30+ Demi Lovato Facts Every Fan Should Know

For some, they’re just another popular celebrity but for Lovatics, they are a personal hero.

Demi Lovato is much more than just a singer. They’re an actress, a recovering addict, and one of the many faces for the Americans for Marriage Equality campaign.

If you’re new to the Lovatic fandom or if you simply want to know more about your favorite star, check out these 31 Demi Lovato facts that every fan should know…

1. Demi Starred in ‘Barney and Friends’ with Selena Gomez

Believe it or not, the Disney Channel isn’t the first place where Demi kicked-off their career. The Tell Me You Love Me singer began acting at the age of seven when they starred in Barney and Friends and lived every little girl’s dream alongside longtime friend, Selena Gomez.

2. They Had a YouTube Show with Selena

Demi and Selena continued their friendship after starring together in Barney and Friends and even went on to create their own YouTube show called The Demi and Selena Show. Ever since then, the popstars went by the name of ‘Delena’, but their friendship is now sadly over (more on that later).

3. Demi Was Mini Miss Texas

Here’s a fun fact about Demi’s childhood! Their pretty face won them the title of Mini Miss Texas in 2000 – 2001! Apparently, it was this big win that led them to get more serious with acting and singing!

4. They Had Dark Thoughts as a Child

As exciting as it sounds to be a pageant girl, in reality, it has some dark secrets. In their documentary, Dancing With the Devil, the singer revealed that this “competitive” environment was possibly a triggering moment for the eating disorder they would suffer from years later.

“My self-esteem was just completely damaged… I remember making a pact with myself and said, ‘If I don’t win this pageant, I will never eat again.'”.

Demi also admitted to being “depressed at a very, very young age, fascinated with death, wondering what it would be like to have a funeral.”

5. They Starred in Plenty of Disney Programs

Demi Lovato rose to stardom in 2008 when they were cast in Camp Rock. After releasing their debut album, Don’t Forget, the star received their own Disney Channel television series, Sonny With a Chance. Demi also starred in As the Bell Rings on Disney Channel, too!

6. Demi Auditioned for Hannah Montana

If it weren’t for Miley Cyrus, it would have been Demi who was cast as the Disney darling, Hannah Montana. The superstar apparently auditioned for the role when they were 14, but failed to get the part. “I wound up not getting it but that’s how Disney learned about me”, Demi said.

7. They Were Abused as a Teenager

“I’ve had my fair share of sexual trauma throughout childhood, teenage years,” Demi disclosed in Dancing With the Devil. The singer admitted that although Disney stars were supposed to “wait for marriage”, their “first time” was in a rape.

“We were hooking up, but I said, ‘Hey, this is not going any farther, I’m a virgin, and I don’t want to lose it this way.’ And that didn’t matter to them. They did it anyways…”

We don’t know who Demi’s abuser was, but they went on to say that he kept his job and still starred in an unnamed movie.

8. They Dated Two of Miley Cyrus’ Siblings

That’s right, Lovatics! Demi dated Miley Cyrus’ brother, Trace back in 2009. When they broke up, Trace said, “We gave it a shot and that’s all you can do”. People reported that it was age and distance that tore their relationship apart. In 2021, however, it was then rumored that Demi was hooking up with Miley’s younger sister, Noah Cyrus! I guess they really are destined to have Miley as a sis-in-law!

9. They Have Over 10 Tattoos

Demi sure loves ink! They have over 10 tattoos on their body including the words ‘Stay Strong’ engraved on their wrist after suffering from emotional and physical issues. Demi also has a cross tattoo on the side of their hand and the words ‘You Make Me Beautiful’ on their rib-cage which they got at the age of 16. Other tattoos include a feather, a string of birds and the words ‘Faith’ and ‘Peace’. Most recently, Demi got the word “me” on their finger as a reminder to love themselves.

10. Demi was Bullied at School

In their Simply Complicated documentary, Demi shared a sad secret about their childhood. They revealed to the world that they were bullied in school – “When I was 12, I was bullied, I developed a social anxiety where I didn’t trust other girls my age. Then one day, this girl this girl who was popular started saying ‘Demi should kill herself. She should slit her wrists.’ It resulted in a suicide petition that got passed around and she had other classmates sign it.”

Apparently they had asked their mom to be homeschooled after the seventh grade because they couldn’t take it anymore.

11. Their Sister was in Desperate Housewives

Demi is one of four sisters in the Lovato household! Their three sisters go by the names of Dallas Lovato, Amber Lovato and Madison De LaGarza, who just so happened to star in Desperate Housewives as Juanita Solis. Do we have another rising star on our hands?

