Demi Lovato has told how they wanted to be “super sexy” after their time on Disney Channel.
The singer recently announced they identify as non-binary and will use they/them pronouns going forward.
The 28-year-old first appeared on-screen as a child actor on Barney & Friends.
They later landed a small role on Disney Channel’s As The Bell Rings in 2007.
However, it wasn’t until 2008 that Lovato found stardom when they starred in the network’s 2008 original movie Camp Rock, alongside the Jonas Brothers. Lovato was 15 at the time.
The film’s success saw Lovato secure a lead role in the channel’s new show Sonny With a Chance. The sitcom lasted two seasons and ran until 2011.
The “Dancing With The Devil” hitmaker has now revealed that they were eager to amp up their sex appeal after their career on the channel came to an end.
As part of their podcast series 4D With Demi Lovato, Lovato spoke to Drew Barrymore about their experiences with fame at a young age.
Lovato said they could relate to Barrymore’s desire to take on sexier roles during her younger years.
“After Disney Channel I wanted to be super sexy and I did the same thing,” Lovato explained. “I wanted to totally distance myself [from it].”
The actor agreed with Barrymore that they wanted to change the “tone, the narrative, the look, the feel” that came with being a child star.
“Let me show you Camp Rock,” Lovato elaborated. “You know what I mean? It was like I’ll show you.”
The pop star also opened up on how being successful at such a young age affected the dynamic with their parents.
The “Sorry Not Sorry” singer revealed they would rebel against their parents’ rules because they were considered the “breadwinner.”
“So when they would try to ground me at 17, I would say, ‘I pay the bills.’ And I cringe now when I think about that attitude,” they explained.
They went on to add that being put on a pedestal made them think they could do no wrong.
Lovato’s revelations come after the star shared news of their change in pronouns on social media.
They explained that the announcement had come after “a lot of healing & self-reflective work.”
The news was met with an outpouring of support from fans of the pop star online.
Author Candace Owens, on the other hand, shared a tweet criticizing the use of they/them pronouns hours after Lovato’s announcement.
“Announcing that your pronouns are they/them is just poor grammar,” she wrote. “I don’t care your reasons—please stop trying to make low academic achievement a thing.”
The tweet received a mixed response from users online.
