horsys67: Demi Lovato: A Look Back At Her Big 2011

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Demi Lovato: A Look Back At Her Big 2011

This year saw the Disney star experiencing professional and personal breakthroughs.
By Jocelyn Vena

Demi Lovato
Photo: Denise Truscello/ Getty Images

Demi Lovato will be on hand for MTV's New Year's Eve festivities to rock the night with a performance. But before the party kicks off, it seems fitting to look back on her big 2011, which wasn't just a banner year for Lovato's career, but also her personal life.

After leaving treatment in January, Lovato opened up about her issues (which included eating disorders and self-mutilation) and was on the mend. She thanked her fans for standing by her while she sought treatment and focused on getting healthy. "I can't tell you how much light you brought into my life in probably the darkest time of my life," Lovato said shortly after being released. "Without you guys I wouldn't be here today."

The former Disney princess decided to step away from her Hollywood career to focus on her pop career when she left her hit Disney show "Sonny With a Chance." " 'Sonny' was a chapter in my life I will be forever grateful for," she said in April. "Thank you all for watching."

By July, she was fully in pop-star mode, dropping not only the single for "Skyscraper" but also the equally empowering video for the stirring ballad. "I've been pretty honest," Lovato told MTV News about the track. "My whole journey has been about telling my story and hoping that when I share my story, it inspires somebody. So when I decided to come out with a single that was honest and about my journey and about standing strong and tall like a skyscraper, I hope that it inspired people.

"I thought that there was a bigger opportunity for me to come out with a song that would inspire people, rather than it be just another dance song on the radio," she added.

The song was the lead single off Unbroken, which she dropped in September. "I think it's grown-up, but it's not too grown-up," Lovato explained about the album. "It's not tasteless. It's growing up with my fans. It's [like] I'm not a kid anymore, but I'm also not a full-grown woman either. So I'm in that in-between stage, trying to figure out where that is. So I'm figuring it out, just like my fans are."

In addition to causing a stir with her own music, Lovato had everyone going crazy over her cover of Lil Wayne's "How to Love." She also performed a heartfelt rendition of the national anthem at the World Series and recently returned to the Illinois treatment center where she spent time as a guest speaker.

As the year wraps up, Lovato's fans will have a new single to look forward to, the feel-good track "Give Your Heart a Break."

Related Videos