12. Demi isn’t Just a Singer

This piece of trivia is no secret! Demi is made up of many talents! Not only are they a fantastic singer and actress, Demi also plays the piano and guitar. Let’s not forget that they’re a songwriter, too! They’ve written almost all of their tracks!

13. Demi Went to Rehab for an Eating Disorder

In a revealing interview with American Way magazine, the star opened up about their eating disorder. Demi revealed that they began binge-eating and purging at age nine, which carried on through their teens. Other than the bullying Demi experienced at school, their strict management was another triggering factor for their anorexia and bulimia as a teen. Demi admitted to Ellen DeGeneres that their former manager, Phil McIntyre, tried to control what they ate to the point where he would check their Starbucks orders on their bank statements.

Their emotional and physical problems were so strong whilst touring with the Jonas Brothers, that they had to pull out and seek help in 2010 by entering a treatment facility – “I was performing concerts on an empty stomach,” they said. “I was losing my voice from purging”, they disclosed.

14. They Admit to Self-Harming

During their rise to stardom, Demi was having such a tough time to the point where they self-harmed. In an interview with Self magazine, the singer revealed, “There were times I felt so anxious, almost like I was crawling out of my skin — that if I didn’t do something physical to match the way I felt inside, I would explode. I cut myself to take my mind off that. I just didn’t care what happened. I had no fear.” After leaving rehab in 2011 however, Demi was in a much happier place.

15. They Were Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder

Along with anorexia and bulimia, Demi also had to deal with another disorder. Telling People about their rehab stint in 2010, Demi admitted that they “basically had a nervous breakdown” and was eventually diagnosed with Bipolar at the facility. They told Women’s Health Mag that “for years, people said I was depressed, and I actually didn’t know myself why I was so upset and why I would have these episodes of mania—what I now know is mania.”

16. They Had a Drug Overdose

Everyone knows Demi as a celebrity affected by drugs, but thankfully, they are slowly overcoming their addiction. The singer has been open about their drug use in the past, admitting that their first time doing coke was at 17, while working on Disney Channel. Demi revealed that they were “self-medicating” with cocaine and alcohol “like a lot of teens do to numb their pain”.

However, after several bouts of rehab, Demi suffered the worst in 2018 when they had an overdose after staying sober for six years. Emergency services were called to the star’s home due to an opioid overdose and they ended up spending two weeks in hospital, then some time in an in-patient rehab facility.

17. Their Assistant Saved Their Life

Demi’s former assistant, Jordan Jackson, explained what she saw on the morning after the overdose on Dancing with the Devil, “There was one point where she turned blue. Like, her whole body completely turned blue…I was just like, ‘She’s dead for sure.'”. The popstar added that they are “really lucky to be alive,” that if their assistant had never found them, they would have only had “five to 10 more minutes” to live.

18. Demi’s Overdose Caused Brain Damage and More

Not many are aware of how bad Demi’s overdose was. Demi revealed that they “had three strokes…a heart attack…and suffered brain damage from the strokes.” They also added that upon waking up from the coma, they were unable to see and couldn’t even recognize close family members like their sister.

Although partially recovered, the star added – “I can’t drive anymore, and I have blind spots in my vision … I also had pneumonia, ’cause I asphyxiated, and multiple organ failure.”

19. Their Drug Dealer Took Advantage of Them

On the night of their overdose, Demi had called their drug dealer. Upon his arrival, not only did he secretly give them pills laced with Fentanyl, he also sexually abused Demi.

In the docuseries, Demi said, “When they found me I was naked. I was blue. I was literally left for dead after he took advantage of me…And when I woke up in the hospital, they asked if I had had consensual sex. And there was one flash that I had of him on top of me. I saw that flash, and I said yes. It actually wasn’t until maybe a month after my overdose that I realized, ‘Hey, you weren’t in any state of mind to make a consensual decision.”

20. Demi Admits to Relapsing After the Overdose

Despite nearly dying and going through all that trauma, Demi candidly revealed in their documentary that they returned to hard drugs soon after recovering from the overdose. Although “mortified at her [my] decisions”, the popstar said that they called the same drug dealer to “rewrite his choice of violating me. I wanted it now to be my choice.”

While they’re now done with the hard drugs, Demi admitted to still “smoking weed and drinking in moderation”, and reminded us that “recovery isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution”. 

21. They’re the Co-Owner of Their Treatment Center

This is why we love Demi – they use their celebrity status to advocate for mental health. In 2011, the singer sought treatment for help with depression, bulimia and substance abuse at the CAST Centers. They’re now the co-owner of the CAST Centers in West Hollywood, California.

