By Clive Morgan
Last Updated: 12:29PM BST 28 Apr 2009
Singer and actress Demi Lovato appears to have a glittering career ahead of her – despite only being 16 years of age, she has a new album and single, a film, a sitcom and a concert tour all slated for this year. She talks to Clive Morgan about her success and that of the film Camp Rock.
If you’ve never heard of Texan singer and actress Demi Lovato, it’s only a matter of time before you will.
In fact, if you’re one of the 117million people around the world that watched the Disney Channel film Camp Rock, a kind of follow-up to the phenomenal movie High School Musical, you’ll recognise her face and her voice.
Now less than one year later, 16-year-old Lovato looks set to equal – if not surpass – fellow Disney channel star Miley Cyrus, aka Hannah Montana. Lovato has her own album and singles out, a film The Princess Protection Program, a new children’s sitcom Sonny with a Chance and upcoming tour dates with pop rockers and fellow Camp Rock stars the Jonas Brothers at the Wembley Arena this summer.
On this occasion Lovato was in London to perform and judge at the “final jam” of My Camp Rock, a talent contest based on the film where young musicians perform the musical’s hits.
“With Camp Rock we just did what we did, none of us expected things like this,” enthuses Demi.
“We all just thought we were making a movie, and none of us realised it would be so huge that they would make a TV show about us and it would be so successful.
In the movie, Lovato plays Michie, a shy young performer who attends an expensive summer camp to improve her music, and through song, dance and a budding romance with a rebellious teen rocker (Joe Jonas) finds the confidence to express herself as a star.
This time around the star was 14-year-old Holly Hull from Camberley, in Surrey, who was declared the winner of the Disney Channel’s TV talent competition after performing Lovato’s signature tune from the film, This Is Me, for a judging panel which included Craig David, vocal coach Zoe Tyler, voting television viewers and girl group The Saturdays.
“I’m really impressed by the standard of entries for My Camp Rock,” says Lovato after presenting Holly with her trophy. “It’s a real honour to part in this series.”
“We’re shooting the sequel [to Camp Rock] later this year,” she adds. “I don’t know what it’ll be about, but there’ll be lots of music.”
But before that Lovato has her new film The Princess Protection Program due to hit our television screens in June.
In the film, which is about a young princess who becomes friends with a tomboy after being placed in protection program, Demi stars alongside her real-life pal Selena Gomez of Disney’s Wizards of Waverley Place.
“I met Selena when I was seven years old when we were queuing up for the Barney and Friends auditions,” reminisces Lovato. “But this is the first time that we have worked together.”
“[The Princess Protection Program] was a great movie to make. We shot it in Puerto Rico, so it was like a duel work and vacation for us, which was great.”
And then there’s the 30 Rock-style sitcom Sonny with a Chance, about a sweet Midwestern girl who moves to Hollywood to join the cast of a kids’ sketch show
“It’s a comedy show about a comedy show, and there are lots of jokes. It was awesome,” explains Lovato, who also starred in the hit US drama Prison Break. “I’m delighted with how well the show has done.”
It appears that Lovato is following in the footsteps of other Disney Channel luminaries and role models such as Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
“I’m also a huge fan of Christina Aguilera, she is very credible, there’s something very special about her because of her voice. She is a great career role model,” says Lovato.
“But I don’t think it’s fair for teen stars to be judged for not being the “best” role models.”
Source: Telegraph UK
