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Demi Lovato Opens Up About Disney Channel Rivalry with Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez

Demi Lovato has spoken candidly about the pressures of growing up as a child star on the Disney Channel. She revealed the network fostered a competitive environment, often pitting her against peers like Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez. Lovato credits her mother's advice that "there's room for everyone" for helping her navigate that challenging period. She expressed enduring gratitude for her friendship with Gomez and continues to support her former colleagues' work.

Key Points: Demi Lovato on Disney Channel Rivalry with Miley Cyrus

  • Candid talk on child stardom
  • Network pitted stars against each other
  • Gratitude for friendship with Selena Gomez
  • Mother's advice got her through
  • Support for peers' success
2 min read

Demi Lovato talks about challenges of growing up as child star alongside Miley Cyrus

Demi Lovato discusses the challenges of child stardom and being pitted against Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez during their Disney Channel days.

"There's room for everyone. It's not a competition. - Demi Lovato"

Los Angeles, March 4

Singer-songwriter Demi Lovato has spoken up about the realities of child stardom. The singer, 33, spoke with fellow former child actor Keke Palmer about life in the spotlight.

Demi Lovato candidly discussed rising to fame alongside Disney Channel peers Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus, reports 'People' magazine.

Keke Palmer, 32, asked the singer on her podcast, 'Baby, This Is Keke Palmer' about navigating a situation where the network was "always pitting" the stars against each other, trying to crown "the number one girl".

As per 'People', Demi Lovato joined Disney Channel in 2007 with the TV-short series As the Bell Rings, as Cyrus began starring in Hannah Montana (2006-2011) and Gomez on Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-2012).

Demi Lovato, who uses she/they pronouns, prefaced her answer by explaining that she and Gomez were friends prior to their time on Disney Channel, "We actually were on Barney together, and so I felt this safety when I came into the Disney Channel having a built-in friendship there already".

She added that she was so "grateful" at the time and "will always be grateful for the friendship that I have and continue to have" with Selena Gomez.

As she continued, the Here We Go Again singer confessed that it was "challenging" to deal with comparisons to Cyrus and Gomez. "You naturally have insecurities at a young age", Demi Lovato said. "So you start comparing yourself to other people. But one thing my mom instilled in me was, 'There's room for everyone. It's not a competition'. That's what I really stuck by. That's what kind of got me through that period. I was always rooting for everybody".

After they departed Disney Channel, the two stars went on to have successful pop music careers, with each applauding one another's work. More recently, in September 2025, Lovato complimented Gomez and her husband, Benny Blanco's latest album, I Said I Love You First, saying they did a "really, really great job".

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Aman W
Respect to Demi for speaking so maturely about this. Child stardom is a global issue. In India, we've seen our own child stars struggle with the transition to adult roles and public scrutiny. The pressure to be "number one" is universal and damaging.
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Sarah B
I grew up watching them on Disney Channel! Hannah Montana and Wizards were my childhood. It's heartwarming to hear they supported each other behind the scenes, even if the media tried to create rivalry. True friendship wins. ❤️
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Rohit P
While I appreciate her openness, part of me feels these are very privileged problems. Many children face far greater challenges just to get an education or a meal. That said, mental health struggles are real at any level of society.
K
Kavya N
"There's room for everyone." What a beautiful and necessary message, especially for young girls today bombarded with comparison on social media. We need to teach this to our own kids. More power to Demi, Miley, and Selena for navigating that pressure and coming out strong!
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Michael C
Interesting to see this perspective. The entertainment business is tough everywhere. Glad they all seem to be in a good place now and supportive of each other's work. That's what matters in the long run.

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