August 20th, 1992. Albuquerque, New Mexico. A baby girl is born—Demetria Devon Lovato.

No one could have known then that she would grow up to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. That she would be called “one of the best vocalists in the industry” by critics. That she would almost die. Twice.

She started on Barney & Friends wearing a purple dinosaur costume. Then Disney turned her into a star.

Then the world watched her fall apart.

 

Her mother was a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. Her father, an engineer and musician. Her parents divorced in 1994, shortly after her second birthday. Her father battled mental illness and addiction. She has spoken openly about their strained, sometimes abusive relationship.

She was raised in Dallas, Texas. She began playing piano at seven, guitar at ten. At the same age, she started dancing and acting classes.

In 2002, she landed her first role: Angela on Barney & Friends.

The bullying started immediately. She has said it was so harsh that she asked to be homeschooled. She received her high school diploma through homeschooling in May 2009—one year early.

In 2006, she appeared on Prison Break and Just Jordan. From 2007 to 2008, she played Charlotte Adams on the Disney Channel short series As the Bell Rings.

Then came the audition that changed everything.

 

She auditioned for Disney’s Camp Rock and the sitcom Sunny with a Chance during the same year. She got both roles.

Camp Rock premiered on June 20th, 2008, to 8.9 million viewers. The critics were not kind. Gillian Flynn of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Lovato’s acting skills were “underwhelming” and that she had “the knee-jerk smile of someone who is often told she has a great smile.”

But the music worked.

The soundtrack debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 with 188,000 units sold in its first week. Lovato sang four songs, including “We Rock” and “This Is Me”—the latter a duet with Joe Jonas. “This Is Me” peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. Her first entry on the chart.

That summer, she signed with Hollywood Records and began her Demi Live! Warm Up Tour before her debut album was even finished. She also appeared on the Jonas Brothers’ Burnin’ Up tour.

 

Her debut studio album, Don’t Forget, was released on September 23rd, 2008.

Ten of its twelve songs were co-written with the Jonas Brothers. 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 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 89,000 copies. It was later certified gold.

The lead single, “Get Back,” peaked at number forty-three. The second single, “La La Land,” cracked the top forty in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The third single and title track, “Don’t Forget,” peaked at number forty-one.

In 2009, she recorded “Send It On”—a charity single and theme song for Disney’s Friends for Change with the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and Selena Gomez. All proceeds went to environmental charities.

Her Disney Channel sitcom, Sonny with a Chance, premiered on February 8th, 2009. She played Sonny Munroe, the newest cast member of the show-within-a-show So Random! Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times described her acting ability as “very good” and compared her favorably to Miley Cyrus.

In June, she starred alongside Selena Gomez in the Disney Channel film Princess Protection Program. She played Rosie Gonzalez / Princess Rosalinda. The film premiered to 8.5 million viewers—the fourth highest-rated Disney Channel original movie.

 

Her second studio album, Here We Go Again, was released on July 21st, 2009.

She described its acoustic style as similar to John Mayer’s. The album received favorable reviews. It became her first number-one album, debuting atop the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 108,000 copies. It was later certified gold.

The title track became her highest-peaking solo single at the time, reaching number fifteen. It was also certified platinum.

The second single, “Remember December,” peaked at number eighty on the UK Singles Chart.

She made her first forty-city national concert tour, Live in Concert, in support of Here We Go Again. David Archuleta, KSM, and Jordan Pruitt opened. Lovato and Archuleta received the Choice Music Tour award at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards.

 

In 2010, she and Joe Jonas recorded “Make a Wave” as the second charity single for Disney’s Friends for Change.

In May, she guest-starred as Hayley May—a teenager with schizophrenia—on the sixth season of Grey’s Anatomy in an episode titled “Shiny Happy People.” Critics praised her versatility but felt underwhelmed by her acting. They believed her appearance was designed primarily to attract younger viewers.

Later that year, she headlined her first international tour, Demi Lovato Live in Concert, and joined the Jonas Brothers’ tour as a guest.

Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam premiered on September 3rd, 2010. Critics were ambivalent about the plot—it has a 40% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But Jennifer Armstrong of Entertainment Weekly called Lovato’s performance “dependably appealing.” The film premiered to 8 million viewers, making it the number one cable television movie of the year by viewership.

The accompanying soundtrack debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 41,000 copies. Lovato sang nine songs, including “Can’t Back Down” and “Wouldn’t Change a Thing.”

The Sonny with a Chance soundtrack was released on October 5th. 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.

In November 2010, Lovato announced her departure from Sonny with a Chance, putting her acting career on hiatus and ending the series. She later said 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 performing sketches from the former show-within-a-show. It was canceled after one season.

 

Then everything fell apart.

On November 1st, 2010, Lovato withdrew from the Jonas Brothers’ tour, entering a treatment facility for “physical and emotional issues.” It was reported that she decided to enter treatment after punching a female dancer. Her management and family convinced her she needed help. She later said she took “100% full responsibility.”

On January 28th, 2011, she completed inpatient treatment at Timberline Knolls and returned home. She acknowledged that she had bulimia, had cut herself, and had been self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. She added that she “basically had a nervous breakdown” and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder during her treatment.

She later revealed that she had used cocaine several times a day and had smuggled cocaine onto airplanes.

 

Her third studio album, Unbroken, was released on September 20th, 2011.

Begun in July 2010, the album experimented with R&B and featured less pop rock than her first two albums. Lyrically, it encompassed more mature themes—with some songs focusing on her personal struggles.

The album received mixed reviews. Critics praised her vocals and saw growth in her musicianship but criticized the “party songs” and found the music more generic than her previous efforts.

Unbroken debuted at number four in the US, selling 97,000 copies in its first week. It was later certified gold.

The lead single, “Skyscraper,” was released on July 12th. It was noted for its messages of self-worth and confidence. It debuted at number ten in the US, selling 176,000 downloads during its first week—her highest first-week sales at the time. “Skyscraper” received the Best Video with a Message award at the September 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. It was certified platinum.

“You can take everything I have. You can break everything I am. Like I’m made of glass, like I’m made of paper. Go on and try to tear me down. I will be rising from the ground. Like a skyscraper.”

The second single, “Give Your Heart a Break,” was released on January 23rd, 2012. It later peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number sixteen. It became the longest climb by a female artist to reach number one on the Pop Songs chart in history—until Halsey broke the record in 2019. The song was certified triple platinum. As of October 2014, it had sold 2.1 million digital copies. Billboard has rated it as Lovato’s best, calling it “timeless.”

 

In May 2012, she became a judge and mentor for the second season of the US version of The X Factor, with a reported salary of $1 million. She joined 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.

In March 2013, she was confirmed as returning for The X Factor’s third season. Her salary reportedly doubled.

 

Her fourth studio album, Demi, was released on May 14th, 2013.

The album featured influences of synth-pop and bubblegum pop and received generally positive reviews—although John CarMichael of The New York Times found Lovato’s transition “fun,” and Entertainment Weekly noted 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 certified gold.

The lead single, “Heart Attack,” was released on February 25th. It debuted at number twelve in the US with first-week sales of 215,000 copies—another career high. The song peaked at number ten, her third showing in the US top ten. It was also successful in the UK, Australia, and Europe.

The second single, “Made in the USA,” peaked at number eighty. The third and fourth singles, “Neon Lights” and “Really Don’t Care,” both peaked in the top forty of the US and at number one on the Dance Club Songs chart. They were both certified platinum.

On October 21st, she released her cover of “Let It Go” for the Disney film Frozen. Her cover was described as more radio-friendly and pop compared to Idina Menzel’s original. It appeared in the movie’s credits and was promoted as the single for the film’s soundtrack. The song peaked at number thirty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100, spending twenty weeks on the chart. It was certified double platinum.

 

On November 19th, 2013, 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.

 

Her fifth album, Confident, was released on October 16th, 2015.

During production, she commented: “I’ve already started recording for my new album. 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. This album will give me the opportunity to show people what I can really do.”

