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Not long ago, 15-year-old Demi Lovato was sitting in a conference room on Disney's Burbank, Calif., lot with a dozen high -powered executives from across the conglomerate's divisions. She had submitted an audition tape, and the assembled bosses wanted to talk to her about auditioning for a few upcoming TV pilots. Disney Chan- nel Worldwide president of entertainment Gary Marsh asked on a whim: "I know you sing -would you mind sharing something with us ?" "They kind of put me on the spot," Lovato recalls. "I don't mind it. When people put me on the spot, it's kind of like, 'Hey, I'm not going to get nervous.

I'm just going to do what I do.' So I did what I did." What she did was belt out a spot -on rendition of 's "Ain't No Other Man." And, with that, she had the lead in the 's sum- mer movie "Camp Rock." "Our jaws just dropped," senior VP/GM Bob Cavallo says. Lovato signed a record deal, and her first will drop later this year. Lovato's sweet show of vocal prowess as Cinderella- with -a- guitar in "Camp Rock" also led to another pro- fessional milestone: Now she's teaming up with her co -stars in the movie, the , on the music side tour this summer, but Lovato enlisted we've learned more from life in the last couple ofyears." The Jonas Brothers of her career. Not only will she open for the siblings on their Burnin' Up co- writing. power pop hooks remain, the Jonas (above in a performance them in crafting her pop sound for her upcoming album, due in November, by co- producing and While the catchy clip from the make it on a Disney album," she says, laughing. "It's too dark. My Brothers show some daring with their songwriting and appropriately named "I'm more of a writer whose stuff wouldn't I need help writ- musicianship. Catchy lead single "Burnin' Up" is rem- Disney reality series mom's like, 'Oh my gosh, go to therapy.' So I came to [the Jonas Brothers] like, `Ummmm ... 'Living the Dream') are ing catchy stuff just because, well, my target audience isn't metal music: " iniscent of and . It's des- headlining arenas and is sequel, "Camp Heavy Metal" does have a nice ring to it. -AD tined to be a crowd pleaser -it's no coincidence that amphitheaters in North Don't rule it out just yet, Demi -if there a the upcoming tour takes its name from the track. America this summer. The next single, "Love Bug," is a complete departure They made us feel amaz- for the band. Stripped down at the beginning -and fea- ture the brothers as world -beating rock stars who also through the entire concert. their own quick -hit, behind -the- turing an interlude with the sound of Joe tap- dancing- go to high school. ing." They also post to YouTube. (The latest shows them it builds to a traditional, catchy pop ending. "What I learned from spending some time with them scenes videos in London. It received almost half "We think that the group will be big enough that we during 'Camp Rock' and during the shortform series befuddled by a bidet days.) can get radio to react to it instantly, instead of being is to let the Jonas Brothers be the Jonas Brothers," Marsh a million views in three the collaborative spirit frightened to death," Hollywood Records president Bob says. "To me, their appeal is their authenticity." And they seem to understand than most music executives. Dur- Cavallo says. All of this, of course, is targeted at teenage girls, and of the medium better they encourage their Scheduled third for release is "Shelf," which has gui- with that comes the merch targeting teenage girls' wal- ing almost every performance, cell phones and record videos, tar- driven undertones much like early Weezer. Finally, lets. A cavalcade of Jonas Brothers ephemera already is fans to bust out their -Mart: then upload it all to YouTube. there's "A Little Bit Longer," a ballad written by Nick available online and from big -box stores like Wal to live show, when we saw cam- Jonas out of fear and frustration when he was diagnosed earrings emblazoned with the name of your favorite "When it came the glow sticks, eras or cell phones or camera phones, it was never any- three years ago with Type 1 diabetes. Jonas, tour lanyards, Jonas Brothers- branded manager Phil McIntyre says. "Pretty much we were writing all these songs when sweatpants and even a shirt dedicated to the youngest thing that concerned us," viewed it as something that was going to ex- we were on tour, and we didn't have time to go into a brother, 7- year -old Frankie, the "Bonus Jonas." (Frankie "We really reach." studio and record," Joe says. "There's a lot of time when has his own band. They do house and club music. No pand the boys' domination, when do they you're on the tour bus where there's a lot of waiting kidding.) In the fall, a coffee -table book will be pub- So, on their path to global to catch their