By Staff Reporter (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Mar 06, 2014 12:58 AM EST

Singer and "X Factor" judge Demi Lovato addressed the pressure young stars in the entertainment industry face every day, and said people shouldn't be so hard on former Disney co-star Miley Cyrus.

"I think that the worlds needs to get over the fact that she was Hannah Montana when she was 16," Lovato said during an interview with Katie Couric, according to Latina. "I guess my transition was a little easier because I went straight to rehab. I didn't twerk, I just went to rehab."

Lovato seems to be back on track, after entering rehab for eating disorders and self-harm, Huffington Post reported. Back in September, the singer announced she had signed a multi-book deal with Feiwel (FYE'well) and Friends, including first book "Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year," that will include tweets she has written about her life, and a memoir about her struggles with drug addiction and her time in rehab.

"It's something I don't really want to talk about," the singer told Fabulous Magazine  last year, as quoted by Huffington Post. "What I can say is that I was depressed. I would come off stage in front of 18,000 people and suddenly be alone in a hotel room. I'd come crashing down and would try to find a way to recreate that feeling, to stay 'up.'"

"A lot of artists take that route of shock value, and that's totally fine and that's great. But, I think she has such an incredible voice that's overshadowed by some of the things that she's doing," said the former "Sonny With A Chance" star.

"It's her journey. She's having fun. She's being who she is. I'll always love her. She's been one of my friends since I was 14. But everyone is on their different journeys right now and she's doing that and she's having fun...so, power to her."

"I've learned a lot, and I've grown up," she said. "And we're all in the process of doing that. So, go a little easy on us, America!"

The 21-year-old singer announced her Neon Lights tour will kick off Feb. 8 in Vancouver. "I think it's going to be so much fun," said Lovato during an interview on Ryan Seacrest' radio show on Monday morning, sounding excited about the tour that will take her to cities like Atlanta, Toronto, Nashville, San José and Charlotte, with a final show in March 30 in Indianapolis.