Demi Lovato talks about the “blessing and curse” of being famous.

The X Factor judge Demi Lovato says”being on television is both a “blessing and a curse,” but the exposure has allowed her to use her celebrity to help others who have battled problems such as anorexia, bulimia and bipolar disorder.
“Just as much as it sucks to have tabloids writing about you, at the same time I had all these issues and I was able to raise awareness because I came out publicly with those issues and then I have tons of fans that come up and tell me, ‘Oh, I got help with my eating disorder or this because you came out and said it,’ ” Lovato, 20, recently said at the Billboard/THR Film & TV Music Conference.

“Had it not been for the publicity and the tabloids or whatever it was, they may not have had a chance to save their own lives,” Lovato said of the silver lining her own struggles have brought to her and also fans.

In addition to judging The X Factor, now in is second season on FOX, Lovato brought her own musical skills to game four of the World Series Sunday, where she sang the National Anthem in Detroit.

Despite an even higher profile since joining The X Factor, where she sits alongside creator Simon Cowell, Britney Spears and L.A. Reid as judge, the former Disney star said she’s tried to stay away from allowing tabloid gossip to impact her life.

“I feel like I went through a period in time where I was reading things about me online and as much as it built me up it also plummeted me down and the negative things I believed them, too,” Lovato said of coverage. “The word ‘celebrity,’ I just cringe when I hear it.”

“American Idol” winner Phillip Phillips will sing the national anthem before Game 1 of the World Series.

The series between Detroit and San Francisco opens Wednesday night in San Francisco. Demi Lovato, Zooey Deschanel and Matthew Morrison also are set to sing the anthem in the series.

Morrison will sing before Game 2 on Thursday night, Deschanel for Game 3 on Saturday night, and Lovato for Game 4 on Sunday night. If there is a Game 5, it will be played Monday night, and Aretha Franklin will perform.

Morrison is an Emmy-nominated actor known for his role on “Glee.” Deschanel stars in the hit TV show “New Girl.” Lovato is a pop star and judge on “The X Factor.”

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Check out our exclusive interview with Demi Lovato!

The former Disney star and current X-Factor judge recently chatted with us about her past struggles with bullying and how she’s turning the bad experience into something positive.

Plus, she let’s us in on some secrets pertaining to a possible collaboration with pop princess Britney Spears, and her current celebrity crush – which surprisingly isn’t One Direction‘s Niall Horan.

Keep reading to see what other secrets Demi told us…

JJJ: Congrats on being Mean Stinks newest ambassador! Because you’ve been personally affected by bullying, were you excited to take on this new role?
DL: Yes! They actually came to me and were like, ‘Hey, would you like to be part of this? We know this is something close to your heart…’ And of course I was like ‘Absolutely!’ I’m really thankful that they asked me, because it’s opened my eyes even more to how many people bullying is affecting and how many people are being inspired by this program to really go out and make a difference in their schools and not just talk about it, but actually work towards.

JJJ: For those that aren’t as familiar with your story, can you share some of the struggles you faced as a middle schooler?
DL: Well, I was bullied growing up and it got so bad that I started being home schooling. I think a lot of it had to do with just the interaction that us girls can have when we’re that young and we’re all insecure and people start gossiping.

JJJ: Did you ever find yourself gossiping as a way of trying to fit in?
DL: You know, I’m not saying that I’m completely innocent either. I’d be lying if I said I never gossiped back then, but it’s very important to try to encourage a message now to not get involved in gossip or spread rumors and be involved in drama. I think that’s what led to the bullying and things like that. Of course it got out of control and that’s why I started home schooling.

JJJ: Seeing how you were bullied at such a young age, who did you turn to for help when you were going through everything?
DL: My mom. I got through it because she encouraged me to just turn the other cheek. It was so hard to do at first and I really didn’t want to do it, but you know after experiencing people trying to get a reaction from you, if you don’t give in to that then they don’t get any satisfaction from it. If they know they can’t hurt you anymore then they won’t do it.

JJJ: We heard your peers would write hate petitions and have CD-bashing parties of your demos. That’s not true is it?
DL: It is. I think it happened when I was 11-years-old. I found out one day after they all called me and told me about it. I’d get these voicemails that said things like, ‘You suck at singing!’ and then they’d tell me about the parties they had where they’d make fun of my songs and break a bunch of my demo CDs [for fun].

