Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Demi Lovato

Every aspiring star needs to start somewhere! For Demi Lovato that somewhere was the Texas State Cinderella Miniature Miss contest in 2000. At the tender age of 8, Lovato won the competition, beating out hundreds of other girls from all over Texas. The singer would continue appearing in pageants over the next couple of years, and claims it is partly the reason for why she decided to pursue a career in the entertainment business in the first place. A couple of chart topping songs later, we think she made the right decision.

After destroying the competition in the beauty pageant world, Lovato set her sights on acting; and it didn’t take long for her to land her first job. In 2002, Lovato scored a role on the hit children’s show, “Barney & Friends.” Her character’s name was Angela and her job was to sing songs and play games with Barney, as well as the other children on the show. Coincidentally, Lovato wasn’t the only future superstar on “Barney & Friends,” as one of the other children was none other than Selena Gomez. In fact, this is how the two singers became friends in the first place! Talk about good luck!

At just two years old, Lovato’s parents divorced. Her father, Patrick Lovato, had for some time been suffering from an undisclosed mental disorder. He refused to seek treatment for the illness, eventually causing a rift between him and Demi. When she was a teen, she realized that continuing to spend time with Patrick was only making things worse, and decided to cut ties with her father for good. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2013. Due to his unresolved mental state at the time of his death, Demi decided to act – and how she does is what we tackle in the next entry".

After her father’s death, Lovato decided to take action. In June of 2013, she created the Lovato Treatment Scholarship Program, which helps mentally ill patients pay for treatment. However, this was not the first or last time Lovato took time out of her busy schedule to help people in need. The singer had previously recorded songs as a member of the initiative Disney’s Friends for Change, the proceeds of which were donated to charity. Additionally, Lovato has stood up for LGBT rights, and in 2014 was named LA Pride Parade Grand Marshal. If that wasn’t enough, Lovato has also travelled to Africa multiple times to help women and children in need.

Demi Lovato may owe her fame to Disney, but the singer and actress is far from the kid movie type. As a matter of fact, her film tastes are quite dark. The Texas native has stated that her two favorite movies are “Donnie Darko” and “Girl, Interrupted.” Both films fall squarely in the psychological drama genre and are highlighted by stirring performances from their lead actors and a tightly woven narrative guaranteed to have you scratching your head as the credits roll. We definitely give two thumbs up to Lovato’s taste in movies!

While Lovato claims to have been influenced by a host of well-known female singers, Kelly Clarkson is definitely at the top of the list. Lovato claims that she has always admired Clarkson’s vocal talent and career choices. In fact, of Clarkson, Demi Lovato once said, “I just thought she was a great role model. She was never publicly seen drinking and driving or wearing really scandalous clothes or anything like that.” While Demi has definitely had her fair share of issues throughout her career, she has since gotten them under control.

It isn’t a coincidence that famous people tend to hang out with other famous people. Take Demi Lovato for instance. In 2014, she attended Jennifer Lopez’s Halloween Party. Packed to the brim with celebrities, Lovato ultimately crossed paths with rapper Iggy Azalea. The two entertainers quickly hit it off and have since become very close friends. Lovato has stated that she was drawn to Azalea because of her down-to-earth personality and honest demeanor. In a business overflowing with fakeness, Lovato appears to have found a friend on whom she can put her trust in. You go, girl!

Making it to the top of Celebrity Mountain can be a long and arduous journey. For Lovato, that journey was peppered eating disorders, substance abuse, and self-harm. She remembers having suicidal thoughts at the age of seven and in her early years was bullied constantly at school. It eventually got so bad that she had to be homeschooled. Her emotional struggles culminated when she assaulted a dancer during a concert tour. It was later discovered that she was suffering from bipolar disorder. After a stint in rehab, the singer is doing much better and is now very open about her struggles.

Of all the cheerleading squads in the NFL, the members of the Dallas Cowboys are undoubtedly one of the most famous. With their iconic blue and white uniforms and matching pom-poms, they have transcended the sport to become celebrated in their own right. Oh, and Demi Lovato’s mom used to be one of them! Dianna De La Garza was a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader in the early 1980s, though she eventually quit the gig to focus on her singing career. Wow, it looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!

After completing her stint in rehab, Lovato didn’t take any half-measures and decided to fully commit herself to a sober lifestyle. That meant moving into a “sober house” in Los Angeles in 2013. A “sober house" is a living facility for people recovering from addiction. Often times they will employ medical professionals and counselors to ensure that residents don’t fall back into self-destructive patterns. What makes this even more impressive is the fact Lovato spent over a year there while owning a Mediterranean-style home in another part of the city. Her commitment to getting better is admirable and will hopefully be the key to her sobriety – of which she celebrated her 5th anniversary in 2017.