salon.com, "Media speculation about a celebrity's orientation is not something we support. This kind of gossip can lead some people to the decision to come out, as we've seen recently, or it may drive others further into the closet. People are going to become more guarded and secretive and not less, because they don't want to create any opportunities [for anyone to out them]." Actor Bruce Vilanch said, "What purpose does it serve? These [people like Perez] are professional homosexuals. They are gay people for a living. They have to respect the rights of homosexuals who aren't professional."^[4] In an article entitled "Just How Dangerous is Perez Hilton?", AfterElton.com suggested that Hilton's actions put people's careers at risk, because anti-gay bias is still a prominent part of American culture. He continued, "Both as a gay man and a journalist, I question whether the gay community should approve of Hilton's actions....Being associated with someone who publishes photos of panty-less starlets and scribbles dirty notes....makes us look infantile and ridiculous."^[51]

Controversy[link]

Miss USA 2009[link]

Hilton served as a judge for the Miss USA 2009 pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2009.

During the Q&A portion of the contest, Hilton asked the Miss California USA representative, Carrie Prejean whether she believed every state should legalize same-sex marriage. She responded that she believes marriage is between a man and a woman due to her religious upbringing. After the pageant Perez Hilton made derogatory comments about the contestant and told ABC news "She lost it because of that question. She was definitely the front-runner before that,"^[52] leading some to believe that the answer directly had caused her to lose the competition.^[53] Prejean stated that Miss California USA officials had pressured her to apologize for her statement and "not talk" about her Christian faith.^[54]

After the pageant, Hilton posted a video blog on his website, where he called Prejean a "dumb bitch" and said her answer was the worst in pageant history.^[55] Several politicians and commentators, including gay rights activists, assailed Hilton and defended Prejean for promoting her personal beliefs.^[56][57][58]

Post MMVA 2009 incident in Toronto[link]

In June 2009, Hilton alleged in a video blog^[59] that he was assaulted by The Black Eyed Peas' operation manager Polo Molina following the 2009 MuchMusic Video Awards after-party where the Black Eyed Peas' front man will.i.am was DJing. Hilton reported in his video that he was "clocked" in the eye by Molina.^[60] will.i.am also released a video statement^[61] in which he claimed he had approached Hilton regarding derogatory comments made by the blogger concerning bandmate Fergie and the group's latest release The E.N.D.. During the incident, Hilton called will.i.am a "faggot" (Hilton later admitted in an interview with The Advocate that he originally considered using the word "nigger" instead)^[62] in order to get a reaction out of him, and it was at this point that Molina allegedly attacked Hilton. will.i.am claimed the attacking party was a fan, although Molina has been detained and will appear in a Toronto court concerning the incident. Hilton would later file a civil lawsuit against Molina, seeking an unspecified amount over $25,000 US to cover medical costs and as compensation for the "humiliation, mental anguish, and emotional and physical distress" that Hilton suffered as a result of the attack.^[63]

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation called upon Hilton to apologize for using an anti-gay slur against will.i.am during the incident, saying "We have reached out to Hilton and asked him to apologize . . . and we would ask media outlets to avoid repetition of the slur in their coverage of this story."^[64] Hilton initially refused to apologize, saying, "I am saddened GLAAD chose to victimize me further by criticizing me for how I non-violently dealt with a very scary situation that, unfortunately, turned violent." On June 25, 2009, however, Hilton did apologize, stating "I am NOT apologizing to GLAAD...I am apologizing to the gay community, to anyone who was hurt by my choice of words, and to all the people who have ever emailed me to thank me for all that I have done to fight for gay rights over the last few years."^[65] In addition, he pledged to donate any money won in the lawsuit against Molina to the Matthew Shepard Foundation. In a statement released on its website, Judy Shepard, Chair of the MSF, declined the gift, saying that "because the lawsuit presumably involves the physical attack prompted by Mr. Hilton's admitted use of an anti-gay slur, the Foundation will be unable to accept any funds obtained in such a manner."^[66]

Hilton received little sympathy in the media over the incident,^[67][68][69] a fact he addressed in his video blog.^[70] John Mayer made comments ridiculing Hilton and the incident on his Twitter page, resulting in a volley of insults between the two.^[71] Gawker viewed Hilton's public apology with skepticism, being of the opinion that it was just an attempt to rebuild his "brand" and a possible attempt to prevent Canadian authorities from filing criminal charges against him for his use of hate speech during the Toronto incident.^[72]

Michael Jackson's death[link]

On June 25, 2009, shortly after Michael Jackson had gone into cardiac arrest, Hilton posted an article about the star's illness, claiming it was a publicity stunt. Hilton's original post featured sarcastic comments such as "Get your money back, ticket holders!!!!" and "Jacko pulled a similar stunt when he was getting ready for his big HBO special in ‘95 when he “collapsed” at rehearsal!", in response to Jackson's recently sold out tour through March 2010. Upon realizing Michael Jackson's death was not a hoax, Hilton immediately deleted the original news post and replaced it with a shorter message that linked to a story at entertainment news site TMZ, which said the singer had in fact gone into cardiac arrest.^[73] Hilton has received backlash for the incident, becoming entangled in a Twitter argument with Pete Wentz about the situation.^[74]

Miley Cyrus upskirt picture[link]