JJJ: That sounds so hurtful!
DL: Looking back, now it just seems immature and silly, but back then it really hurt me because I was young and had really low self-esteem. You know I was dealing with stuff like that and it just wasn’t easy back then.

JJJ: Despite all the hardships you went through growing up, you’ve become such a positive role model and we love seeing you as a judge on The X-Factor! How would you describe each of your fellow judges in one word?
DL: Thanks! Hmmm… I would say that Britney is corky or funny, L.A. is smooth, and for Simon I would say old! (Laughs)

JJJ: If you were auditioning for the show, what song would you sing?
DL: It wouldn’t be Mary J. Blige‘s “I’m Going Down.” It would not be Bruno Mars‘ “Grenade,” and it wouldn’t be one of Britney‘s songs. I don’t know, maybe I’d sing a Christina Aguilera or Kelly Clarkson song.

JJJ: Nice, so you definitely wouldn’t hold anything back if you were trying out then?
DL: I’d want to showcase my vocals and attitude at the same time!

JJJ: Do you think someone on your team’s going to win?
DL: I know someone from my team’s going to win! I have the best category and I’m so excited about it! I have a lot of confidence in the group that I have.

JJJ: Is there any chance you and Britney would ever collaborate on a song together?
DL: I would love to! That would be so exciting. There’s nothing planned, but I’m putting it out there!

JJJ: Nick Jonas was recently your guest mentor on The X-Factor. Are you looking forward to his and his brothers’ new music?
DL: Yeah, I’m really excited! I can’t wait to hear wait and support it. We’ve been through a lot together. We met when I was 14-years-old, so after being friends for so long it’s just nice to see where we both are at this point in our lives. I’ll always support them and I’ll always be happy for them.

JJJ: Speaking of music, what can fans expect on your upcoming album?
DL: I’m having so much fun writing the music right now! I just wrote two songs this past week that are lighthearted and funnier.

JJJ: So your new tracks will be a bit on the comedic side?
DL: They have some funny lyrics, but great beats so you don’t really notice at first and will be like, ‘wait, did she just say that?’ (Laughs).

JJJ: We can’t wait to hear them! How does this album compare to your past ones?
DL: I think this album is going to be a lot better. I’m trying to stay away from the dubstep and dance music because I just want to bring instruments back into the picture when it comes to pop radio. I want people to really enjoy my music because it’s actually music.

JJJ: Recently, everyone’s been linking you to One Direction’s Niall Horn. Who would you say your celeb crush is at the moment?
DL: (Laughs) My celebrity crush right now… I’m in love with Channing Tatum! He’s so cute! He actually lives in the same city that I do in Texas, or he did, so when I first met his wife Jenna we were able to talk about that. It was pretty cool. So yeah, he’s adorable and I’m really glad he has a cute wife!

JJJ: That’s so sweet! Do you have a favorite One Direction track?
DL: The one that’s like (sings) ‘Get out, get out…’ I don’t know what it’s called, but that one, yeah.

JJJ: You’ve spoken a lot about wanting to be single right now, but do you have any advice for fans who always get first date jitters?
DL: I mean it’s hard, because when you really like someone there’s not much you can do when your hands get sweaty and you get nervous. You know there’s been times when no matter how long I’ve been with a person it’s not just the first date jitters that I get – I get them like two years later!

JJJ: That can be a good thing though.
DL: Yeah, it’s a great thing! So you should just be yourself and have fun [when going on a first date] and use extra deodorant (laughs) and make sure your nose doesn’t have anything in it!

JJJ: Thanks so much for chatting with us!
DL: Thank you!

On the day after her song “Give Your Heart a Break” officially became her first-ever number one single, Demi Lovato is making a whirlwind visit to New York City to appear on three TV shows, participate in a mini junket to promote her gig as a mentor/judge alongside Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid, and Britney Spears on The X Factor, and, finally, give her Teen Vogue interview, which—because she’s due back in Los Angeles that very evening—takes place in the back of a luxury SUV as it speeds toward Teterboro Airport. By all rights, she should be exhausted. But the New Mexico–born, Texas-raised 20-year-old seems anything but as she talks about the superpacked schedule she’s been keeping over the past few months. “The amount of success that I’ve had, even just in the last six months, is incredible to me,” Demi says. Read on for her thoughts about music, boys, and the importance of being real.

