Demi Lovato

Demetria Devonne Lovato (/ləˈvɑːtoʊ/ lə-VAH-toh; born: August 20, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. She began her career in 2002 appearing on the children's television series Barney & Friends, before rising to prominence for portraying Mitchie Torres in the Disney Channel musical television film Camp Rock (2008) and its sequel Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010).

Lovato has released six studio albums: Don't Forget (2008), Here We Go Again (2009), Unbroken (2011), Demi (2013), Confident (2015), and Tell Me You Love Me (2017); all of which debuted in the top five of the Billboard 200. She has earned seven top-20 tracks on the Billboard Hot 100 with "This Is Me", "Here We Go Again", "Skyscraper", "Give Your Heart a Break", "Heart Attack", "Cool for the Summer", and "Sorry Not Sorry". In total, she has sold over two million albums and 20 million singles in the United States. On television, Lovato has starred as the titular character on Sonny with a Chance (2009–2011), served as a judge and mentor on The X Factor USA in its second and third seasons, and appeared as a recurring character on Glee. Her struggles with several personal issues have received significant media attention in the 2010s; in response to which in response to which she published the book Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year (2013), and released a YouTube documentary about her life and career, Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated (2017).

Lovato is a pop, pop rock, and R&B artist. She has earned numerous awards and nominations, including an MTV Video Music Award, 14 Teen Choice Awards, five People's Choice Awards, and two Latin American Music Awards. She also holds one Guinness World Record, and was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world in 2017. Outside the entertainment industry, Lovato is an outspoken activist for several social causes.

1992–2006: Early life and career beginnings
Lovato was born on August 20, 1992 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Dianna De La Garza (née Dianna Lee Smith) and engineer and musician Patrick Martin Lovato. She has an older sister named Dallas; a younger maternal half-sister, actress Madison De La Garza; and an older paternal half-sister named Amber, whom she first spoke to when she was 20.

Lovato's parents divorced in mid-1994, shortly after her second birthday. Lovato's father was of Mexican descent, with mostly Spanish and Native American ancestors, and came from a family that has been living in New Mexico for generations; he also had distant Portuguese and Jewish ancestry. Her mother is of English and Irish ancestry. Through her father, Lovato is a descendant of Civil War Union veteran Francisco Perea and Santa Fe de Nuevo México governor Francisco Xavier Chávez. Lovato claims that through DNA testing she discovered that she is also of 16 percent Scandinavian descent and one percent of African descent.

Lovato was raised in Dallas, Texas. She began playing piano at age seven and guitar at ten, when she also began dancing and acting classes. In 2002, she began her career on the children's television series Barney & Friends, portraying the role of Angela. Lovato told Ellen DeGeneres that she was bullied so harshly that she asked for homeschooling, and received her high-school diploma through homeschooling in May 2009, one year early. In 2006, Lovato appeared on Prison Break, and on Just Jordan the following year.

2007–2008: Breakthrough with Camp Rock and Don't Forget
From 2007 to 2008, Lovato played Charlotte Adams on the Disney Channel short series As the Bell Rings. Lovato auditioned for the channel's television film Camp Rock and series Sonny with a Chance during 2007 and got both roles. Lovato played the lead character, aspiring singer Mitchie Torres, in Camp Rock. The film premiered on June 20, 2008, to 8.9 million viewers. Gillian Flynn of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Lovato's acting skills were underwhelming and that she "has the knee-jerk smile of someone who is often told she has a great smile". The film's soundtrack was released three days earlier; however, the music was considered less current than that of High School Musical. It debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, with 188,000 units sold in its first week of release. Lovato sang four songs on the soundtrack, including "We Rock" and "This Is Me". The latter, Lovato's debut single, debuted at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and later peaked at number nine, marking her first entry on the chart. That summer, Lovato signed with Hollywood Records and began her Demi Live! Warm Up Tour before the release of her debut studio album,[38] and appeared on the Jonas Brothers' Burnin' Up Tour.

Lovato's debut studio album, Don't Forget, was released on September 23, 2008, and was met with generally positive reviews from critics. Michael Slezak of Entertainment Weekly said, "Demi Lovato might satisfy her 'tween fans but she won't be winning any rockers over with Don't Forget". The album debuted at number two in the US, with first-week sales of 89,000 copies. Ten of its songs were co-written with the Jonas Brothers.