On June 13, 2010, Hilton posted a Twitter message linking to an upskirt picture of Miley Cyrus, which allegedly showed the singer without underpants. Since Cyrus was still underage at the time, questions were raised as to whether or not child pornography charges could be raised. However, child porn refers to sexual activity which an upskirt is simply not.^[75] The site that he had linked to removed the picture in question. Perez responded to the accusations by claiming that the controversy was "fake" and that Cyrus did wear underwear in the photo in question. Hilton did not re-post the photo for proof. Instead, he linked to another image of Cyrus, supposedly taken on the same occasion, to prove that she had been wearing underwear.^[76]

Anti-bullying campaign[link]

In October, 2010, Hilton became involved in the It Gets Better Project started by Dan Savage, urging celebrities to support gay teenagers who were being driven to suicide by anti-gay bullying.^[77] This prompted Khloe Kardashian to call out Hilton as her "personal bully," claiming that it seemed hypocritical to make an anti-bullying message at the request of a man who had repeatedly bullied her.^[78] On October 13, 2010, Hilton posted a video on YouTube entitled "I'm Going To Be Doing Things Differently," in which he addressed his actions over the previous years, and apologized for bullying celebrities. Hilton vowed to change the occasionally malicious tone of his website, even if it meant losing readers and revenue. Hilton also announced the launch of three new websites: CoCoPerez.com, which focuses on fashion, FitPerez.com, which encourages physical fitness, and TeddyHilton.com, an animal rights site.^[79]

"The Boy With Pink Hair"[link]

On September 1, 2011, Hilton published a children's book entitled "The Boy With Pink Hair." Hilton described the book as a story "about every kid that's ever had a dream, felt excluded, wanted to belong, and hoped that one day they could do what they loved and make a difference."^[80] In a September, 2011 interview with The Advocate magazine, Hilton admitted that the book was inspired by his own childhood: "I’ve always considered myself a freak, an outsider, and a bit of an interloper. I never really fit in with any groups, so I just did my own thing."^[81]

Television appearances[link]

In 2001, Hilton made an appearance in The Sopranos episode 3.29, "Fortunate Son". His character, hands over the proceeds of a Jewel benefit concert at Rutgers University, whose ticket office Christopher Moltisanti and Benny Fazio rob at gunpoint.

In 2004, a then- 206 lb. Hilton appeared as a contestant on the "Madonna Style" episode of VH1's reality weight loss show, Flab To Fab.^[82] At the time, Hilton had 30% body fat and a 41” waist. Hilton lost a total of 45 lbs. in three months and dropped 13” around his waist, leaving him at 160 lbs and a 28” waist for his 6’0” frame, and a greatly reduced level of body fat.^[83]

On July 13, 2007, Hilton announced on the TV show The View that he would star in his own reality television show on VH1.^[84] The series of six one-hour episodes, titled What Perez Sez,^[85] aired its first part on September 11, 2007.^[86]

Hilton appeared as a contestant on MTV's Celebrity Rap Superstar, which debuted August 30, 2007. He was eliminated in week 6 of the contest by judges' vote. On September 29, 2007, he hosted a Best of MADtv episode featuring pop culture parody sketches from previous seasons. He has appeared in music videos such as Simple Plan's "When I'm Gone", The Pussycat Dolls's "Hush Hush; Hush Hush" and Rihanna's "S&M". Hilton has also appeared in reality shows such as Victoria Beckham: Coming To America, MTV Cribs, The-N's Queen Bees, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, Tori Spelling THS and Paris Hilton's My New BFF. In addition to reality television Lavendeira has guest starred as himself in scripted shows such as and Privileged.

Hilton is also a regular on TV Series TRL, Much Music, and Extra where he appears via satellite from his closet studio to talk about gossip.

He co-hosted the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards and after Rick Astley did not show up to collect his award for best act ever at the MTV Europe Music Awards, Perez Hilton collected the prize on Rick's behalf.^[87]

On June 21, 2009, Hilton was a presenter at the 2009 MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto, Ontario. On December 2, 2009, Hilton was a guest on the TV show The View.

In 2010, Hilton guest starred as himself in the episode "Wi-Fi in the Sky" on Victorious.

Hilton created and presented four-part British television series, Perez Hilton Superfan for ITV2 in December 2011.

On the January 16, 2012 edition of WWE Monday Night RAW Perez was a special guest referee for a Divas tag team match. In April 2012, he appeared on Oprah's Lifeclass live at New York City's Radio City Music Hall, along with Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra, talking about how after his "spiritual awakening", he changed his past celebrity bashing ways and how he had found a new purpose.^[88][89]

Radio[link]

Hilton premiered his nationally syndicated radio show, Radio Perez, which included updates from his blog, on May 5, 2008. He has also appeared on The Howard Stern Show on Sirius Satellite Radio. Most recently on January 8, 2009.^[90]

Discography[link]

Hilton has a song called "The Clap", which is about Gonorrhea. The song is composed and produced by Lucian Piane. The music video for the song is from the movie, "Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild."^[91]

Other appearances[link]

Special appearances[link]

• Hilton appears in Britney Spears's tour, The Circus Starring Britney Spears. Hilton appears dressed as Queen Elizabeth I.
• Hilton appears in the 2010 Vengaboys video "Rocket To Uranus".
• Hilton appears in the 2011 Rihanna video S&M, "on a leash as Rihanna's pet."^[92]

Filmography[link]

Film[link]

Television[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Perez Hilton

• Official website
• Mario Lavandeira at the Internet Movie Database
• Perez Hilton in Trouble at Variety.com
• Perez Hilton's channel on YouTube
• Perez Hilton is Terra's Hispanic of the Year