TEEN VOGUE: So, did you hesitate at all when Simon offered you the chance to join The X Factor? Or were you just totally psyched to do it?
DEMI LOVATO: It was a no-brainer! Right before I got the offer, I’d been sitting in a meeting feeling really discouraged [about my career], wishing I was further along. And I decided that I needed to stop thinking about what I wished I had and start thinking about what I was going to have. I was ready to do something new, and I wanted to put that out there, in the universe . . . and then he called, literally, a week and a half later.

TV: That’s kind of scary!
DL: It is. I was nine when American Idol premiered, and I remember thinking, I’ve been waiting this whole time and working on my career—and now I’m sitting on a panel with Simon.

TV: And with Britney! What’s she like? You must have looked up to her when you were starting out. . . .
DL: Yeah, she was one of the first concerts I ever went to. She’s incredible. She’s such an icon that I didn’t know what to expect, but I was excited to find out that she’s really sweet and funny and quirky. We have so much fun. We’re the two girls on the show, so we’re always laughing together, and we kind of have each other’s backs.

TV: Still, you’re a little young to be a mentor. What kind of advice are you going to give your team?
DL: There’s so much more to it than just being a talented singer. I’m going to help them mentally prepare for everything that’s coming—like, all these things that have happened to me recently, I really attribute them, in part, to the work that I’ve been doing on myself. The second that I became more centered and aware of who I am, my performances got better, and I was better able to relate to people. For a long time, I was pretending to be someone that I wasn’t, and I was miserable. When I came out and said, “I’m human, I’ve got problems, but I’m willing to share them,” that’s when I started to really connect. I’ve just begun working on my fourth album, and I want to do that in my music too. I’m tired of songs that don’t have much emotion in them.

TV: The way you’re talking suggests, like, an album of back-to-back ballads. Is that what you mean?
DL: No. I love the way that Adele has carved out a path for a singer that’s very emotional, but I also love how Taylor Swift can do the same thing—she puts a lot into her songs yet they’re still very catchy. I will say that I’m tired of all the dubstep that’s on the radio right now—I think it’s going to be out in two months. I want to make something that people will listen to for a while, rather than something that’s just trendy. I feel like I’ve grown as a person, and I want my music to grow with me.

TV: Two years ago, you left a tour and checked yourself into rehab. What are you doing now to ensure that you stay healthy?
DL: Obviously, I sleep, eat right, exercise, and meditate. And even when I’m filming or touring, I keep up my daily routine. I know that I can’t miss my therapy appointments or things will get a little rocky, so I always put my recovery first.

TV: Is it hard for you to be okay with saying no to things?
DL: It’s something I had to learn. I’ve always been a really hard worker, and so many of the opportunities I’ve had were exciting. But I’m still glad that I started working so young, because I’d dreamt about this for so long, and I might not have had the same opportunities if I’d waited.

TV: What do you like to do when you’re not shooting, or touring, or recording?
DL: I’m consistently busy, but I make sure I spend a lot of time with my friends and family. I did kind of a friend cleanse right after rehab, where I weeded out people who didn’t have my best interests at heart. Now I have friends who love me for who I am and don’t care about what I’m doing. Most of them aren’t in the industry. Some of them don’t even know my songs!

TV: And yet you’ve still got some friends in the business. For example, there’s no shortage of rumors about you and Niall Horan from One Direction.
DL: He’s a really awesome, sweet guy. But he’s not my boyfriend…. I’m in a place right now where I really need to focus on myself. Obviously, I’m still going to like people—or love them—but I need to not be in a relationship for a while because I need to be okay with being alone, first. I’m really happy right now. I never thought it was possible to be happy because of how depressed I was my entire life. But I feel so incredible. It’s like I’m living in a dream.

Fresh off of news of her X Factor gig, Demi Lovato is set to host this year’s Teen Choice Awards on July 22. The singer (“Unbroken”) and former Disney star will join Cat Deeley and others for the live show on Fox. Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen, Flo Rida, and No Doubt are set to perform.

In May, Lovato and Britney Spears announced they would be the new X-Factor judges, replacing Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger.

Source: EW.com

MTV’s article on Demi: Not even rain showers could scare away the Lovatics who crowded the PNC Bank Arts Center to catch the latest stop on Demi Lovato’s summer tour Friday night. The star, who’s fitting in the trek between her judging duties on the “X Factor,” brought out some of New Jersey’s most devoted Demi fans.

