Selena Marie Gomez is an American singer, actress, producer, and businesswoman. She began her career as a child actress, starring on the children's television series Barney & Friends (2002–2004), and rose to prominence as a teen idol, leading as Alex Russo on the Disney Channel sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place (2007–2012). As a singer, she signed with Hollywood Records in 2008 and formed the pop rock band Selena Gomez & the Scene. The band released three studio albums, all of which have been certified gold or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Wizards of Waverly Place is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo, a teenage wizard living on Waverly Place in the Greenwich Village section of New York City, who undertakes training alongside her siblings, Justin and Max, who are also equipped with magical abilities. The siblings are trained knowing that one day they will compete to win sole custody of their family's powers. Episodes focus on Alex's challenges in keeping her secret powers hidden while she deals with the social and personal issues of her youth. She frequently uses magic in her everyday life, sometimes irresponsibly, and develops her supernatural abilities over the course of the series. The main themes depicted include family, friendship, and adolescence; the series also contains fantasy elements.
Demetria Devonne "Demi" Lovato is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series Barney & Friends (2002–2004), she starred in the Disney Channel short series As the Bell Rings (2007–2008). Lovato rose to prominence for playing Mitchie Torres in the musical television film Camp Rock (2008) and its sequel Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010). The former film's soundtrack contained "This Is Me", her debut single and duet, which peaked at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"We Rock" is the first official single by the cast of the 2008 Disney Channel television film Camp Rock and was featured on the soundtrack of the same name. It premiered on Radio Disney on April 19, 2008, and was released by Walt Disney Records onto the iTunes Store on June 3. The song was written by Kara DioGuardi and Greg Wells and produced by Wells. It featured vocals from Demi Lovato, Aaryn Doyle, Renee Sandstrom, Anna Maria Perez de Taglé, Roshon Fegan, Jordan Francis, Nick, Kevin, and Joe Jonas, Alyson Stoner, Meaghan Martin and Kara DioGuardi as a background singer.
Studio DC: Almost Live is the title of a pair of specials that aired on the Disney Channel. The specials are half-hour variety shows featuring The Muppets and Disney Channel stars performing comedy sketches and musical numbers together. The style is similar to that of The Muppet Show. The first special aired August 3, 2008, and was hosted by Dylan and Cole Sprouse. The second special aired October 5, 2008, was hosted by Selena Gomez.
Disney Girlz Rock 2 is a follow-up to the 2005 compilation of the same name. It includes some of the most popular female Disney artists like Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, and Selena Gomez, as well as former Disney-turned-mainstream teen-pop acts and girl groups such as Hilary Duff and Aly & AJ. This album also contains a song by KSM. The CD was released on September 9, 2008. The album contains mostly songs that have been used on Disney Channel films and television series, as well as songs from artists that have received airplay on Radio Disney.
Sonny with a Chance is an American teen sitcom created by Steve Marmel that aired on Disney Channel for two seasons between February 2009 and January 2011. The series centers on Sonny Munroe, portrayed by Demi Lovato, a teenage comedian from Wisconsin who joins the cast of a sketch comedy television series titled So Random! after moving to Hollywood, Los Angeles. Episodes deal with Sonny's attempts to develop relationships with her castmates and establish her role within the group, focusing on her life working on the show's set, as well as coming to terms with her newfound fame. The main themes depicted include the focus on friendships and adolescence. The series also stars Tiffany Thornton, Sterling Knight, Brandon Mychal Smith, Doug Brochu and Allisyn Ashley Arm. Sonny with a Chance also contains fully-produced comedy sketches from the show-within-a-show. These elements draw inspiration from the Nickelodeon series All That, which executive producers Brian Robbins and Sharla Sumpter Bridgett previously worked on, as well as 30 Rock.
Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie is a 2009 American fantasy comedy drama television film based on the Disney Channel Original Series Wizards of Waverly Place. It was directed by Lev L. Spiro and filmed primarily in San Juan, Puerto Rico in February and March 2009. The full cast of the series starred in the film, although Jennifer Stone only had a small role at the beginning of the film. The film focuses on Alex Russo having to reverse a wish she made that her parents never met after being grounded during a trip to the Caribbean.
Disney's Friends for Change is a pro-social "green" initiative that started in the summer of 2009.
