CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: SONY PICTURES ANIMATION; CHELSEA LAUREN/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK (INSET); WILSON WEBB; HBO S TV • MOVIES • MUSIC • AND MORE ! Demi Gets Animated! T o truly feel blue, Demi Lovato had to push herself. As the voice of courageous Smurfette in Smurfs: The Lost Village, “I was stepping out of my comfort zone,” the pop star, 24, tells Us. “When I’m singing, I’m in my element. This was so differ- ent. I was really focused.” In the cartoon flick (out April 7), her charac- ter leads her pals on a dangerous journey through a magical forest in hopes of finding a mysterious town. For her part, Lovato can get behind such a daring move: “Smurfette and I are both serious about an adventure!” The L.A.-based star, dating MMA fighter Guilherme “Bomba” Vasconcelos, 31, shares more with Us. Q: Did you want to portray Smurfette a certain way? Well, we’re both confident. So I wanted her to be seen as a confident young woman. She’s very independent. She wanted to go on this journey by herself. Q: Past Smurf cartoons have been male-centric. Was it important to you that this film have a strong female presence? Times are changing and I think that’s what people want to see. I love that this generation is going to grow up knowing you can be a strong, independent woman. I also think sto- rywise, this is something that hasn’t been done, so now we’re doing it. Q: What would your real-life Smurf name be? It would be Singing Smurf, as silly and lame as that is! Q: These days, are you focusing more on acting than music? Music is my top priority, but I would love to continue acting at some point. Right now, I’m working on my next album. Hopefully you’ll see an album by the end of this year. JAMIE BLYNN “Blue isn’t typically my favorite,” jokes Lovato. “But I’m embracing it!” While her character Smurfette seeks out adventure, Lovato tackles a new experience of her own 56 | APRIL 17, 2017