Two of Disney Channel's most prominent alumni have reconciled after years of distance. Selena Gomez attended the opening night of Demi Lovato's It's Not That Deep Tour at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida, on Monday, April 13, marking the first public reunion between the former close friends in nearly a decade.
Gomez, 33, shared her enthusiasm for the performance via her Instagram Story, writing, "I am in tears, [Demi Lovato]. This was hands down one of the best shows. Oh and the VOCALS? Psh *blown away*." The post included a photograph of the two embracing backstage, with Gomez adding a heart emoji over the image.
The reunion represents a significant moment for both entertainers, whose friendship dates back to their childhood work together on Barney & Friends in the early 2000s. Both women subsequently achieved stardom as teenagers on the Disney Channel, even costarring in the 2009 television movie Princess Protection Program.
Gomez documented her experience at the concert through multiple Instagram posts, including footage of herself enjoying a support set from Adéla before Lovato, 33, took the stage. Fans in attendance also captured videos showing Gomez in the audience throughout the evening.
The concert featured another notable reunion when Lovato brought her ex-boyfriend and Camp Rock costar Joe Jonas on stage to perform duets of "This Is Me" and "On the Line," demonstrating the evening's theme of reconnection and nostalgia.
The relationship between Gomez and Lovato has been the subject of public speculation for years. In a 2010 interview, Lovato reflected on their close bond, stating it was difficult to film argumentative scenes for Princess Protection Program because "we've never really gotten into arguments before. We never antagonize each other like that."
However, the friendship appeared to fracture in subsequent years. Rumors of a feud emerged in 2010 when Lovato, asked by a fan about Gomez, replied, "Ask Taylor [Swift]." The comment referenced Gomez's close friendship with Swift, 36, which developed when both were dating members of the Jonas Brothers in the late 2000s.
Lovato publicly confirmed the estrangement in an April 2020 Harper's Bazaar interview, acknowledging they were "not friends" anymore while adding, "I will always have love for her, and I wish everybody nothing but the best." A source told Us Weekly that same month that there was "no beef with Selena and there is no animosity between them" but confirmed "they're just not friends at this point."
Recent months have shown signs of thawing between the two stars. Gomez told the "Therapuss" podcast in August 2025 that she appreciated seeing her former Disney Channel colleagues, including Lovato, the Jonas Brothers, and Miley Cyrus, succeed in their adult careers.
In September 2025, Lovato appeared on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen and called Gomez's support "really, really sweet." She also congratulated Gomez on her engagement to Benny Blanco, stating, "I couldn't be happier for her. She's engaged. I just wish her the best." Gomez and Blanco, 38, subsequently married on September 27, 2025, at the Sea Crest Nursery in Santa Barbara, California.
More recently, Lovato reflected on the challenges of growing up in the public eye alongside successful peers during a March appearance on the "Baby, This Is Keke Palmer" podcast. She acknowledged that "you naturally have insecurities at a young age" and admitted to comparing herself to others, but credited her mother with instilling the belief that "there's room for everyone. It's not a competition."
Lovato added, "That's what I really stuck by. That's what kind of got me through that period. I was always rooting for everybody." She also stated she "will always be grateful for the friendship that I have and continue to have" with Gomez.
The It's Not That Deep Tour represents Lovato's first full-scale arena concerts since 2018. The tour will continue throughout the spring, with performances scheduled across the country before concluding in Houston on May 25. Monday's opening night in Orlando demonstrated that the tour will offer not only musical performances but also moments of personal significance for the artist and her longtime supporters.