Demi Lovato
Lovato in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Demetria Devonne Lovato
Born	(1992-08-20) August 20, 1992 (age 19) Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Genres	Pop, pop rock, R&B, dance
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actress, musician, activist, The X Factor USA judge
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Hollywood
Associated acts	Joe Jonas, Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus
Website	demilovato.com Demi Lovato's signature

Demetria Devonne "Demi" Lovato^[1] (born August 20, 1992)^[2] is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. Her earliest roles included Angela on Barney & Friends, before she became better known for her starring roles in the Camp Rock movies, as Sonny Munroe in the Disney sitcom Sonny with a Chance, and as the star of the 2009 movie Princess Protection Program. She is also involved in philanthropic activities through charity work and various social and environmental causes.^[3]

As a solo musical artist, Lovato released her debut album Don't Forget on September 23, 2008. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 selling 89,000 copies in the first week.^[4] It has since shipped over 500,000 copies, earning a gold certification in the United States.^[5] Lovato released her second album, Here We Go Again, on July 21, 2009.^[6] The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 108,000 copies in the first week.^[7] Her third studio album, Unbroken, was released on September 20, 2011 and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200. She is working on her fourth studio album.

In Fall 2012, Lovato will be a judge on the second season of the American version of The X Factor.^[8]

Early life[link]

Lovato was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on August 20, 1992, and raised in Dallas, Texas.^[1] She is the daughter of Dianna Hart de la Garza (born Dianna Lee Smith) and Patrick Martin Lovato.^[9] Her ancestry includes Mexican, Irish, Italian, and English.^{[9][10][11][12]} She has an older sister, Dallas Lovato, and a younger half-sister, Madison de la Garza, from her mother's re-marriage.^[1] Her mother was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and country music recording artist.^[13] Lovato began playing piano at the age of seven.^[14] Lovato also began her acting career at the age of seven on the children's television series Barney & Friends as Angela, appearing in seasons seven and eight alongside long time friend Selena Gomez.^[15] In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Lovato revealed going through painful experiences with bullying in the seventh grade.^[16] According to Lovato, the bullying was so bad that one day, in a fit of frustration and distress, she requested her mom give her a home-schooled education.^[17] Lovato earned a high school diploma through homeschooling in April 2009.^[18] Lovato also stated in an interview with 20/20 in 2011 that she had had a "really unhealthy relationship with food" since age 8 due to bullying experienced as a child, and self-mutilated her wrists to cope with her emotions and depression since age 11.^[19] Lovato later became a spokesperson for anti-bullying organization PACER and appeared on America's Next Top Model^[20] and CNN to speak out against bullying.^[21] She has described herself as very spiritual rather than very religious and said she believes in God.^[22]

Acting career[link]

[edit] 2006–09: Camp Rock and Sonny With a Chance

Lovato with her Camp Rock co-stars, the Jonas Brothers, in London, 2008

In 2006, Lovato guest starred on Prison Break as Danielle Curtin in the episode "First Down." She also appeared in the second season of the television sitcom Just Jordan as Nicole, in the episode "Slippery When Wet." In January 2007, she landed the role of Charlotte Adams on the Disney Channel Original Short Series, As the Bell Rings, which premiered on August 26, 2007. A few of her original songs, including "Shadow", were featured on the show. In the summer of 2007, Lovato auditioned for the Disney Channel television film Camp Rock and the television series Sonny with a Chance in the same day and got both parts.^[23] For Camp Rock, she submitted an audition tape and Gary Marsh, Disney's president of entertainment, asked her to sing.^[24] She sang Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man", and Hollywood Records senior vice president Bob Cavallo said that their "jaws just dropped".^[24] Lovato received the lead role in Camp Rock,^[24] and a record deal with Hollywood Records in early 2008.^[23] In Camp Rock she played Mitchie Torres, a fourteen-year-old girl with hopes of becoming a singer. The movie premiered on June 20, 2008, in the United States on the Disney Channel with 8.9 million viewers, making Lovato a household name among young viewers.^[25] Its Disney Channel Italy premier received 1.14 million viewers on September 2008.^[26] Merchandise of the film is sold at Target, Claires, and Limited Too. They include clothing (such as pajamas, T-shirts, and underwear), bags (tote bags, backpacks, etc.), bedding collection, toys, and dolls of the characters. Play Along Toys, so far, has only released dolls of Mitchie and Shane. On May 13, 2008, Disney published Camp Rock: the Junior Novel, by Lucy Ruggles, the novelization of the film. Target retail stores sell "special editions" of the novel, hardcover books that include photos.

Starting in 2009, Lovato appeared as Sonny Munroe in the Disney channel comedy Sonny With a Chance. The show featured Lovato as the newest cast member on the show-within-a-show So Random!. The series debuted on February 8, 2009 in the United States. This is the first Disney Channel Original Series to be shot and aired in high-definition from the beginning; like most of Disney Channel's sitcoms, it is shot on tape, but uses a "filmized" appearance. The second season, some scenes are shot on location. The series is one of three Disney Channel Original Series to feature a show-within-a-show, with the others being The Famous Jett Jackson and Shake It Up. The series officially ended on January 2, 2011. Gary Marsh, president of entertainment, Disney Channel Worldwide, stated "This series is rooted in one of the core thematic attributes that we stand for, which is following your dreams, there also was the opportunity to do a hybrid show."^[27] The show began production on September 15, 2008 and the first season was taped at Stage 11 at NBC Studios in Burbank, California;^[27] for the second season, the show's production moved to Hollywood Center Studios in Hollywood, California, where The Suite Life on Deck, Wizards of Waverly Place and Jonas L.A. are also taped. In June 2009 Lovato co-starred in Princess Protection Program as Princess Rosalinda alongside Selena Gomez on the Disney Channel.^[28] The made-for-television movie is the third highest rated Disney Channel Original Movie, premiering on the Disney Channel with 9.8 million viewers. Laura Fries of Variety magazine describes the film as being "light as a summer breeze on the Louisiana bayou". Although the film does not stray far from the Disney formula, she praises writer Annie DeYoung for providing young girls a nice message about self-esteem. She says the film should be a hit with the channel's target audience.^[29]