The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 98,000 copies. In January 2019, it was certified platinum. It has sold 1 million copies in the United States.

The lead single, “Cool for the Summer,” was released on July 1st, 2015. The song attracted attention for its bi-curious theme. It peaked at number eleven on the Hot 100 and was certified double platinum.

The title track, “Confident,” was released as the second single and peaked at number twenty-one.

On October 17th, 2015, she performed a “Cool for the Summer” / “Confident” medley, as well as a “Stone Cold” melody, on Saturday Night Live during the show’s forty-first season.

That same month, she signed with the major modeling agency Wilhelmina Models.

On October 26th, 2015, Lovato and Nick Jonas announced they would tour together on the Future Now tour.

She was honored with the first-ever “Rule Breaker” award on December 11th, 2015, at the Billboard Women in Music event.

 

In 2017, she was included in Time’s annual list of the 100 most influential people.

In July 2017, she released “Sorry Not Sorry” as the first single from her sixth album. It became her highest-charting song in New Zealand and the United States (reaching number six), as well as Australia (number eight). It also became her highest-selling song in the US with its 5x platinum certification.

The album, titled Tell Me You Love Me, was released on September 29th. It opened at number three on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 78,000 copies. It received positive reviews and became Lovato’s first album to be certified platinum in the US.

On October 17th, she 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 the documentary, she revealed publicly that her treatment at Timberline Knolls was not entirely successful. She stated that she still struggled with alcoholism and a cocaine addiction in the year following her stint in the treatment center.

She further revealed that she was, in fact, under the influence of cocaine while being interviewed about her sobriety for Demi Lovato: Stay Strong.

She also stated that her drug and alcohol addictions caused her to nearly overdose several times and began to impact her ability to perform and promote Unbroken. She referenced a 2012 performance on the eleventh season of American Idol where she was “severely hungover.”

After her management team expressed their intentions to leave her, Lovato agreed to resume treatment and counseling for her addictions—leading to her move to a sober living facility in Los Angeles with roommates and responsibilities to help her overcome her drug and alcohol problems.

 

On June 21st, 2018, she released a new single titled “Sober.”

“Momma, I’m so sorry I’m not sober anymore. And Daddy, please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor.”

She had relapsed after six years of sobriety.

Thirty-three days later, on July 24th, 2018, she was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after emergency services were called to her home.

She had suffered an opioid overdose.

She was reported to be stable and recovering later that day. She was hospitalized for two weeks and subsequently entered an inpatient rehab facility.

In December 2018, she took to Twitter to dismiss rumors about her overdose and thanked her fans.

She later revealed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that her worsened struggles with bulimia in 2018 contributed to her eventual drug overdose. She had relapsed three months prior to the incident due to being “extremely unhappy.”

She attributed these struggles to the extreme measures that her former manager, Phil McIntyre, took to control what she ate. “People checking what my orders at Starbucks were on my bank statements. Just little things like that. It led me to being really unhappy. My bulimia got really bad. I asked for help, and I didn’t receive the help that I needed.”

She also revealed her thought process on the night she relapsed following six years of sobriety: “I’m six years sober and I’m miserable. I’m even more miserable than I was when I was drinking. Why am I sober?”

When she confronted her management team, they responded: “You’re being very selfish. This would ruin things for not just you but for us as well.”

She said it made her feel completely abandoned—triggering her underlying abandonment issues with her biological father.

So she drank that night.

 

On February 2nd, 2020, she performed the national anthem at Super Bowl LIV.

Patrick Ryan of USA Today commended her for delivering a “flawless performance” and “reminding us she’s one of the best vocalists in the industry today.” He noted that she “hid all the high notes with ease” and added some of her own riffs, resulting in a rendition that was “uniquely and phenomenally hers.”

She also performed her comeback single, “Anyone,” at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

On March 6th, 2020, she released “I Love Me.” On April 16th, 2020, she released a collaboration with Sam Smith titled “I’m Ready.”

