Demi Lovato got candid about how the Disney Channel was 'always pitting' her against Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez in search of 'the number one girl' at the dawn of their careers.
'You naturally have insecurities at a young age, so you start comparing yourself to other people,' the 33-year-old pop star told Baby, This is Keke Palmer podcast on Tuesday.
'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.'
Lovato and Gomez famously kickstarted their careers in 2002 by co-starring as Angela and Gianna on the children's show Barney & Friends.
The homeschooled millennials also co-starred in Allison Liddi-Brown's comedy Princess Protection Program, which aired on the Disney Channel in 2009.
Demi Lovato (L, seen in 2008) got candid about how the Disney Channel was 'always pitting' her against Miley Cyrus (M) and Selena Gomez (R) in search of 'the number one girl' at the dawn of their careers
'You naturally have insecurities at a young age, so you start comparing yourself to other people,' she told Baby, This is Keke Palmer podcast on Tuesday
'I felt this safety when I came into the Disney Channel having a built-in friendship there already,' Lovato said.
'I will always be grateful for the friendship that I have and continue to have [with Gomez].'
The Only Murders in the Building actress starred in fantasy teen sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place for four seasons spanning 2007-2012 while the Kiss songstress only spent two seasons on short show As the Bell Rings from 2007-2009.
Meanwhile, the 33-year-old Grammy winner launched her career as the titular Hannah Montana opposite her famous father Billy Ray Cyrus, and the hit sitcom aired for four seasons spanning 2006-2011.
The talented trio also happened to date Jonas brothers during their early aughts hey-day.
'There's so many emotions that come to mind when I think about that period of time in my life,' Lovato said.
'You know, having struggled with an eating disorder while on camera was really challenging. I struggled with my mental health very much so, but ultimately, like, very fond memories. I made friends that I will have for the rest of my life.'
Ironically, the two-time Grammy nominee - who didn't cook until age 29 - has been hard at work promoting her 256-page cookbook One Plate at a Time: Recipes for Finding Freedom with Food, which hits shelves March 17.
Last July, Gomez told Jake Shane's Therapuss podcast that it was 'good to see' her childhood colleagues 'Miley and Demi' still 'doing their thing.'
Lovato responded two months later, telling Bravo's Watch What Happens Live that she 'wished her the best' and 'really, really loved the songs' on her latest album, I Said I Love You First.
Lovato and Gomez famously kickstarted their careers in 2002 by co-starring as Angela and Gianna on the children's show Barney & Friends (seen in 2008)
'But one thing my mom instilled in me was, "There's room for everyone. It's not a competition,"' Lovato said
Cyrus, 33,(R, seen in 2009) launched her career as the titular Hannah Montana opposite her famous father Billy Ray Cyrus, and the hit sitcom aired for four seasons spanning 2006-2011
The talented trio also happened to date Jonas brothers during their early aughts hey-day
On Tuesday, the New Mexico-born brunette rocked a black leather jacket over a pink teddy and wide-leg blue jeans to attend Taco Bell's Live Más LIVE 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium.
Lovato took on her first dramatic acting role as pregnant Seattle woman Nova in Stephanie Laing's critically-acclaimed drama Tow, which hits limited US theaters on March 20.
It stars Rose Byrne as homeless woman Amanda Ogle, who battles a $21,634 tow bill.
The Here All Night singer is scheduled to kick off her 23-date It's Not That Deep Tour on April 8 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC
Lovato will also executive produce Veronica Rodriguez's Jonas Brothers musical Camp Rock 3, which premieres this summer on Disney+.
The Caliwater Cactus Water investor is lucky to be alive after suffering a near-fatal heroin and fentanyl overdose inside her $8.3M Hollywood Hills mansion back in 2018.
Lovato - who wed backup singer Jordan 'Jutes' Lutes on May 25 - became 'legally blind with hearing loss and brain damage' after suffering 'three strokes and a heart attack.'