[edit] 2010–present: Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam and hiatus

2010 World Tour in September 2010

In September 2009, production began for Camp Rock's sequel, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. The Disney Channel Original Movie premiered on September 3, 2010.^[30][31] The film was watched by 7.9 million viewers on its premiere night,^[32] about 1 million less viewers than its predecessor. In 2010 it also became the most watched cable television programme that week,^[33] as well as the No. 1 movie by number of viewers on 2010's cable television.^[32] In its second broadcast on September 4, the film reached 3.7 million viewers.^[33] The film also reached 21 million unique viewers over its premiere weekend from September 3 to September 6.^[34] In its UK premiere on September 17, 2010 in was watched by 637,000 viewers. The film received generally mixed reviews. The review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 40% of critics gave the film mixed reviews, based on 5 reviews (3 'Rotten' and 2 'Fresh'), with an average score of 6.1/10.^[35] The film currently holds an 8.7 rating, earning it a "Great" film rating on TV.com.^[36] Lovato appeared as a guest star in an episode of the medical drama series Grey's Anatomy as a teenage patient named Hayley May, whose parents brought her in for schizophrenia.^[37] In a review of the episode, EW.com praised her performance, stating, "I still believe that even an unbiased observer would conclude that the Disney princess did a fine job acting it up as a suicidal 16-year-old who was admitted after trying to claw her own eyes out."^[38] On April 19, 2011, People.com reported that Demi Lovato would not be returning for the third season of Sonny With a Chance due to her health issues.^[39] As a result, the show will be renamed So Random! and focus only on the sketches rather than the behind-the-scenes antics. As a result of Lovato's departure from Sonny with a Chance, the series is the second Disney Channel original series to have its lead actor/actress leave during the series' run (after So Weird), and the fourth Disney Channel series to have a main cast member leave the series during its run (with That's So Raven and Jonas L.A. also included).^[40] The third season was then turned into its own new series based on its new format. On leaving the show, Lovato satated "...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."^[41]

Lovato said in an April 2012 interview with KOKO POP UK that music is currently her "top priority", but that she is "kind of getting the itch to get back into acting, so we'll see what comes next."^[42] In an interview with Fabulous Magazine UK, Lovato will not come back to acting until she is fully confident. "I need to be secure in my body before I go back in front of the camera. Anyone in recovery from an eating disorder would find that triggering, and I'm not ready," she says.^[43]

Music career[link]

[edit] 2007–09: Camp Rock soundtrack and Don't Forget

Lovato at the premiere of Hannah Montana: The Movie in April 2009

Lovato's music career began in 2007, when several of her original songs, including "Shadow", were included on the mini-series As the Bell Rings. In 2008, Lovato signed with Hollywood Records after getting the lead role in the film Camp Rock.^[23] She provided vocals on four of the songs featured on the Camp Rock soundtrack, including "We Rock", "Who Will I Be", "Our Time Is Here" and "This Is Me" featuring Joe Jonas.^[44] The song peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at the top 20 in Australia, Canada and Norway. The soundtrack was released on June 24, 2008. The song peaked at number 3 on the US Billboard 200 and topped the US Billboard Top Soundtracks and peaked at the top 10 in Canada, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand and Spain. The soundtrack has sold over 1 million copies and was certified Platinum in the United States. Full songs of the album were made available on Camp Rock's official web site for one week, beginning June 10, 2008, and the full soundtrack premiered on Radio Disney on June 14, 2008 during Planet Premiere: Camp Rock. The soundtrack was released in the UK on July 14, 2008.The soundtrack album (both original and two-disc collector's edition) is an enhanced CD which contains a clip of an acoustic version of "This Is Me" when played on the computer with internet access. On November 16, 2008, a karaoke/instrumental version of the Camp Rock soundtrack was released. It is not available on iTunes, but can be purchased in stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, etc. In June and July 2008, Lovato performed at various House of Blues and parks for her Demi Live! Warm Up Tour in preparation for the release of her debut album and the Burnin' Up Tour with the Jonas Brothers. Lovato served as the support act on the Jonas Brothers' Burnin' Up Tour from July through September 2008.