 

Throughout her career, Lovato has cited Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson as her major musical influences. She has also cited Britney Spears, Rihanna, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and the Spice Girls.

About Billy Gilman, she said: “We had the same voice range. When I was young, I would practice to his songs all the time.”

In her teens, she listened to metal and has said that John Mayer’s songwriting has been a huge influence.

Ryan Tedder, who worked with her on Unbroken, stated: “Demi blew me out of the water vocally. I had no idea how good her voice was. She’s one of the best singers I’ve ever worked with. Literally that good. I mean, she’s a Kelly Clarkson-level vocalist.”

He also commented on working with her on “Neon Lights”: “She, in pop music, has one of the biggest ranges—possibly the highest full-voice singer I’ve ever worked with.”

 

She has been an activist for numerous social causes.

In 2009, she was named an honorary ambassador of education by the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders. She became a spokesperson for the anti-bullying organization PACER. She was named the ambassador of “Mean Stinks,” a campaign focused on eliminating bullying by girls.

In May 2013, she was cited for her dedication as a mentor to teens and young adults with mental health problems at a National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day event hosted by SAMHSA in Washington, D.C.

In late June 2013, she announced the creation of the Lovato Treatment Scholarship Program, named for her late father, to pay treatment costs for mentally ill patients.

In August 2013, she traveled to Kenya for her twenty-first birthday to participate in a program of the international charity organization Free the Children.

In May 2014, she was named the LA Pride Parade grand marshal and the lead performer for NYC Pride Week for her contribution to the LGBTQ community. She also became the face of the Human Rights Campaign’s “Americans for Marriage Equality” campaign.

“Whether you’re LGBT or straight, your love is valid, beautiful, and an incredible love,” she stated. “So let’s protect love and strengthen the institution of marriage by allowing loving, caring, and committed same-sex couples to legally marry.”

On April 2nd, 2016, she received the GLAAD Vanguard Award for making a significant difference in promoting equal rights for the LGBTQ community at the 27th GLAAD Media Awards.

 

On September 23rd, 2017, she was named a Global Citizen ambassador for championing the mental health of thousands of children displaced within Iraq.

In May 2020, she spoke out against police brutality in support of Black Lives Matter and condemned the officers responsible for the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Breonna Taylor. On her Instagram page, she shared links to sign pledges, donate money to organizations supporting the movement, and support Black-owned businesses. She also spoke out against white privilege.

 

On her eighteenth birthday, she bought a Mediterranean-style house in Los Angeles for her family. However, she decided to live in a sober house after leaving rehab in January 2011.

In September 2016, she purchased a Laurel Canyon home for $8.3 million. She sold it in June 2020 for $8.25 million.

She had no interest in forging a relationship with her late father, Patrick, after his divorce from her mother. She has been vocal about their abusive and strained relationship. He died of cancer on June 22nd, 2013. After his death, she said that he had been mentally ill—and in his honor, she created the Lovato Treatment Scholarship Program.

On July 22nd, 2020, she announced her engagement to actor Max Ehrich. In an Instagram post, she said she had “never felt so unconditionally loved by someone in my life other than my parents—flaws and all.”

 

She started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2016. As of 2019, she holds a blue belt.

She has suffered from bipolar disorder, anorexia nervosa of the binge type, self-harm, and bullying. She went into rehab for the first time at eighteen.

 

The girl who wore a purple dinosaur costume on Barney & Friends. The Disney star who sang “This Is Me” with Joe Jonas. The teenager who punched a dancer and then checked herself into treatment. The young woman who wrote “Skyscraper” as a promise to keep rising. The addict who relapsed after six years and almost died from an opioid overdose.

The survivor who stood on the Super Bowl stage and sang the national anthem in front of 100 million people.

She has sold over 2 million albums and 20 million singles in the United States. She has won an MTV Video Music Award, fourteen Teen Choice Awards, five People’s Choice Awards, and two Latin American Music Awards. She holds one Guinness World Record. Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

But none of those numbers measure what matters.

What matters is that she is still here.

Demetria Devon Lovato was born on August 20th, 1992, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

She is not done yet.