4 Female Musicians Who Started Out As Disney Stars

Many successful female musicians started as actors and actresses. In this piece, we'd discuss the likes of Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, and Selena Gomez.

These powerful women started acting but now lead a generation of musicians in their genres.

Having two careers as a celebrity is not a new thing, but keeping up with both professions and excelling while at it is a whole other story. It takes guts to transcend from movies to singing successfully, and that is why these women mentioned above are among the few most sought-after artists of the 21st century.

They have not only successfully handled two intimidating industries but made a ton of wealth while at it.

Please keep reading to see more about their journies from the theater to the Billboards.

Demi Lovato was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on August 20, 1992. They were raised in Dallas, Texas, and began playing the piano at age seven and the guitar at ten.

Lovato rose to fame as Mitchie Torres in "Camp Rock" (2008) and its sequel "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam" (2010). The film's soundtrack included "This Is Me," Lovato's debut single and duet with Joe Jonas, which peaked at no nine on the Billboard Hot 100.

They also appeared on television in "Sonny with a Chance" from 2009 to 2011. Before this, in 2008, they joined Hollywood Records and released their pop-rock debut album, "Don't Forget," which opened at number two on the Billboard 200.

Its follow-up, "Here We Go Again," debuted at number one in the United States. "Unbroken," Lovato's third studio album released in 2011, dabbled with pop and R&B and yielded the platinum-certified single "Skyscraper" in the United States.

They also have hit singles like "Heart Attack" and "Confident," which smashed insane records.

Lovato has sold over 24 million records in the United States and has garnered various honors, including five People's Choice Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, 14 Teen Choice Awards, and a Grammy.

Selena Gomez was born on July 22, 1992, in Texas. She debuted as an actress on the children's television show "Barney & Friends" (2002–2004), where she and Lovato met and became friends.

Gomez also guest-starred in "The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody" and "Hannah Montana." She gained fame as Alex Russo in Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place" (2007–2012). She then co-starred with Lovato in "The Princess Protection Programme." Similarly, she featured in the film "Hotel Transylvania 2" in 2015.

Per her music career, Gomez released her first album with her band, "Selena Gomez & the Scene," in 2009 and debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 album charts. With this band, she released two more albums before going solo.

Her first solo album, titled "Stars Dance," came to fruition in 2013, and its lead track, "Come & Get It," became Gomez's first top ten Billboard Hot 100 entry. She sent shock waves down fans' spines two years later with her second solo album titled "Revival." This album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

According to Billboard, Gomez has sold over seven million albums and 22 million singles globally as of 2017. She is one of the most followed celebrities on social media

Ariana Grande was born in Boca Raton, Florida, on June 26, 1993. She began performing on stage as a child and moved to Broadway at age 15.

Grande made her television debut on the Nickelodeon series "Victorious," where she played Cat Valentine, a quirky wannabe singer-actress. Despite being preoccupied with the show, she still pursued a musical career, making her first record with the Victorious soundtrack.

In 2011, Grande released the track "Put Your Hearts Up," a pop tune focused on her young Victorious fans' hearts.

She's the sitcom star-turned-pop music sensation known for songs like "Problem," "Bang Bang," "Dangerous Woman," and "Thank U, Next."

Grande has sold over 85 million albums, singles, and collaborations worldwide and is frequently regarded as a pop icon.

Almost all her studio albums have been certified, at least platinum, and she has garnered various honors throughout her career, including two Grammy Awards, one Brit Award, two Billboard Music Awards, 27 Guinness World Records, and many more.

Miley Cyrus was born on November 23, 1992, in Franklin, Tennessee, to Leticia and country musician Billy Ray Cyrus.

Her parents nicknamed her "smiley" since she smiled a lot as a child. Smiley was then shortened to Miley, which she is now known by.

Cyrus auditioned for the lead part in "Hannah Montana," a Disney Channel series about a girl who lives a double life as a middle-school student and as a dazzling pop singer with the help of a blonde wig.

Hannah Montana had two number-ones; one on the US Billboard 200 and the top-ten hit "He Could Be the One" on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Cyrus's discography includes two number-one albums in the United States.

With songs like "Wrecking Ball," "Plastic Hearts" became Cyrus's most acclaimed album and her first Billboard chart entry. The RIAA awarded "Party in the USA" a Diamond certification.

She was named MTV's Best Artist in 2013 and was named to Billboard's Greatest of All Time Artists Chart in 2019. She is frequently cited as one of the few successful child actors-turned-singers.