22. They Almost Killed Paul McCartney

We can’t say this is a fun fact about Demi, but it’s certainly interesting – and awkward! In 2012, Demi admitted that they almost ran over Paul McCartney from The Beatles whilst parking their car. The singer took to Twitter to tell the funny story.

23. Demi is an Ambassador for Secret’s “Mean Stinks” Campaign

After experiencing bullying firsthand, Demi took a stand and decided to help others who were going through the same thing. In 2012, they became the new ambassador for Secret’s “Mean Stinks” campaign. This campaign encourages girls to “gang up for good” and end bullying in schools.

24. They Were the Face of Americans for Marriage Equality Campaign

In 2014, Demi became the face of the human rights campaign’s re-launch of Americans for Marriage Equality. In their PSA, Demi declared, “Whether you’re LGBT or straight, your love is valid, beautiful and an incredible gift,” When speaking at Logo TV’s inaugural “Trailblazers” special, Demi revealed that their grandad had been gay and that “a lot of [their] spirit” comes from him. We applaud you for supporting the LGBT community, Demi!

25. Demi Dated Wilmer Valderrama for 6 Years

The Heart Attack singer was in an on-and-off relationship with actor, Wilmer Valderrama since 2010 until 2016. Demi revealed that they had broken up with That ’70s Show star when they had been relapsing. They got back together, but Demi announced in June 2016 that they had split up with Wilmer and today they remain “best friends”.

26. Demi is Non-Binary

On Chatty Man in 2015, Demi began opening up about their sexuality by (sorta) admitting that they were bisexual. The lyrics for their single Cool for the Summer even suggested the singer was “experimenting” and in 2017, it was rumored Demi was dating DJ Lauren Abedini.

Eventually, Demi came out to their parents explaining that they saw themselves “ending up possibly with a woman.” However, in an episode on The Joe Rogan Experience in 2021, Demi revealed that they were “pansexual”.

Later in 2021, though, after doing “healing and self-reflective work”, Demi announced that they were in fact “non-binary” and was changing their pronouns from “she/her” to “they/them”.

“Today is a day I’m so happy to share more of my life with you all,” Demi wrote on Twitter. “I am proud to let you know that I identify as non-binary & will officially be changing my pronouns to they/them moving forward.”

27. They’re No Longer Friends with Selena Gomez

As sad as it is to say, ‘Delena’ is no more. From starring together in Barney and Friends, to having a blast on YouTube, the famous stars are no longer friends. “Demi has no beef with Selena and there is no animosity between them. They’re just not friends at this point,” a source told Us Weekly. The cause of their friendship breakup remains unknown, but we do hope they kiss and make up soon.

28. Demi’s Fiancé was Obsessed with Selena

In 2020, Demi shocked the world by having a shot-gun engagement to Max Enrich – a boyfriend of only four months. It’s unclear why Demi and Max Enrich’s engagement ended. But just a week before announcing their split, screenshots showing Max’s obsession with Selena Gomez were shared online. In some of them, Max asked Gomez to marry him and admitted to having a “major crush” on her in a video.

29. They Stand Up for What They Believe In

After suffering tough personal struggles themselves, Demi has taken a stand be to a strong advocate for mental health issues and even gay rights.  

Other than being the face for Americans for Marriage Equality, in 2016, their work as an LGBT rights activist was recognized by GLAAD, earning them an award. An Honorary Ambassador of Education by the American Partnership For Eosinophilic Disorders and a Global Citizen Ambassador who champions for the mental health children in communities in war and conflict; Demi has also launched the Lovato Treatment Scholarship Program which raises funds and awareness for mental health issues.

30. They Never Wear Jeans

In a tell-all interview with Ashley Graham, Demi revealed that they never wear jeans! That’s right! Ever since going on a journey of “body acceptance”, the singer said that they stopped wearing denim jeans simply because they don’t make them feel good – “I haven’t worn a pair of jeans in forever because I don’t like jeans. They don’t make me feel great right now. And I don’t have to fu****g wear jeans if I don’t want to”. Preach!

31. They’re a Fan of Jujutsu

Thought Demi was only good at singing and acting? You thought wrong. Apparently, they’re a big fan of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which they started training for in 2016. Believe it or not, Demi also earned themselves a blue belt in 2019!

Whether it’s their support for anti-bullying campaigns or their battle through personal struggles, we’re sure our list of Demi Lovato facts have taught you a thing or two about the Sorry Not Sorry singer.

If these facts about Demi Lovato haven’t turned you into a Lovatic yet, we don’t know what will!