Demi Lovato Didn’t Want To ‘Booze It Up’ When She Turned 21

Instead of hitting the bars and getting trashed when she turned 21, singer Demi Lovato spent her birthday working with charities abroad.

The X Factor USA judge recently discussed her decision to stay clean and sober on a day when most people get completely wasted. In addition to discussing her alcohol-free birthday with the folks at Latina magazine, she opened up about the call of motherhood.

Since Demi Lovato previously struggled with substance abuse issues — problems that forced her to seek treatment in 2011 — the singer decided to stay away from typical 21-year-old behavior. Instead, she spent her birthday assisting charities in Kenya.

“I noticed that there’s this perception on turning 21, that you have to go out and get drunk. It’s different for me because I’m in recovery. I also want to set an example for others. You don’t have to booze it up, you can do something else,” Lovato told the publication.

Since the singer spent her birthday helping others, some of the locals decided to give Lovato a very unusual present when she turned 21.

“No big deal or anything but… One of Maasai communities gave me a goat for my birthday! I named him Billy,” she shared with her 19 million followers on Twitter.

During her chat with Latina magazine, Demi Lovato also discussed her desire to have children. Although there’s nobody special in her life at the moment, the singer said she could see herself having a baby at some point over the next 10 years.

“I’m a Texas girl, so my instinct is to have babies early. In my heart I’m like, ‘Okay, it’s time to have babies!’ But it’s not. I have so much life ahead of me that I actually have to slow my roll. We’ll see where my life is in 5 years,” she explained to the magazine.

Check out Demi on the cover of Latina below.

For the moment, Lovato is focusing on her career. Not only is doing time on The X Factor, the singer is helping out with the FOX series Glee. When she kisses Naya Rivera this season, Lovato doesn’t want fans to obsess over the fact that she’s making out with a girl.

“Focus on the fact that having a young, multicultural lesbian couple on prime time is a huge step in our generation. It’s showing people that it’s okay to be who you are. Don’t be ashamed of it,” she said during the interview.

Demi Lovato fans can pick up the new issue of Latina magazine on November 12.

[Top Image via JStone / Shutterstock.com]