Demi Lovato Wouldn’t Let Kids Be Child Stars

Ahead of the release of their documentary Child Star, Demi Lovato spoke with the Hollywood Reporter about their own experiences in the limelight and why they wouldn’t want their children to do the same.

Demi was just 15 when Camp Rock skyrocketed her to global fame. She’s now making her directorial debut about childhood stardom with a Hulu documentary set to premiere next month, which will include interviews with artists including Drew Barrymore, Raven-Symoné, and JoJo Siwa.

In the far-ranging interview, Demi reflected on their early days with Disney and its impact on them. As it made the singer the breadwinner of their family, they recalled, “I mean, [my mom and stepdad would] try to ground me, but I was an egotistical child star, and I thought I was on top of the world. I’d be like, ‘But I pay the bills,’ and what do you say to that?”

As such, Demi has thought about what she would say if a future daughter asked her to enter the industry. “I’d say, ‘Let’s study music theory and prepare you for the day you turn 18, because it’s not happening before that. Not because I don’t believe in you or love you or want you to be happy, but because I want you to have a childhood, the childhood that I didn’t have,'” she said.

“‘And also, let’s come up with a backup plan,’ which is something I wish I’d done,” they continued. “Sometimes I think it’s time for me to move on, but I’m in this weird position in my career because I still rely on music for my income.”

Demi’s upcoming role in the movie Tow helped remind her of her love of acting outside of its potential to exacerbate body image issues. She also said that she’s unlikely to tour again. “I think part of me always thought that if I made it in the industry that I would get the love from my birth dad that I didn’t have. And he was troubled, and I think I always chased success because I knew it would put me in his line of sight again and it would make him proud of me,” she explained.

With emotion, she added, “But now that I’ve dealt with those daddy issues, I don’t need the industry as much as I once did, and I’m proud of myself for getting here.”