Lovato's debut album, Don't Forget was released on September 23, 2008. The bulk of the album was co-written with the Jonas Brothers, who also produced the album with John Fields. They co-wrote ten songs in a week during the band's headlining Look Me in the Eyes Tour.^[45] The album is of the pop-rock genre and is lyrically similar to other teen-pop albums. It peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 89,000 units in its first week of release. It has since sold over 500,000 records in the US.^[46] Critics noticed the distinct sound of the Jonas Brothers in the production of the album. Don't Forget spawned two singles. The first single released was "Get Back". It was written by Lovato, the Jonas Brothers, and produced by the Jonas Brothers alongside John Fields. The song features Jack Lawless on drums and John Taylor and the Jonas Brothers on guitars. The initial writing of the song took place when Lovato wanted to write a song about getting back together with an old boyfriend, as opposed to writing mean or heartbroken songs. The was released as the album's lead single on August 12, 2008, by Hollywood Records. Musically, the song is an upbeat pop rock and power pop song with a guitar-driven sound. The song was met with positive reviews from critics and performed average commercially, peaking at number forty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 and ninety-three on the Canadian Hot 100. In Australia, the song peaked at number ten on the ARIA Hitseekers chart. The accompanying music video, directed by Philip Andelman, shows Lovato and her band performing the song on top of an abandoned building with Manhattan Bridge in the background. Lovato has performed the song on several occasions, including the opening of the 2008 Disney Channel Games and the The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The second and final single, "La La Land", was released on April 10, 2009 through Hollywood Records. It was written by Lovato and the Jonas Brothers, and produced by the Jonas Brothers alongside John Fields. It is one of six songs on the album co-written by the Jonas Brothers, who also contributed backing vocals and guitars to the track. Lovato said that she wrote the song about being yourself in Hollywood and not letting other people change who you are. Musically, the song is a guitar-driven pop rock song and the lyrics speak of Lovato feeling "out of place" in Hollywood. The song was met with positive reviews from critics. Commercially, the song peaked at number fifty-two on the Billboard Hot 100, and number thirty-five on the UK Singles Chart. The song achieved its highest peak in Ireland, where it reached number thirty on the Irish Singles Chart. It was less successful in Australia and Germany, where it peaked in the lower half of the charts. The accompanying music video was directed by Brendan Malloy and Tim Wheeler, and follows the song's Hollywood theme. It was used to promote Lovato's Disney Channel sitcom Sonny with a Chance, and features guest appearances from her co-stars. Lovato joined Disney's Friends for Change, an organization which promotes "environmently-friendly behavior," and appears in its public service announcements to raise awareness for the cause on the Disney Channel.^[47] Lovato, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers recorded "Send It On," a charity single that served as the theme song for the organization in 2009. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #20.^[48][49] Disney's Friends for Change directed all of its proceeds from "Send It On" to environmental charities to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.^[48] Lovato and Joe Jonas "Make a Wave" in 2010, the second charity single that currently serves as the theme song for Disney's Friends for Change.

[edit] 2009–10: Here We Go Again and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam soundtrack

Lovato and her band performing on her 2009 Summer Tour

Lovato embarked on the Summer Tour 2009 to promote her second album, Here We Go Again, released in the summer of 2009.^[50] The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 108,000 records sold in its first week.^[51] The album was more inspired by acoustic music, such as John Mayer's songs, than her debut's pop rock-influenced sound.^[52] The album received favorable reviews from critics,^[53] Billboard called Lovato "a natural talent who could really take flight after outgrowing Disney."^[54] Allmusic ranked Here We Go Again as one of the best pop albums of 2009.^[55] The album was preceded by the lead single, "Here We Go Again," which was released on June 23, 2009.^[56] It was written by Isaac Hasson, Lindy Robbins and Mher Filian and produced by SuperSpy, for Lovato's second studio album of the same name (2009). It was released as the album's lead single on June 23, 2009, through Hollywood Records. Musically, the song is a power pop song with guitar lines and pop hooks, and the lyrics speak of the protagonist's on-off relationship with a hesitant boyfriend. The song received positive reviews from critics, who praised its pop hook and made comparisons with works by Kelly Clarkson. The song peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Lovato's first top 40 hit on the chart as a solo artist.^[57] The song also peaked at number 38 in New Zealand and in the lower region of the Canadian Hot 100. The accompanying music video was directed by Brendan Malloy and Tim Wheeler. The album's second and final single, "Remember December," was released on November 17, 2009. It was written by John Fields, Lovato and Anne Preven, and produced by Fields. The song was released as the album's second and final single outside North America on January 18, 2010, through Hollywood Records. The song adapts power pop and synthpop genres and diverges from Lovato's usual pop rock sound. The lyrics describe the protagonist's attempt to remind her boyfriend of the good times of their relationship. Lovato described the song's sound as an example of what she wanted her future music to sound like. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics; the majority of them praised its hook and chorus. Several critics also named it one of the album's standouts. The song underperformed commercially; it only managed to reach #6 on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 (number 106 on the Hot 100) and it peaked at number 80 on the UK Singles Chart. Tim Wheeler directed the accompanying music video, which features appearances from Lovato's female co-stars in Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. Instead of including a love interest in the clip, Lovato chose to give it a theme of female empowerment. Lovato has performed the song numerous times, including on her tour Summer Tour 2009 and The Alan Titchmarsh Show. Lovato's South American Tour^[58] was her first international headlining tour. The tour commenced on May 23, 2010, in Santiago, Chile, and concluded on May 28, 2010, in São Paulo, Brazil. She later joined the Jonas Brothers Live in Concert tour as a special guest.^[59]

The soundtrack, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, was released on August 10, 2010. She provided vocals on nine of the songs featured on the soundtrack, including "Brand New Day", "Can't Back Down", "It's On", "You're My Favorite Song", "What We Came Here For", "This Is Our Song", "Different Summers", "It's Not Too Late" and "Wouldn't Change a Thing".^[60] The song was released on July 31, 2010. The song was released as the soundtrack's fourth single. The song failed to chart in the US Billboard Hot 100 but peaked at number 10on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.^[61] The soundtrack peaked at number 3 on the US Billboard 200 and topped the US Billboard Top Soundtracks, and peaked at the top 10 in Brazil, Canada, Italy and Spain. The soundtrack has sold over 500,000 copies and was certified Gold in the United States. The tour is actually Jonas Brothers' 2010 World Tour, which special guests are Demi Lovato and the cast of Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. The Camp Rock 2 Tour is officially called Jonas Brothers 2010 World Tour/Camp Rock 2 Tour.^[62] Meaghan Martin was not be on tour due to filming a movie. The tour started on August 7, 2010, two weeks later than planned.

