Demi Lovato is one of the biggest pop singers of the past decade, with six studio albums and an impressive stint in front of the camera on the Disney Channel. However, the singer did not always grace the front pages of tabloids and magazines, and people might be wondering how Demi Lovato became famous.
Demi Lovato became famous for her work on the Disney Channel, starring in multiple television shows and Disney Channel Original movies. However, unbeknownst to many, Lovato had been showing up on the small screen since she was a child.
Read more about Lovato’s first television role and how she went from a child actress to pop superstar.
Small Screen Debut
Demi Lovato was born in the early 1992 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to a family who enjoyed being in front of an audience. Her mom, Dianna De La Garza, is a former NFL cheerleader and her father, Patrick Lovato, was a part-time musician.
Lovato began taking musical lessons at age seven and was playing both piano and guitar by the time she was 10-years old. Though music was one of Demi’s first passions, she actually began her career when she was cast on Barney and Friends.
Barney and Friends was one of the biggest hit children’s shows of all time. The show starred an anthropomorphic purple dinosaur, who along with a group of school-aged children, and occasionally some other prehistoric guests, learn about a lesson or topic, culminating with the show’s famed “I Love You” song.
For two years, Demi played the role of Angela on the hit children’s television show, which allowed her to display both her acting and musical skills. While on the show, Lovato starred alongside former BFF and fellow Disney alum, Selena Gomez.
Though Lovato has openly spoken of her painful experiences with bullying and mental illness, her struggles went back as far as childhood and how the show inspired herself and other children. Speaking of her time on the show, Lovato has said, “At the time, I was just so grateful to be on TV, but I was also really struggling, Looking back, there was a connection, probably between any kid who’s ever sang that song to Barney, a little place in a child’s heart, a void, that could be filled. And maybe Barney fills it.
Disney Darling to Musical Maven
After her stint on Barney and Friends, Demi Lovato would get her big break when she became a teen star on the Disney Channel. She starred in a slew of shows for the network, but her big break came when she was cast alongside The Jonas Brothers in 2008’s Camp Rock.
Camp Rock was a huge hit for the Disney Channel and would go on to get a sequel and helped Lovato land a record deal with Hollywood Records. During an impromptu audition, label executives asked Demi to sing and the then-teenage Lovato’s vocal chops stunned everyone, with her rendition of Christina Aguilera’s “Ain’t No Other Man” causing jaws to drop.
Demi Lovato’s first album, Don’t Forget, was released in the fall of 2008 and the young songstress had a built-in fan base for her music when she toured with The Jonas Brothers. Despite the success of her initial album, as her star continued to rise, Lovato made headlines with her behavior on tour, and she was forced to seek professional help by her management.
Worldwide Fame and Future Plans
Regardless of the personal setbacks, Lovato bounced back and released five more studio albums over the next decade, as well as partnering with workout brand Fabletics. Though Lovato has continued to be a tabloid fixture over the years, her innate talent as an actress, a singer and a songwriter continues to shine through.
You can watch a video of Demi Lovato’s career highlights in the YouTube video below.
Lovato is planning her seventh album release for 2020 and fans are eagerly awaiting the album’s launch. Though Lovato’s record deal is not the reason she became famous, music is clearly her focus for the time being.
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