Don't Forget was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for US sales of over 500,000 copies. Its lead single, "Get Back", was praised for its pop rock style and peaked at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100, also selling over 560,000 copies in the United States. The album's second single, "La La Land", was cited for its strong rock elements and peaked at number 52 in the US, and cracked the top 40 in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The music video for the song was directed by Brendan Malloy and Tim Wheeler. The third single and title track, "Don't Forget", peaked at number 41 in the US.

2009–2010: Sonny with a Chance and Here We Go Again
In 2009, Lovato recorded "Send It On", a charity single and the theme song for Disney's Friends for Change, with costars the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez. All proceeds from the song were donated to environmental charities supported by the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. Lovato's Disney Channel sitcom Sonny with a Chance, in which she played Sonny Munroe, the newest cast member of the show-within-a-show So Random!, premiered on February 8. Lovato's acting ability was described by Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times as "very good", and he compared her favorably to Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus. That June, she starred alongside Selena Gomez in the Disney Channel film Princess Protection Program, in which Lovato portrayed Rosie Gonzalez / Princess Rosalinda. The film, the fourth highest-rated Disney Channel original movie, premiered to 8.5 million viewers.

Lovato's second studio album, Here We Go Again, was released on July 21, 2009; she described its acoustic style as similar to that of John Mayer. The album received favorable reviews from critics who appreciated its enjoyable pop-rock elements, echoing reviews of Don't Forget. Lovato's first number one album, it debuted atop the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 108,000 copies, and was later certified Gold. The album's lead single and title track, "Here We Go Again", debuted at number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100, and managed to peak at number 15, becoming Lovato's highest peaking solo single at the time. The song also peaked at number 68 on the Canadian Hot 100 and number 38 in New Zealand. "Here We Go Again" was additionally certified Platinum in the US. The album's second and final single, "Remember December" failed to match the success of its predecessor, but peaked at number 80 on the UK Singles Chart. Lovato made her first 40-city national concert tour, Live in Concert, in support of Here We Go Again. The tour, from June 21 to August 21, 2009, had David Archuleta, KSM and Jordan Pruitt as opening acts. Lovato and Archuleta received the Choice Music Tour award at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards.

In 2010, Lovato and Joe Jonas recorded "Make a Wave" as the second charity single for Disney's Friends for Change. In May of that year, Lovato guest-starred as Hayley May, a teenager with schizophrenia, in the sixth-season Grey's Anatomy episode, "Shiny Happy People". Although critics praised her versatility, they were underwhelmed by her acting and felt that her appearance was designed primarily to attract viewers. Later that year, she headlined her first international tour, the South American Tour, and joined the Jonas Brothers: Live in Concert tour as a guest.

Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, with Lovato reprising her role as Mitchie Torres, premiered on September 3, 2010. Critics were ambivalent about the film's plot, and it has a 40-percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, Lovato's performance was called "dependably appealing" by Jennifer Armstrong of Entertainment Weekly. The film premiered to eight million viewers, the number-one cable television movie of the year by the number of viewers. Its accompanying soundtrack was released on August 10 with Lovato singing nine songs, including "Can't Back Down" and "Wouldn't Change a Thing". The soundtrack debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 41,000 copies. The Jonas Brothers: Live in Concert 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 sang on four tracks, including "Me, Myself and Time". It debuted (and peaked) at number 163 on the Billboard 200, her lowest-selling soundtrack. That month, Lovato also announced her departure from Sonny with a Chance, putting her acting career on hiatus and ending the series; she later said that she would return to acting when she felt confident doing so. Her departure led to the spin-off series So Random! with the Sonny cast, featuring sketches from the former show-within-a-show. The series was cancelled after one season.

2011–2012: Unbroken and The X Factor
Lovato released her third studio album, Unbroken, on September 20, 2011. Begun in July 2010, the album experimented with R&B and featured less pop rock than her first two albums. Lyrically, Unbroken encompasses more mature themes as opposed to Lovato's previous work, with some songs focusing on Lovato's personal struggles. The album and its stylistic change received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Lovato's vocals and saw a growth in her musicianship due to the songs focusing on her struggles, but criticized the album's "party songs" and found the music to be more generic than her previous efforts. Unbroken debuted at number four in the US, selling 97,000 copies in its first week of release; it was later certified Gold.