[edit] 2010–present: Sonny with a Chance soundtrack, Unbroken and fourth studio album

Demi Lovato at the Festival Verano Iquique in Chile, February 2012

The soundtrack, Sonny with a Chance, was released on It was released on October 5, 2010 from Walt Disney Records. She provided vocals on four of the songs featured on the soundtrack, including "So Far, So Great", "Me, Myself and Time", "What to Do" and "Work of Art". It debuted at no. 163 on the Billboard 200, making it Lovato's lowest debut and peaking soundtrack there.^[63] It also debuted at number 3 on the US Kid Albums and at number 8 on the US Top Soundtracks.^[63] Two singles were released from the soundtrack. The first single to be released was "So Far, So Great". It was released on June 9, 2009 and is the theme song for the series. It first appeared on the album Disney Channel Playlist, and was later released on Demi Lovato's album Here We Go Again as a bonus track.^[64][65] The song is about chasing your dreams. It has also received rotation on Radio Disney. Lovato performed the song in her "Summer Tour 2009". It is the ninth and final track of the soundtrack, written by Jeannie Lurie, Aris Archontis and Chen Neeman and the length of the song is two minutes and fourteen seconds. The second single to be released was "Me, Myself and Time". It was published for the title track of the CD. It was released digitally on August 3, 2010, but was shown worldwide on April 11, 2010, the episode was issued Sonny With a Song in the United States chapter of the series in which Sonny shows her singing career performing the song appears to promote the fashion line of her character. The song managed to peak at number 6 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.

Demi Lovato live in Credicard Hall in São Paulo, Brazil 2012.

Lovato's third studio album, Unbroken, was released on September 20, 2011.^[66][67] Lovato began working on the album in July 2010, prior to receiving treatment. She had described it as having a more soulful and R&B inspired sound, citing Keri Hilson and Rihanna as inspirations for the sound.^[68] After Lovato's stint in the treatment facility, producer Timbaland expressed interest in working with her.^[69] Lovato confirmed in July 2011 that she was working on a duet with the producer. The album was described as more "radio friendly" than her previous albums, as she planned to incorporate dance, hip-hop and R&B styles in it. The song received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, praising Lovato's vocals and growth in musicianship compared to her previous two albums, as well as some of the album's ballad tracks. The first single off the album, "Skyscraper", premiered on July 12, 2011, as a promotional single, before the album released. It was written by Toby Gad, Lindy Robbins and Kerli Kõiv and produced by Gad. The song was inspired by a picture of the apocalypse, in which the world was in ruins, and among collapsed buildings, one skyscraper was still standing. Kerli originally recorded "Skyscraper" and Gad offered it to Lovato, who wanted to record it as she felt that both she and her fans could relate to it. When recording it in 2010, Lovato was very emotional which triggered outbursts and caused her to start crying. Later the same year, she entered a treatment facility to deal with her personal struggles. After finishing it in early 2011, she re-recorded the song, but kept the original recording as she felt that it was "symbolic" to her. "Skyscraper" was released on July 12, 2011 via Hollywood Records as the first single from Unbroken. According to Lovato, the song represents the journey she had been on the previous year. Musically, "Skyscraper" is a ballad and the lyrics speak of staying strong and believing in yourself. The track opens with a lonely piano that is soon accompanied by heavy percussion. Lovato showcases breathy and quivering vocals throughout the song. The song was very well received by music critics and also by the media, with the majority of them praising Lovato's vocals and the inspirational lyrics. Upon its release, it was also met with praise from celebrities on the microblogging site Twitter. The song debuted at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100, spending a total of 17 weeks on the chart. The song became Lovato's highest-peaking single on the chart since "This Is Me" peaked at number nine in August 2008. "Skyscraper" sold 176,000 paid digital downloads in its first week of release in the United States, setting a sales record for Lovato. Internationally, the song reached the top twenty in Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S. In August 2011, the song was awarded with Summer Song at the Teen Choice Awards. The song was also officially certified Gold in Australia on April 3, 2012.^[70] The song has sold over 1,000,000 digital copies and was officially certified Platinum in the United States on April 24, 2012.^[71] The song's accompanying music video was directed by Mark Pellington and shot in the Bonneville Salt Flats for twelve hours. Lovato performed the song for the first time at the Do Something Awards on August 18, 2011. The album officially released on September 20, 2011, with sales exceeding 96,000 copies in its first week of release.^[72] On October 24, 2011, Lovato performed the National Anthem at Game 5 of the 2011 World Series.^[73] The album's second single, "Give Your Heart a Break", was officially released on January 23, 2012.^[74][75] The track was written and produced by American songwriters Josh Alexander and Billy Steinberg. Musically, it is a dance-pop ballad that comprises instruments like the drums, violin and strings; the latter two, according to music critics, are reminiscent of those used in Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" (Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, 2008). Hollywood Records serviced the song to mainstream radios on January 23, 2012 in the United States. Lyrically, the song chronicles the protagonist's attempt to win over her lover who has been hurt in a relationship. The song received critical acclaim from contemporary music critics, praising the production as well as Lovato's vocals. The single reached number seventy on the US Billboard Hot 100, and has so far peaked at number 43. It also reached number thirty-nine in Brazil. In Belgium, it peaked at number 32. The music video for the song features Lovato attempting to persuade her lover into falling in love with her again, creating a collage of photographs taken during the video that when put together create a photo of the two in each other's embrace. Lovato has promoted the song through several stage performances, including her performance at the Z100 Jingle Ball concert. Lovato revealed her Summer Tour 2012 and will begin on June 12, 2012 and end on September 1, 2012.

