Demi Lovato Opens Up About ‘Stepping Up’ To Help Selena Gomez Amid Her Lupus Battle [Video]

Demi Lovato is opening up about how she’s “stepping up” to help Selena Gomez after it was announced that she would be taking her place after Gomez pulled out of her performance at the 2016 Global Citizen Festival.

Lovato spoke out about replacing Selena at the charity concert in a new interview with Access Hollywood, where Demi got candid about “walking the walk” after speaking so openly about her charitable causes, including her support for mental health charities.

Demi spoke out about accepting a position on the 2016 Global Citizen Festival lineup, which also includes big names like Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar. In the interview, she revealed to Access Hollywood anchor Liz Hernandez that it was important for her to step in amid Gomez’s health crisis.

“I think it’s really important that you walk the walk and that you don’t just talk the talk,” Lovato admitted when asked about her last minute switch up with Selena, who announced earlier this month that she would not be performing at the festival while she takes some time away from the spotlight as she battles Lupus and anxiety.

“That’s why it’s important to step up when you need to be stepping up,” Lovato added.

People first reported that Gomez would not be taking to the Global Citizen Festival stage earlier this month, revealing that Selena’s recent announcement that she would be taking some time away after cancelling the remaining dates on her “Revival World Tour” as the reason behind her cancellation.

Demi then confirmed that she would be taking over Gomez’s spot at the big New York festival, as Lovato revealed in a statement issued to the site that she was “proud” to be performing at the huge event in Selena’s place.

“The Global Citizen Festival combines music and activism in a way that inspires and affects millions around the world,” Demi Lovato told fans in a statement obtained by People. “I am proud to support this amazing organization’s ongoing efforts to improve global healthcare and to end extreme poverty,” added Demi.

Demi’s admission in her most recent interview with Access Hollywood appeared to hint that she and Gomez may now have buried the hatchet after months of reports that she and Selena, who made no secret of their close friendship during the Disney Channel days, weren’t exactly on the friendliest of terms.

Though neither Gomez nor Lovato have spoken out directly about their friendship in recent months, Demi hit the headlines after she opted to unfollow Selena on social media after Gomez allegedly made some pretty controversial comments about the Black Lives Matter movement on Twitter.

Lovato also appeared to put Selena on blast in a July interview with ELLE Canada, where Demi admitted that she actually hates being compared to the “Good For You” singer and seemingly suggested that she, at one time, wasn’t a great friend to her.

Though Lovato notably didn’t mention Gomez be name in the new interview, fans speculated that Demi slammed those who compare her with Gomez, and even alleged that Demi called out Selena for being a good friend in the pages of the magazine.

“I’m me,” Demi said in the interview, admitting that she hates being compared to her fellow Disney Channel stars like Selena and Miley Cyrus. “I’m not anybody but myself,” Lovato continued, seemingly hinting at Selena, “and I wish people would stop comparing me to others.”

Though Lovato didn’t explicitly mention Selena’s name, fans were quick to speculate that Lovato may have put her on blast after admitting that she has been “treated badly” during at least one of her former friendships.

“There are times when I give too much to other people,” Demi said, which many fans alluding to the fact that she was referring to her former friendship with Gomez. “I’ve had friendships in my life where I do so much for the other person and it goes completely unrecognized or I get treated badly. That’s something you don’t forget.”

What do you think of Demi Lovato’s candid confessions about taking over Selena Gomez’s Global Citizen Festival slot?

[Featured Image by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]