We're not talking Jasmine, Belle and Snow White. We're talking about the young women who vaulted from Disney Channel programs to score big-time pop hits, perform sold-out concerts and date a Jonas brother.
Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera don't count — they were trained for pop stardom on "The Mickey Mouse Club." With the latest Disney darling, Olivia Rodrigo, recently winning three Grammys, including best new artist, we look at five of Disney's pop princesses.
HILARY DUFF
Born: Sept. 28, 1987.
Disney TV: "Lizzie McGuire" (2001-04).
Biggest hits: "Wake Up" (2005), "With Love" (2007).
As a teen dated: Aaron Carter and Good Charlotte's Joel Madden.
Star Tribune review: "The 16-year-old Disney superstar's headline concert debut Sunday at Target Center was more impressive than the first local headline performances by Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera or Avril Lavigne. What separates Duff from the other female teen music phenoms that came before her was her stage manner. She seemed real, not contrived or choreographed." (2004)
Now: Starring in and producing Hulu's "How I Met Your Father."
Fun fact: She has appeared in 24 movies and 29 TV series, published four books and released five studio albums.
MILEY CYRUS
Born: Nov. 23, 1992.
Disney TV: "Hannah Montana" (2006-11).
Biggest hits: "Party in the USA" (2009), "Wrecking Ball" (2013).
As a teen dated: Nick Jonas, Justin Gaston and Liam Hemsworth.
Star Tribune review: "Although she has been on a TV series for a couple of years, Miley didn't have the same kind of 'Mickey Mouse Club' song-and-dance training as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, and it definitely showed. But Miley, who turns 15 next month, has one thing that no other female teen idol has — she is the same age as many of her fans." (2007)
Now: After touring South America this year, she dropped a concert album on April 1, "Attention: Miley Live," which was recorded mostly at a Super Bowl show in February in Los Angeles.
Fun fact: She scored three No. 1 albums as Hannah Montana and three as Miley Cyrus.
DEMI LOVATO
Born: Aug. 20, 1992.
Disney TV: "Camp Rock" (2008), "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam" (2010).
Biggest hits: "Heart Attack" (2013), "Sorry Not Sorry" (2016).
As a teen dated: Trace Cyrus, Joe Jonas and Wilmer Valderrama.
Star Tribune review: "In her 2009 concert at Target Center, Lovato came across as the most talented music star in Disney's world. But while she was fresh, spontaneous and sweaty back then, on Tuesday she came on all stagey like she was auditioning for a Whitesnake video." (2012)
Now: Released "Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil," a docuseries and companion album about recovery and self-discovery, last year.
Fun fact: Starting at age 10, Lovato spent three years on "Barney and Friends."
SELENA GOMEZ
Born: July 22, 1992.
Disney TV: "Wizards of Waverly Place" (2007-12).
Biggest hits: "Good for You" (2015), "Lose You to Love Me" (2019).
As a teen dated: Nick Jonas, Justin Bieber and the Weeknd.
Star Tribune review: "Gomez smiled, charmed and proved that she can sell a song." (2016)
Now: Co-starring with Steve Martin and Martin Short in the second season of the Hulu series "Only Murders in This Building" and hosting an HBO Max cooking show, "Selena + Chef."
Fun fact: All three of her albums went to No. 1 in Billboard.
OLIVIA RODRIGO
Born: Feb. 20, 2003.
Disney TV: "Bizaardvark" (2016-18), "High School Musical: The Series" (2019).
Biggest hits: "Drivers License," "Good 4 U" (both 2021).
As a teen dated: Ethan Wacker and Joshua Bassett.
Now: Having just collected three Grammy Awards, including best new artist, she is on her first headlining tour supporting her blockbuster debut disc, "Sour."
Fun fact: In 2021, Time magazine named her Entertainer of the Year and in 2022, Billboard named her Woman of the Year.
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