Demi Lovato on Her Holiday Special, Directing Documentary 'Child Star' and New Music in 2024 (Exclusive)

Lovato opened up in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE about 'A Very Demi Holiday Special' and their next album

Demi Lovato is feeling particularly festive this year.

The pop-punk star, 31, went all in on the holidays starring in their first-ever Christmas special, A Very Demi Holiday Special, which premiered on Friday via The Roku Channel.

Though Lovato (who uses she/they pronouns) didn't have a "particular reason" for hosting her holiday special, she jumped at the opportunity when it presented itself.

"It was really hard to pass up," they told PEOPLE while backstage at The Jennifer Hudson Show. "I love the holidays. They're so fun, and they mean a lot to me, so I had to say 'yes.'"

Related: Demi Lovato Shares the Festive Trailer for 'A Very Demi Holiday Special' Featuring JoJo, Paris Hilton and More

In the hour-long special, Lovato enlists her chosen family to help her in a few holiday activities, which includes celebrity guests like the singer JoJo, model/entrepreneur Hailey Baldwin Bieber, reality star Paris Hilton, drag star Trixie Mattel and comedian Tiffany Haddish.

Lovato takes the stage with the "Too Little Too Late" singer, 32, to perform a duet, whips up special holiday cakes with Hilton, 42, makes ugly Christmas sweaters with the Girls Trip actress, 44, and dances to the Nutcracker with the Drag Race star, 34.

So, did Lovato end up enjoying one holiday activity more than the others?

"My favorite segment of the holiday special would have to be the meat cake-making with Paris Hilton," the "Confident" musician declared. "We had a really great time with our dogs, dressing them up and seeing who liked whose cake better."

Lovato was also excited to reunite with JoJo — whom they teamed up with for the remix of the "Man" performer's track "Lonely Hearts" back in 2020 — for a duet of the holiday classic "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

Beyond Lovato's holiday special, she would love to collaborate with JoJo again in the studio.

"I think she's so extremely talented, her voice is incredible and I love singing with her," Lovato said, "so I think doing something on my next album could be really cool."

Related: Demi Lovato Recalls How She 'Assisted' Giving Boyfriend Jutes a Tattoo: 'We Are Just Super in Love'

Lovato, who released their eighth studio album HOLY FVCK last year and their rock-inspired rerecordings project REVAMPED in September, happens to already be in the studio again "playing with some sounds" and working on their next album.

"I don't really know the direction of the album yet, but I've definitely been in the studio having a good time," she said. "So hopefully, I'll have new music to release next year."

However, they aren't sure which genre — rock or otherwise — will be the focus of the album and are "not putting any pressure" on the timeline of the project.

Lovato is also preparing to make her directorial debut with Hulu's forthcoming documentary Child Star, set to premiere in 2024.

Per a press release, the film — which Lovato will co-direct with Nicola Marsh — will "deconstruct the highs and lows of growing up in the spotlight through the lens of some of the world's most famous former child stars."

Lovato, who was a child star themself, wanted to pursue this project because they "had never seen a documentary on this topic before."

"I want this to give some insight into what it's like to become a child performer, whether it's acting or through music, but in the entertainment industry because my parents didn't get that before I was a child star," they said of the project.

Lovato believes that if her parents had some "insight" at the time into child stardom, they would have understood the full scope of what they were getting involved with.

"It's also important because we're now in the digital age with TikTok, YouTube and social media where children are becoming famous for unboxing toys, and it's a new era of child stardom," they said. "So having that conversation is important as well."

Child Star also offers a "fascinating look at the history of child stars and why some child stars end up on a dark path, why some end up totally normal, why some people leave the industry, why some people stay in the industry."

But at the moment, Lovato is laser-focused on this Christmas, which happens to be the first one she'll be spending with her boyfriend Jutes, whom they started publicly dating in August 2022.

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Related: Paris Hilton and Demi Lovato Prepare for the Holidays by Making Their Dogs Pet-Friendly Cakes

"He's from Ottawa, so he flew there last year," Lovato recalled, before adding: "This year is our first Christmas together. His mom's going to join us, so I'm excited for that."

Lovato is also looking forward to her regular holiday traditions —making s'mores, opening presents with her family on Christmas morning and enjoying French toast afterward.

Lovato, who has never released a Christmas album, is even opening themself up to the possibility.

"I think it could be really cool, so maybe next year. You never know," she said.

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