On April 4, 2012, Lovato announced on Twitter that writing for her fourth studio album had began, saying that she was "so excited to start writing for my fourth album", and that "this time, there's NO holding back.."^[76][77]

Other work[link]

Philanthropy[link]

Lovato has partnered with mall proprietor GGP as the face of Shop Til You Rock, a music-inspired series of public events, which kick off at malls around the US in Summer 2010. The combines the season’s hottest fashions & today’s most popular musical guests in a series of interactive events.^[78] Lovato is also the spokesperson for anti-bullying organization PACER. Lovato explained to NY Post about becoming a spokesperson against bullying “Bullying is a very serious thing to me, I’ve witnessed it first hand – I was bullied myself when I was 12, I want to be able to help other girls around [my sister’s] age come into their own with a strong confidence in their skin, their size, who they are and everything about themselves.” 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.^[79]

Lovato is involved in Disney's Friends for Change, an organization which promotes "environmently-friendly behavior", and appears in its public service announcements to raise awareness for the cause on the Disney Channel.^[47] Lovato, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers recorded "Send It On", a charity single which serves as the theme song for Disney's Friends for Change in 2009. The song debuted on the Hot 100 at number twenty.^[48][49] Disney's Friends For Change will direct all of its proceeds from "Send it On" to environmental charities to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.^[48] Lovato and Joe Jonas recorded a new song called "Make a Wave", the second charity single which serves as the theme song for Disney's Friends for Change in 2010. In January 2010,^[80] Lovato was one of the many stars featured in a public service announcement for Voto Latino in order to promote the organization's "Be Counted" campaign for the 2010 United States Census.^[81] Lovato is also part of the "A Day Made Better" School Advocacy Campaign.^[82] "The campaign is giving a deserving teacher with $1,000 in school supplies on behalf of OfficeMax’s “A Day Made Better” school advocacy campaign."^[83]

Lovato has also supported charities such as DonateMyDress.org, Kids Wish Network, Love Our Children USA, ST. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and City of Hope.^[84] To raise awareness about personal issues similar to her own, Lovato became a Contributing Editor to Seventeen magazine. She will discuss her personal issues as a part of a larger campaign called "Love is Louder than the Pressure to Be Perfect", directed towards teen girls.^[85]

[edit] Judge on The X Factor

In 2012, rumors that Lovato and Miley Cyrus were in talks to be replacement judges on the season two of the American version of The X-Factor, in hopes of luring a younger audience, began circulating.^[86] Lovato reportedly signed a deal to judge the show on May 13, 2012.^[87] On May 14, 2012, it was officially confirmed that Spears and Lovato would join The X Factor as the two newest judges.^[88] When asked about the new judges, Cowell said: "I'm absolutely delighted Britney and Demi are joining us. Britney remains one of the biggest stars in the world, she's talented, fascinating – and I believe she knows exactly how to spot The X factor. Demi's had an amazing career in music, TV and film for someone her age. She's young, confident, and enthusiastic. I think it’s really important that she speaks to our younger audience. The new panel will be dynamic and will work really well with the changes we are making to the show."^[89]

Personal life[link]

In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Lovato admitted to going through painful experiences with bullying in the seventh grade.^[90] According to Lovato, the bullying was so bad that one day, in a fit of frustration and distress, she requested her mom give her a home-schooled education.^[91] In an interview with Fabulous Magazine UK, she said that: "They called me a whore and told me I was fat and ugly. I shouldn't have listened, but I took it to heart and it hurt. I thought maybe I didn't have friends because I was too fat," she remembers. So she starved herself, and anything she did eat, she threw up again. Within six months she had lost over 2st and weighed 6st 4lb - unhealthy for her 5ft 2in height. "I'd make myself sick up to six times a day," she says. "My mum was worried, but because I was going through puberty I was having growth spurts so she assumed that was why I was thinner."^[43] She wrote the song "For the Love of a Daughter" about her estranged father. According to Fabulous Magazine UK, the song is about the rift between Lovato and her father after he - seemingly keen to cash in on his daughter's notoriety - did a series of interviews about her. The betrayal is still raw, and she says she has no interest in rebuilding a relationship with him.^[43] In an MTV interview, Lovato stated that she likes metal music, particularly black metal and metalcore. She called symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir "one of her favorite live acts".^[92] On the July 24, 2009 episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, 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. On another episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, after her release of Unbroken, she stated that she is now more into hip-hop and R & B styles of music, and has moved on from death metal. In the March 2009 issue of Teen Vogue, Lovato stated, "My first passion is music, because it comes naturally to me. Acting has been like a hobby."^[93] Lovato is a Christian and prays with her band before they perform.^[1] She was best friends with Selena Gomez, whom she has known since Lovato "asked her to sit on my jacket and draw with crayons with me" at the Barney & Friends auditions. On March 12, 2010, Lovato confirmed that she had begun dating Joe Jonas, whom she first met while filming Camp Rock in 2007.^[94] On May 24, 2010, Lovato confirmed via her official Twitter that she and Jonas were no longer together. In an interview with UsMagazine, Jonas stated, "Demi and I knew that going into our romantic relationship it may not be an easy one. I realize that over the time we have spent together that I feel I care more about our friendship right now. It was my choice to break up, but I love her as a friend. She's been there for me when I needed her. I will continue to be her friend and be there for her." Lovato is a vegetarian.^[95] Lovato has been honored The Honorary Ambassador of Education award from the American Partnership For Eosinophilic Disorders.^[96] In 2010, on her 18th birthday, Lovato bought her family a Mediterranean Style house in Los Angeles. She said, "For me to give that to my family on my birthday, that was the best present." then added, "It's got pretty much everything you could possibly imagine in it. It's the most beautiful, homey-feeling house. I love it."^[97] Lovato also purchased their current $1.88 million home in Toluca Lake, LA. She bought the house when she was 16 years old.^[98]

