Plenty of neon lights are shining on Demi Lovato these days. The former Disney star, 21, has completely reinvented her career after struggling with substance abuse, self-mutilation, and bipolar disorder.
Her fourth studio album, Demi, debuted at no. 3 in May 2013 on the Billboard 200, which was her best-selling debut week to date. In Cosmopolitan For Latinas' summer 2014 cover story, the "Heart Attack" singer opened up about how her life has changed in the last year.
“I’m very proud of how far I’ve come, but I definitely want to win a Grammy one day, and I dream of winning an Oscar," Lovato dished. "I want to continue to tour and build my fan base and make music that will last for decades.”
The former child star has put her partying days behind her in order to focus on her blossoming career. She's currently touring South America with British girl group Little Mix and X-Factor finalists Fifth Harmony on the Neon Lights Tour.
In August 2013 she celebrated her 21st birthday, but after years of being a wild child, her milestone birthday was surprisingly tame. At the time she was in Kenya for the Free the Children charity.
“I was used to drinking and doing drugs on my birthday,” she told the magazine. “I always imagined my 21st being a huge party where I’d get shit-faced and go crazy. But I realized that there’s so much more to life than that. Imagine walking 10 miles a day just to get water for your family? We have so much to be grateful for.”
She may have put substance abuse behind her, but Lovato still has to treat her bipolar disorder every day.
“It’s a daily thing. I treat it with medication," she revealed. "Not everybody does that, but for me it works. That’s what works for me—medicating, checking in with people, being honest, and being grateful for things.”
