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The recent People's Choice Award winner as Favorite Pop Artist is also the Big 12's choice to help sing its praises.
The conference's public service announcement for women's basketball, which debuted last weekend, features Demi Lovato's "Together" from her current album Unbroken.
"I am honored and very proud to be a voice for the Big 12 this season. I'm very thankful and blessed to be a part of a history-making season this year. I love the PSA myself and I know other will love it, too," Lovato told FOXSportsSouthwest.com.
Besides being born and raised in the Big 12 region (Dallas), the pop star makes no public vow of favoritism towards any conference school. However, Lovato's stepfather and manager, Eddie DeLaGarza, is a Texas Tech graduate and was a letterman on the 1986 Red Raiders baseball team.
Lovato's mother, Dianna, is a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and played basketball in junior high school. It's a well-rounded sports family.
"I love watching basketball when I can. I've become a Lakers fan since I've been in L.A." Lovato said. "I love it when Momma says, 'Hey, let's go play,' because even if it's just her and me – once we start playing it seems our whole family makes their way out on the court before it's over. It's a great way to bring the family together."
The conference has purchased rights to the song that will allow it to run through the season and NCAA Tournament.
"The Big 12 is so very excited to have Demi Lovato's music featured on its women's basketball PSAs this season," commented conference senior associate commissioner Dru Hancock. "Demi is not only a talented artist, but also raised in our geographical region."
Baylor junior guard Jordan Madden added, "Demi Lovato is one of my favorite singers. I'm really pumped that she is the voice of Big 12 women's basketball."
A performer since her childhood days of co-starring alongside Barney the Dinosaur, Lovato blossomed as a teen pop star through a series of Disney television shows and films, and has since graduated to a career as a solo pop artist. At age 19, she's very much in her college years. But, a degree hasn't been necessary to achieve some of the success she's enjoyed already. Her current album, Unbroken, is nearing a quarter-million copies sold. Her first single, "Skyscraper", is certified Gold with more than 824,000 digital sales and was an iTunes No. 1 single after its release.
Still, Lovato hasn't completely ruled out college just yet.
"I don't have a particular college (plan) right now. I've been so busy with my career I haven't had time to think about it. But if I did go to college it would need to be one with a good law program because I'd love to one day go to law school," she said.
Earlier this year, Lovato made another connection to her home sports region, singing the national anthem before the Texas Rangers' World Series Game 5 with the St. Louis Cardinals. She hardly hid her home team allegiance, donning a red Rangers jersey under a black blazer.
"That was an experience I will never forget as long as I live. It was amazing!" Lovato exclaimed. "Such a huge honor to be asked. I was nervous, I have to admit, because I knew 30 million people were watching. But, afterwards, I got such great feedback from everyone. I'm so glad I got to do it."
The Big 12 PSA will run all season long during televised women's basketball games. This weekend, FSN has a triple-header of Big 12 women's hoops. Saturday is Bedlam, as Oklahoma faces Oklahoma State in Stillwater at 11 a.m. On Sunday, Kansas is at Missouri at 11:30 a.m., followed at 1:30 p.m. by No. 1 Baylor at No. 25 Texas.
The PSA can also been seen on the Big 12 Conference's YouTube channel. The video had nearly 10,000 views less than a week after being posted, due in large part to social media buzz with Lovato's fans.
