Demi Lovato on Her Holiday Special, Directing Documentary 'Child Star' and New Music in 2024 (Exclusive)

Lovato opened up in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE about ‘A Very Demi Holiday Special’ and their next album

Demi Lovato is feeling extra festive this year.

The pop-punk star, 31, went all out for the holidays by starring in their first Christmas special, A very demi holiday specialwhich premiered Friday on the Roku channel.

Although Lovato (who uses the pronouns she/they) had no “particular reason” for hosting her holiday special, she jumped at the opportunity when it presented itself.

“It was really hard to skip,” they told PEOPLE backstage Show Jennifer Hudson. “I love the holidays. They’re so much fun and mean a lot to me, so I had to say yes.”

Demi Lovato shares holiday trailer for ‘A Very Demi Holiday Special’ with JoJo, Paris Hilton and more

In the one-hour special, Lovato enlists her select family to help her with several holiday activities, including celebrity guests such as singer JoJo, model/entrepreneur Hailey Baldwin Bieber, reality star Paris Hilton, drag star Trixie Mattel and comedian Tiffany Haddish.

Lovato takes the stage with the “Too Little Too Late” singer, 32, to perform a duet, bakes special holiday cookies with Hilton, 42, makes ugly Christmas sweaters with Girls trip actress, 44, and dances on Nutcracker with Drag Race star, 34.

So did Lovato end up enjoying one holiday activity more than the rest?

“My favorite segment of the holiday special would have to be making meatloaf with Paris Hilton,” said the “Convinced” musician. “We really had a lot of fun with our dogs, decorating them and seeing who liked whose cake better.”

Paris Hilton and Demi Lovato in ‘A Very Demi Holiday Special’.

Tori Time/OBB Media

Lovato was also excited to reunite with JoJo — who they teamed up with for the “Man” singer’s remix of “Lonely Hearts” back in 2020 — for a duet of the holiday classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

Aside from the holiday special, Lovato would love to work with JoJo again in the studio.

“I think she’s extremely talented, her voice is amazing and I love singing with her,” Lovato said, “so I think it would be really cool to do something on my next album.”

Demi Lovato recalls how she ‘helped’ boyfriend Jutes get a tattoo: ‘We’re super in love’

Lovato, who released their eighth studio album SAINT FVCK last year and their rock-inspired cover project RENEWED in September, they just so happen to be in the studio again “playing with some sounds” and working on their next album.

“I still don’t know where the album is going, but I’ve definitely been in the studio having a good time,” she said. “I hope to release new music next year.”

However, they are not sure which genre – rock or another – will be the focus of the album and “are not putting any pressure” on the project’s timeline.

Lovato is also gearing up for her directorial debut with Hulu’s upcoming documentary Child starwhose premiere is scheduled for 2024.

According to a press release, the film — which Lovato will co-direct with Nicola Marsh — will “deconstruct the highs and lows of growing up in the spotlight through the lens of some of the world’s most famous former child stars.”

Demi Lovato in ‘A Very Demi Holiday Special’.

Tori Time/OBB Media

Lovato, who was a child star himself, wanted to pursue this project because “they had never seen a documentary on this subject before.”

“I want this to give some insight into what it’s like to become a child performer, whether it’s acting or through music, but in the entertainment industry because my parents didn’t understand that before I was a child star,” they said of the project.

Lovato believes that if her parents had “insight” into the child star at the time, they would have realized the full extent of what they were getting themselves into.

“It’s also important because we’re now in a digital age with TikTok, YouTube and social media where kids are becoming famous for unwrapping toys, and this is the new era of the child star,” they said. “So that conversation is important too.”

Child star also offers “a fascinating look at the history of child stars and why some child stars end up down a dark path, why some end up completely normal, why some people leave the industry, why some people stay in the industry.”

But for now, Lovato is focused on this Christmas, which will be the first she’ll spend with her boyfriend, Jutes, who she publicly dated in August 2022.

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Demi Lovato in ‘A Very Demi Holiday Special’.

Tori Time/OBB Media

Paris Hilton and Demi Lovato are getting ready for the holidays by making their dogs pet-friendly cakes

“He’s from Ottawa, so he flew up there last year,” Lovato recalled, before adding, “This year is our first Christmas together. His mom is going to join us, so I’m excited about that.”

Lovato is also looking forward to her usual holiday traditions — making s’mores, opening presents with her family on Christmas morning and enjoying toast afterward.

Lovato, who has never released a Christmas album, is even open to the possibility.

“I think it could be really cool, so maybe next year. You never know,” she said.

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Source: HIS Education