"Skyscraper", the lead single from Unbroken, was released on July 12, and was noted for its messages of self-worth and confidence. It debuted at number ten in the US, selling 176,000 downloads during the first week of release, becoming Lovato's highest first week sales at the time. The song also became Lovato's highest-peaked single since "This Is Me" reached number nine in July 2008, and it also debuted at number two on the Hot Digital Songs chart. "Skyscraper" received the Best Video With a Message award at the September 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, and the track was also certified Platinum by the RIAA and Silver by the BPI. The album's second and final single, "Give Your Heart a Break", was released on January 23, 2012, and later peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 16, making Lovato's fourth highest peaking song at the time. It peaked at number 12 on the US Adult Top 40 chart and number one on the US Pop Songs chart. It also became the longest climb by a female artist to reach No. 1 in the Pop Songs chart history, until 2019, when Halsey's feature on "Eastside" broke the record. The song was certified triple Platinum in the US; as of October 2014, "Give Your Heart a Break" sold 2.1 million digital copies. Billboard has rated the song as Lovato's best, calling it "timeless".

In May, Lovato became a judge and mentor for the second season of the U.S. version of The X Factor, with a reported salary of one million dollars. Joining Britney Spears, Simon Cowell, and L.A. Reid, it was speculated that she was chosen to attract a younger audience. Mentoring the Young Adults category, her final act (CeCe Frey) finished sixth. At the Minnesota State Fair in August, Lovato announced that after a pre-show performance at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards she would release a single by December. On December 24, she released a video on her YouTube account of herself singing "Angels Among Us" dedicated to the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. In March, she was confirmed as returning for The X Factor's third season, with her salary reportedly doubling.

2013–2014: Demi and Glee
Lovato's fourth studio album, Demi, was released on May 10, 2013. The album features influences of synthpop and bubblegum pop and was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Although Jon Carmichael of The New York Times found Lovato's transition fun, according to Entertainment Weekly it signified a less-mature image. The album debuted at number three in the US, with first-week sales of 110,000 copies, the highest selling debut week of Lovato's discography. It was also successful internationally, charting in the top ten in New Zealand, Spain and the UK. The album has been certified Gold in the US, the UK, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, and Sweden.

The lead single from Demi, "Heart Attack," was released on February 25, and debuted at number 12 in the US, with first-week sales of 215,000 copies, the highest first week sales of Lovato's discography. The song peaked at number 10 (Lovato's third showing in the US top ten), and was also successful in the UK, Australia, and Europe. The second single, "Made in the USA" peaked at number 80 in the US. The third and fourth singles from Demi, "Neon Lights" and "Really Don't Care", both peaked in the top forty of the US, and at number one in the country's Dance Club Songs chart. They were also certified Platinum in the US.

Lovato later released a deluxe version of Demi, which was to include seven new tracks, consisting of four live performances and three studio recordings. One of these songs included a collaboration with Olly Murs on a song for his fourth studio album, entitled "Up". Lovato contributed to The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones soundtrack album with "Heart by Heart".

On June 11, Lovato released an e-book, Demi, on iBooks. She planned to appear in at least six episodes of the fifth season of Glee, but she only appeared four. She played Dani, a struggling New York-based artist who befriends Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) and Santana Lopez (Naya Rivera) and interacts with fellow newcomer Adam Lambert's character. Lovato debuted in the season's second episode, which aired on October 3, and made her final appearance in March 2014. On November 19, she released a book, Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year, which topped The New York Times bestseller list. She then agreed to write a memoir, which has yet to be released.

She announced her Neon Lights Tour (including a Canadian leg) on September 29, 2013, which began February 9, 2014 and ended May 17. On October 21, she released her cover of "Let It Go" for the Disney film Frozen, which was released in theaters on November 27. Lovato's cover was described as more "radio friendly" and "pop" as compared to the original by Idina Menzel. Lovato's cover appears in the movie's credits, and the song was promoted as the single for the film's soundtrack. The song peaked in the Billboard Hot 100 at number 38, spending 20 weeks on the chart. It was certified double Platinum by the RIAA. On May 18, 2014, "Somebody to You" featuring Lovato was released as the fourth single from The Vamps' debut album, Meet the Vamps. On May 29, she announced her fourth concert tour (and first world tour, covering 25 cities), the Demi World Tour, and its first North American dates. In November 2014, Lovato opened the UK shows on Enrique Iglesias' Sex and Love Tour. She also worked with her longtime friend Nick Jonas on a song for his self-titled album called "Avalanche," released November 2014. Lovato was featured on "Up", the second single from Olly Murs' fourth studio album, Never Been Better.

Lovato announced her skincare line called Devonne by Demi to be available in December 2014. She released a music video for her song "Nightingale" on December 24, 2014.

2015–2016: Confident
Lovato's fifth album, Confident, was released on October 16, 2015, and received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 98,000 copies. During the album's production, Lovato commented: "I've already started recording for my new album, and I have plans to record during the tour. The sound just evolves into everything that I've been and everything that I want to become." She further stated, "I've never been so sure of myself as an artist when it comes down to confidence, but not only personal things, but exactly what I want my sound to be and what I know I'm capable of and this album will give me the opportunity to show people what I can really do."