"Send It On" is a song recorded by American recording artists Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez from charity project Disney's Friends for Change. The track's producers Adam Anders and Peer Åström co-wrote it with Nikki Hassman. The song was released on August 11, 2009, by Walt Disney and Hollywood Records as a promotional charity single in order to benefit international environmental associations. In regard to the song and the campaign, the six singers noted that it is a good cause and that it is one dear to them. Lyrically, the pop ballad is about passing on an environmentalist message.
Kiss & Tell is the debut studio album by American band Selena Gomez & the Scene. The album was released on September 29, 2009 through Hollywood Records. The album is composed mainly of pop rock and electronic rock, with Gomez citing bands such as Paramore and Forever the Sickest Kids as influences on the album. Ted Bruner and Trey Vittetoe worked extensively on the record with Gomez, producing multiple tracks. Gomez worked with Gina Schock on several songs for the album, while Rock Mafia produced two of the album's tracks.
"Naturally" is a song performed by American band Selena Gomez & the Scene, taken from their debut studio album Kiss & Tell (2009). It was released by Hollywood Records as the album's second single in the United States and select other countries. The song was produced by Antonina Armato and Tim James who wrote the song with Devrim Karaoglu. Musically, "Naturally" is an uptempo dance-pop song which relies on electropop. The song's lyrics speak of a relationship in which feelings are not forced and the protagonist sings of their happiness. The song officially impacted US mainstream radio on January 19, 2010, and was released physically in numerous European countries thereafter. The song also appears on the international standard edition of the band's second album, A Year Without Rain (2010).
The 31st Young Artist Awards ceremony, presented by the Young Artist Association, honored excellence of young performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film, television, theatre and music for the year 2009, and took place on April 11, 2010 at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn Hotel in North Hollywood, California.
The first season of Wizards of Waverly Place aired on Disney Channel from October 12, 2007 to August 31, 2008. The season introduces the Russo children, Alex, Justin, and Max Russo as they compete to become the leading wizard in their family. Maria Canals Barrera and David DeLuise star as their parents and Jennifer Stone co-stars as Alex's best friend, Harper Finkle.
Allison Liddi-Brown is an American television director and producer.
Disney Sing It: Party Hits is a karaoke video game released on September 24, 2010, throughout Europe and on October 12, 2010, in the United States for the PlayStation 3 and Wii.
The 11th ALMA Awards honored the accomplishments made by Hispanics in film, television, and music in 2008. The ceremony was held on September 17, 2009 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.
How to Build a Better Boy is a 2014 American sci-fi teen romantic comedy film released as a Disney Channel Original Movie. It is directed by Paul Hoen and written by Jason Mayland. It stars China Anne McClain, Kelli Berglund and Marshall Williams. The first images were shown during a promo for Disney Channel's Summer 2014, while the first promo aired on June 27, 2014 during the premiere of the Disney Channel Original Movie, Zapped. The film premiered on August 15, 2014.
Selena Gomez is an American actress, singer, and producer. As a child, she began her acting career by appearing on the children's television series Barney & Friends (2002–2004). She rose to prominence for her lead role as Alex Russo on the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel television series, Wizards of Waverly Place (2007–2012). It garnered positive reviews, with Gomez's being particularly praised for her comic timing and sarcastic delivery. Gomez had a leading role as an aspiring dancer in the direct-to-video film Another Cinderella Story (2008), and won the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie — Leading Young Actress. This was followed by lead roles in two 2009 Disney Channel films—Princess Protection Program and Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie—the latter was cable's number-one scripted telecast of the year in total viewers and won a Primetime Emmy Award. Gomez then starred in the film adaptation of the children's novel series by Beverly Cleary, Ramona and Beezus (2010), with Gomez portraying Beezus Quimby. The following year, she played the lead role of Grace, a teenager "mistaken for a British heiress", in the comedy film Monte Carlo.
American singer and actor Demi Lovato has released two video albums and appeared in various music videos, films, and television shows. From her debut album Don't Forget (2008), she released music videos for its eponymous single as well as "Get Back" and "La La Land". Lovato released her second album Here We Go Again in 2009, producing music videos for the eponymous single and "Remember December". Her third studio album Unbroken (2011) spawned music videos for "Skyscraper", which won Best Video with a Message at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, and "Give Your Heart a Break". She then released her fourth studio album Demi (2013), which was accompanied by music videos for "Heart Attack", which was nominated for Best Female Video at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, "Made in the USA", "Neon Lights", and "Really Don't Care".