Public image[link]

Lovato has been described as an "inspirational person" and has inspired many people after her going through her treatment facility, her release of her song "Skyscraper", and her release of her documentary, Demi Lovato: Stay Strong.^[99] She has inspired many celebrities including Lucy Hale, Katy Perry, Pete Wentz, Selena Gomez, Ashley Tisdale, Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks, Kim Kardashian, Victoria Justice, Cheryl Cole and Britney Spears. ^{[100][101][102]}

Personal struggles[link]

On October 30, 2010, Lovato dropped out of the Jonas Brothers Live in Concert World Tour 2010 in order to enter a treatment facility to treat physical and emotional issues.^[103] The tour was not scheduled to be complete until November 13, 2010. Lovato's publicist stated that "she regrets not being able to finish her tour, but is looking forward to getting back to work in the near future."^[104][105] In particular, many media sources immediately reported that Lovato had decided to enter treatment right after punching a Jonas Brothers back-up dancer, Alex Welch, on a flight out of Bogotá, Colombia, allegedly because Lovato believed that Welch had informed tour managers of inappropriate behaviour on Lovato's part the previous night, causing Lovato to be confronted by her managers and her stepfather, Eddie de la Garza.^[106] Days after Lovato entered rehab, photos circulated on the internet showing Welch sporting a black eye. Welch subsequently confirmed that the story was true, noting that she had been blindsided by the assault. Although Lovato had pulled aside the tour's back-up dancers prior to the flight and threatened, "If I find out who told on me...", Welch was not concerned because she had not witnessed what had happened the previous night and was not the dancer who had informed on Lovato. Welch claimed that she "didn't get a call or text from Demi or a 'hey, you got a problem with me,' nothing." She said Lovato simply approached her during the flight, punched her, and then "literally walked away and got in her seat." Lovato's representatives responded by saying, "We are in the process of engaging with Alex's lawyer and hope to resolve this as quickly as possible."^[107] Lovato's camp reached a financial settlement with Welch in late December 2010, with Welch stating that the agreement stipulated for a portion of the settlement to be donated to charity.^[108] On January 28, 2011, it was reported that Lovato had completed her inpatient treatment.^[109] She took six months off from the limelight after leaving rehab.^[43] The day after the announcement, a Disney spokesperson told People that Disney "support[s] Demi's decision to put her health first and [they] send her [their] best wishes".^[110]

On January 28, 2011, it was reported that Lovato had completed her inpatient treatment at the rehab facility and returned home to Los Angeles, where she "will continue to see doctors" to "help her work on the issues she confronted in treatment."^[111] On March 8, 2011 an exclusive video was released on Cambio.com in which Lovato thanked her fans for their support during what she described as "the darkest time of my life" and also stated that she was excited to get back to work.^[112] Lovato granted her first post-rehab interview to ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, which aired on Good Morning America and 20/20 on April 22, 2011. During the interview, Lovato confirmed reports that her treatment was for bulimia and self-injury, and had taken place at the Timberline Knolls facility in Illinois after the aforementioned confrontation between her and Welch led to an intervention by her family and management team. Her condition came to a head during the tour because Lovato "was performing concerts on an empty stomach...I was losing my voice from purging. I was self-medicating. I was not taking medication for depression, and I literally was so emotionally whacked out that I took it out on someone that meant a lot to me." Later elaborating on this "self-medicating", Lovato said, "I'm not gonna lie. I was self-medicating. I was doing things like drinking and using [drugs], like a lot of teens do to numb their pain."^[113] Lovato expressed regret at her actions towards Welch, stating "I take 100 percent, full responsibility..."^[114] In another interview, Lovato added that she had "basically had a nervous breakdown",^[19] and was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder during her treatment.^[115] As part of her efforts to raise awareness about issues similar to her own, Lovato was announced in April 2011 as a Contributing Editor to Seventeen magazine. She will discuss her personal issues as a part of a larger campaign called "Love is Louder than the Pressure to Be Perfect", directed towards teen girls.^[116]

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.^{[117][118][119]} 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.^{[120][121][122][123]} On March 2012, Lovato released her MTV documentary special called "Stay Strong" about her time in rehab.^[124] In the documentary, she opened about her fans, battling her eating disorders and getting back to touring.^[125]

Filmography[link]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• 2008: Don't Forget
• 2009: Here We Go Again
• 2011: Unbroken

Soundtracks[link]

• 2008: Camp Rock
• 2010: Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam
• 2010: Sonny with a Chance

Live albums[link]

• 2009: Live: Walmart Soundcheck

Tours[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]