In July 2016, the album was certified gold by the RIAA, and has sold 211,000 copies in the United States. In May 2015, Billboard revealed Lovato was in the process of starting an "artist-centric" new record label, Safehouse Records, of which she will be co-founder and co-owner. The label will be a partnership between her, Nick Jonas, and Lovato's manager Phil McIntyre, and will form part of a new collaborative arrangement with record label Island. Confident was released through the new venture deal. This will be Lovato's second multi-label venture of her career; she was formerly part of Jonas Records, a UMG/Hollywood/Jonas Brothers partnership, which is now defunct.

Lovato released the lead single from Confident titled "Cool for the Summer" on July 1, 2015. The song attracted attention for its bi-curious theme and was a commercial success, peaking at number eleven on the US Billboard Hot 100 and being certified double platinum in the U.S. On September 18, 2015, the title track "Confident" was released as the album's second single and peaked at number 21 on the Hot 100. On October 17, 2015, she performed a "Cool for the Summer" and "Confident" medley, as well as "Stone Cold" melody on Saturday Night Live during the series' forty-first season. Lovato was also featured on the re-release of "Irresistible", the fourth single from Fall Out Boy's sixth studio album American Beauty/American Psycho. The same month, she signed with the major modeling agency, Wilhelmina Models. Lovato released the music video for her R&B-infused song "Waitin for You" featuring American rapper Sirah on October 22, 2015. On October 26, 2015, Lovato and Nick Jonas announced that they would tour together on the Future Now Tour. She was honored with the first-ever Rulebreaker Award on December 11, 2015 at the 2015 Billboard Women in Music event. On March 21, 2016, "Stone Cold" was serviced as the third and final single from Confident. On July 1, 2016, Lovato released a new single titled "Body Say" to promote her tour.

2017–2018: Tell Me You Love Me
In February 2017, Lovato executive-produced a documentary, Beyond Silence, which follows three individuals and their experiences with mental illnesses including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. Lovato featured in Cheat Codes' song "No Promises", released in March 2017, and Jax Jones's "Instruction" along with Stefflon Don, released in June 2017. In 2017, Lovato was included in Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people. On May 8, 2017, she announced a collaboration with sportswear line Fabletics to support the United Nations' initiative, Girl Up.

In July 2017, Lovato released "Sorry Not Sorry" as the first single from her sixth album, which became her highest charting song in New Zealand and the United States at number 6 as well as Australia at number 8. It also became her highest selling song in the US for its quadruple Platinum certification by RIAA. The album, titled Tell Me You Love Me, was released on September 29 and opened at number three on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 48,000 copies. It received positive reviews from music critics and became Lovato's first album to be certified Platinum in the US. On October 17, Lovato released Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated on YouTube, a documentary focusing on her life, career, and personal struggles. It was nominated for "Best Music Documentary" at the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards. In October 2017, Lovato announced tour dates for the North American leg of her Tell Me You Love Me World Tour, with special guests DJ Khaled and Kehlani. She confirmed European and South American legs of the tour in the following months, and the tour commenced in February 2018.

In November 2017, Lovato released a song titled "Échame la Culpa" with Luis Fonsi. Lovato performed at the March for Our Lives anti-gun violence rally in Washington, D.C. on March 24, 2018.[187] In May, Christina Aguilera released a track from her album Liberation titled "Fall in Line" featuring Lovato, and she was also featured on Clean Bandit's song "Solo". The latter became Lovato's first number-one song in the United Kingdom. On June 21, Lovato released a new single titled "Sober" which she referred to as "my truth" and discusses struggles with addiction and sobriety.

2019: Return to acting and new music
On May 11, 2019, via an Instagram post, Lovato revealed that she had signed with a new manager, Scooter Braun. She shared that she "couldn't be happier, inspired and excited to begin this next chapter". Throughout the year, Lovato has been teasing fans on social media with hints of new music and revealed in August that a new album was on the way.

In August 2019, it was revealed that Lovato had joined the cast of Eurovision, a Netflix original movie, directed by David Dobkin, based on the song competition of the same name. Lovato is set to star alongside Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. This marks Lovato's first acting role since guest starring in Glee in 2013. Later in the month, after teasing that she had been working on a new project, Lovato revealed via an Instagram post that she would be making her return to television with a guest role in the final season of NBC sitcom Will & Grace.