The star swaggered out to a killer guitar riff before busting out the night’s first song, “All Night Long.” She shimmied all night in red shorts, a black-and-white blazer and a sheer top, never once stumbling in her sky-high platforms.

She displayed her rock-star bravado when she teased and flirted with her band during tracks that were hardly audible over all the screams.

“Thank you so much for coming,” she told the crowd, “You guys are amazing. Let me just tell you guys, I love being in Jersey. It is one of my favorite places. You guys are the rowdiest fans.” Several tracks in, Demi displayed her musicianship by strapping on an acoustic guitar for “Catch Me,” only to switch over to a yellow electric one mid-song, proving that a ’70s rock goddess lurks inside the 19-year-old. Soon though, it was time to slow it down and she showed off her R&B princess side for the Unbroken ballad, “My Love Is a Star,” her vocal pyrotechnics mirrored by the lightning and thunder taking place just feet away from where the singer was performing.

“This next song is a pretty personal song for me,” she told the room. “How many of you guys have been through a breakup? As you all know I’ve been through a few. I’ve been there and I made it through. I love you and I’m always there for you.”

She then launched into an emotional version of her track, “Fix a Heart.” The intense moment, in which Lovato looked as though she was struggling to hold back her emotions, was met with cheers. She followed it with her now famous cover of Lil Wayne’s “How To Love.”But, things didn’t stay slow for long. “Who’s That Boy” picked up the pace followed by “You’re My Only Shorty,” “Here We Go Again,” and “La La Land.”

And then came the perfect time for her big (albeit fleeting) plug of the night when she reminded room, “Recently I’ve been working on a show ‘X Factor’ [and I get to sit] next to Britney Spears … I’m gonna slow it down a little bit. Basically I just want to see you guys,” she added, requesting that the room hold up a cell phone or glow-stick or lighter if “you’re old school.” The firefly effect only made the impact of her slow jam, “Lightweight,” more grand.

Next she sat at the piano and said, “Before my concerts I get to do a meet-and-greet with some of my fans, and some are brave enough to share some of their stories,” however as she got personal a guitar fell and she joked, “Well there goes that moment. … You don’t realize I got through my issues and my problems [because of you guys].” That was the perfect set-up for her defining power ballad, “Skyscraper.”

Then, in an interesting twist, she went into the cover of Chris Brown’s “Turn Up the Music.” And to wrap up the first act of the show she did her own tracks “Together” and her rock-tinged “Remember December.”

She came back out for her encore to deafening screams where she kept the energy turned up to a big 10 thanks to her disco anthem “Unbroken” and her current single, “Give Your Heart a Break.”

Lovato will be on the road through September 1, with her special guests Hot Chelle Rae. The tour wraps up just in time for the premiere of “X Factor” September 12.

Access Hollywood interviewed the judges about how things are going, who’s the toughest judge and how they handle Simon Cowell’s attitude.
Britney Spears: “I think I’m a fair judge. Sometimes it’s kind of hard because I know what they’ve been through and being so young and achieving their dreams and stuff… So you just have to use constructive criticism and be there for them and just show them support.I don’t think I’m the toughest judge at all, I definitely think Simon would have to be the toughest judge.”

Britney’s new BFF Demi Lovato told AccessHollywood that Cowell is tough on her, in addition to the season 2 contestants: “Simon’s great, but he nags on me so much that I don’t know if I can take it any longer. I’m a brat. I’m annoying. But I give it back to him. It’s really hard for me to smile if they’re performing and they’re horrible. I have to be super super honest and sometimes I feel bad about it.”

LA Reid on Britney: “Britney is such a massive star that it’s slightly intimidating. She’s really sweet, just really loving and charming, but she’s intimating because she’s such a big star.”
LA Reid on Demi Lovato: “Demi’s like my BBF for life. BFFL. She’s really too good to be so young.”

The X Factor Season 2 premiere starts in two parts. Part 1 is two hours on Wed., Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. ET and Part 2 is one hour on Thurs., Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. ET.

Source told STAR about X-Factor drama: ‘Tensions are at the boiling point. There is a bitter rivalry between them, and it’s already pretty much exploded, which is crazy considering how early into filming it is. Demi thinks Britney is a twit, and Britney thinks Demi is beneath her. They avoid each other as much as possible when the cameras aren’t rolling.’