breath? Don't worry about around. We have like four hours in each day where we lished by Disney's Hyperion Books imprint with be- have a chance Jr. They haven't yet attained a level of could really do something." hind- the -scenes photos from the Burnin' Up tour. it, Kevin says. in Europe yet, so "it is kind of Thus, the majority of the album was written and "It's killing me, baby- killing me -trying to keep point- and -scream fame being able to go in a mall," he says with a laugh. recorded on a tour bus retrofitted as a recording studio. up with these kids," Wavra says. crazy the Crystal Skull" and Sponsored by Gibson Guitars, the vehicle shuttled the Behind the BlackBerry- busting schedule, however, They've seen "Indiana Jones and LaBeouf. They've played a few trio around during its Look Me in the Eyes tour last year. are three young guys who seem not to need sleep or give a rave review to Shia forward to filming It's additional proofof the Jonas Brothers' ability to mul- regular meals, but instead fuel their metabolism on a rounds of golf. And they look have a regular day - titask- something that will again come in handy on diet of music and promotional appearances. " J.O.N.A.S.," which means they'll on the Disney lot in Burbank, the Burning' Up tour, which will be filmed for a movie Not that they're complaining. They would never com- to -day filming schedule - will be weird for us, I think, being in one place that will be released in theaters in 2009. plain. They love what they do and not in a publicist Calif. "It Modeled after the hugely successful "Hannah Mon- scripted sort of way. Nick, 15, is the de facto leader of the for many weeks," Joe says. we say every night: 'Living the tana / Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" band, a musical prodigy-he's a vocalist, guitarist and "We have a slogan that living the dream,' " Kevin Sr. says. "We film-which earned $65.2 million at the box office, mak- drummer-who took turns on Broadway and recorded dream, baby, it out, as a group, because ing it the highest -grossing concert film of all time, and solo before teaming with his brothers. Joe, 18, gather together and shout to do what very few people could even imagine featured a guest appearance by the Jonas Brothers -the is the charming spotlight hog who sings and plays key- they get But at the same time, we prioritize that they band's own movie also will be shot in 3 -D and feature be- boards, and 20- year -old Kevin is the chatty guitarist with and dream. be healthy." hind-the -scenes interstitial segments with the brothers. a quick wit. But despite their different temperments and have their own time. It has to All Jonas brothers were the pic- Art Repola produced the "" theatri- stages in life-and the inevitable baggage that comes (Case in point: three politeness during their cal release and is onboard again with director Bruce with being related and working together-they reach a ture of earnest, professional an hour later, while talking Hendricks for the Jonas Brothers feature. The movie happy medium in their songwriting. Billboard interviews. Half like typical loud teenage - will be filmed during the July 13 -14 concerts at the "When we're writing together, we're really open to to their father, they sounded in the background.) Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and the day- in -the- each other's ideas, which I think is really important boy maniacs family then, they've maintained life features will be shot during the tour, Repola says. when you're writing songs," Nick says. "No one can be Among the immediate a semblance of normalcy. But outside "We're going to be in rehearsals before the tour opens, closed- minded, because then nothing is going to work. perspective and of commerce grind unabated. watching and picking our camera angles based on the For us, it's really just one of our passions. It's kind of the Jonas unit, the gears sell magazines, they sell concert tick- show and the choreography," he says. "We're really ex- our roots." "They sell. They ets, they sell albums, they sell videos, they sell merchan- cited about shooting these guys in 3 -D -they play an Besides their songwriting, the Jonas Brothers take Wavra says. "Every guy on the planet wants to get amazing show with a lot of physical stunts." an active role in their online strategy. They blog almost dise," When the tour and film are complete, the Jonas Broth- daily on their MySpace page -their review of the Lon- a taste of this band." ers will settle down in Los Angeles to work on a scripted don show reads: "Somehow a lot of our fans made their with us Additional reporting by Mark Sutherland. TV series-tentatively titled "J.O.N.A.S. " -that will fea- way to the front of the venue and rocked out

JUNE 21, 2008 www.billboard.biz I 27

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