Jeff Burlingame - Demi!. Latina Star Demi Lovato

Demi!

Explore this talented singer and actresss life and her struggles with depression. Read about her early acting days on Barney and Friends with Selena Gomez, her rise to fame, and her plans for the future.

Quotes, personal stories, and accessible features such as an index and further reading section will make this a book everyone will want to read.

Demi Lovato has had a meteoric rise to stardom. Learn how she reached these heights, and learn also about the trials and pitfalls of being a star at such a young age.

About the Author

Jeff Burlingame is an award-winning author of several books, including Kurt Cobain: Oh Well, Whatever, Nevermind, which won a Books for Teen Age award from the New York Public Library.

Demi Lovato poses backstage with her award for favorite pop artist at the Peoples Choice Awards in January, 2012 in Los Angeles.

Demi Lovato had many reasons to be excited. Here she was at Game 5 of the 2011 World Series, ready to sing the national anthem. Nearly 20 million Americans would be watching on TV. Viewers in more than 200 other nations would be tuning in, too. To top it off, the game was in Arlington, Texasjust thirty miles from Demis hometown.

There were 51,000 baseball fans in the stands waiting for the crucial game to begin after Demi sang. Although she had sung in front of large crowds plenty of times, Demi was especially nervous this time. I feel like Im about to jump out of a plane, she told MTV before the game.

Demi was chosen to sing the anthem at such a high-profile event because her fans had started an online petition to help their nineteen-year-old idol. The petition was sent to the home team, the Texas Rangers, and also to Major League Baseball. They saw it and they called, Lovato said. Im so excited I just nearly died when I found out. I cannot wait. Demi also made sure to give all the credit to her fans for helping her land the prestigious singing gig. She tweeted, Only my [fans] could land me a spot singing the national anthem at the WORLD SERIES!!!! I couldnt do it without you guys!!!!

Demi Lovato even makes trips to visit her fans, or Lovatics, in England. Here she is on April 3, 2012, before signing copies of her new CD Unbroken for her most devoted British fans.

Over the years, Demis die-hard fans had always stood behind her. They had gone through her many ups and downs. Many had followed her career since she was seven. Those fans then saw her land roles in major TV shows such as Sonny with a Chance and the Camp Rock movies. They helped her music albums and singles reach the top of the charts, watched her win big awards, and came in droves to her tours. Thats why Demi decided to give them a fond nickname, the Lovatics.

Those same fans had also lived through Demis personal struggles. Those struggles took her away from the limelight while she entered treatment for emotional and behavioral issues. And those fans all delighted as she worked her way through her problems and began to claw her way back to the top.

That hard work was paying off. On October 24, 2011, she was at the World Series at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Wearing a red Texas Rangers jersey underneath a black jacket with matching black skirt and red lipstick, Demi stood on the field between home plate and the pitchers mound and belted out the Star-Spangled Banner. Afterward, Demis fans lit up the Internet with messages saying how great she sounded and how proud they were of her. After Demi finished singing, she took to the stands to watch her home team win the game in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion. Hours before the end of the game, Demi had had a comeback victory of her own. Singing the national anthem at the World Seriesafter all she had been throughwas one of the biggest wins of Demis life.

Demis Lovatics were happy to get a seat at her MTV Special Stay Strong on March 6, 2012

Demi couldnt help but pick sides when she wore a Texas Rangers shirt the day she sung the national anthem at Game 5 of the 2011 World Series. After all, Texas was her home state!

Demetria Devonne Lovato was born August 20, 1992, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Patrick and Dianna Lovato. Demi, as her parents called her, was the couples second child. When Demi was born her four-year-old sister, Dallas, already was a performerboth onstage and around the house. Dallas was just the latest in a string of family performers. The girls mother had been a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, and also had had a short career as a country singer. Demi later said her mom had opened concerts for country legends such as Reba McEntire and George Strait. Demi also said her mom ended her singing career to focus on being a parent. She told the Toronto Star, I think she saw me as a way to channel her dreams, but she never forced me. She was supportive, not pushy. Demis father had also once played in a band.

Charismatic Demi fit right in with the rest of the family, which was now living in Colleyville, Texas. Demi was the most lovable child ever, her dad told RadarOnline in 2010. She and her sister Dallas did nothing but laugh and have fun all the time. I always knew she could be a star. Unfortunately, when she was two years old, her parents divorced. Her mom remarried, this time to a car salesman and former football player named Eddie De La Garza. Dallas and Demi soon began calling their moms new husband Dad.

Little Demi tagged along to all her sisters lessons and performances. This helped the two Lovato girls grow close. The sisters would even create their own shows at home for their family. But it didnt take long for Demi to want to perform in public. Demi was five years old when she first did this. One early performance came when she was in kindergarten during a school talent show. Demi did not pick an easy song to sing. In fact, she picked one of the hardest. It was Celine Dions song from Titanic, My Heart Will Go On. Demi told the Dallas Observer, I was on stage, and I actually messed up, but then it started going again, so it was good. And at that moment, when I stuck through it and stopped crying onstage, I guess thats when I realized, Wow, I dont hate this enough to run offstage.

Her mistake at the talent show did little to deter the strong-minded girl. Demi already had decided she wanted to be a singer. Her parents got her singing, acting, and modeling lessons with some of the best teachers in the area. Her vocal coach, Linda Septien, told the Dallas Observer that Demi began her lessons by singing songs that were too hard for her, just as she had with the Celine Dion song at the talent show. The coach said Demi was eager to learn and always fun to be around. She said, I got a kick out of her, because she was so funny. There are just some kids who are born entertaining. Demi also learned a lot about performing from big sister Dallas.