Rixton v Demi Lovato Pop Slam!

Get ready, cos two of the biggest pop stars in the universe

are about to go into battle.

US superstar Demi Lovato,

against the uber-talented Rixton.

There can only be one winner,

so stay right here.

I'm Amberley Lobo and this is Pop Slam!

Going head-to-head we've got...

# Don't want to break your heart

# Wanna give your heart a break

# I know you're scared... #

..Demi Lovato.

The all singing, dancing and acting former Disney star

who's become a totally awesome. Pop-Rock Princess!

She's huge but how will she fare against the awesome pop of...

# All I need's a little love in my life... #

..Rixton.

Jake, Danny, Charley and Lewi.

They're the home grown lads from the North who are now

breaking hearts all over the world.

This Pop Slam is going to be totes amaze.

So, whose team are you on?

Team Demi or Team Rixton?

If you can't decide then take a seat and get comfy

cos I'm going to be delving into the lives of these superstars

to see who has what it takes to win the ultimate prize in pop,

The Ambo!

There's only one way to win the Ambo

and that's by gaining as many of my Ambo points as possible.

I'll be dishing them out over three slamming rounds of popocity.

Where I meet the people who knew the stars back in the day,

then I check out how hard they've been working,

And, finally, I scrutinise their style.

All before the big moment.

And the winner of the Ambo is...

This is going to be big, so head to the CBBC website and tell us

whose team you're on.

I'm on Team Demi lovato.

Cos nothing can beat her.

Especially her style.

She's really inspirational.

Her songs are just like angels singing to me.

I am on Team Rixton.

They've got great lyrics and they've all got great voices,

well, all pop stars have.

We think that they're awesome singers

and we love their music, don't we?

It's going to be a tough one.

Demi's got the whole rock vibe going on...and so have these guys.

Demi's got awesome songs and so have these guys.

Who do you think is going to win?

SHE SCREAMS

There's only one way to decide this.

It's time, for Pop Slam!

Round one, Pop Potential.

This round is all about how our stars made it big.

First up, Demi Lovato.

# Don't surrender, surrender, surrender... #

Demi Lovato might be rocking stages all over the world right now...

# We were so in love back then,

# Now you're listening to what they say... #

But before all that, she was

a little pageant performer right here, in Dallas, Texas.

Yeehaw!

This is Collyville, Texas.

It's just outside of Dallas and it's where one Demi Lovato grew up.

Back then, she was just a tap-dancing kid

who loved performing in beauty pageants.

This is the story of how a Texan girl became

one of the biggest names in pop.

# You'll be coming home with me tonight

# And we'll be burning up like neon lights... #

Demi loved music and this is the very house

where she taught herself to play the piano and drums.

She had her sights set on becoming a star

and started entering local talent competitions.

And then, at age eight,

she won the Texas State Cinderella Miniature Miss.

Nice one, Demi.

For being a Cinderella Miniature Miss,

I'm giving you two Ambo Points,

Little Miss Lovato.

Pageants were great, but it was when Demi was ten,

she saw an advert for a TV audition that would change her life forever.

That audition was for a hit children's show, Barney And Friends.

1,400 girls showed up that day,

and who should Demi end up sitting next to?

None other than future BFF, Selena Gomez!

Both Demi and Selena got roles on the show.

Here they are on set.

Demi's on the left and Selena on the right - if you can't tell.

Demi, have four Ambo Points for bagging a role

on a world famous TV show.

Demi was one lucky girl,

she had an awesome TV job

and a future celeb friend!

And get this - I'm going to check out the studio

where she made her first step into TV. Woop!

# Never put my love out on the line

# Never said yes to the right guy.

# Never had trouble... #

MUSIC SLOWS TO A HALT

What? Major sad times,

but old Barney And Friends' TV studio is now a chair warehouse.

But that hasn't stopped me before,

so I'm here to meet Shelley Aubrey -

a performance director who cast Demi on the show.

Take me back to Demi's audition for the show. What was she like?

She was beautiful. She had the sparkle. She had IT!

Her face always shined, but...

not real sure about the dancing.

SHE LAUGHS Let's see, the word... A clutz.

-Oh, really?

-Oh, yeah, and that's why I'm shocked

when I see some of her tours or see what she's...

Oh, well, she's learned some lessons.

Maybe I wasn't a good enough teacher.

-Were Demi and Selena probably your best?

-I guess they were.

She and Selena would do little plays after we had gone off

in their room and they would write their own little things.

Usually, Selena was writing

and being the ogre or something

and Demi was singing and being the queen or princess.

# I think I'd have a heart attack

# I think I'd have a heart attack...#

Demi was on Barney And Friends for two years

It's been great seeing the warehouse,

but what's even better is that Shelley's brought

some old Barney photos to show me.

These are some of my memorabilia of some of the shoots.

There's Demi,

with Selena right next to her.

-Oh! That's so cute!

-And this is another series.

-There's Demi...with Selena right next to her.

-They were always together?

They were always together in these pictures.

Shelley, thank you so much, it has been such a treat. Bring it in.

Oh, you are welcome. Thank you.

I might need you to show me out, though.

I might need help too.

# I think I'd have a heart attack

# I think I'd have a heart attack

# I think I'd have a heart attack. #

After Barney And Friends, Demi's BFF Selena moved to LA,

so what better time to pack up your bags

and move across country in search of your dreams?

# I should have known when I got you alone... #

This was a really brave move for a teenage Demi,

but one that paid off big time because,

in 2008, Demi scored the starring role

in hit TV Movie Camp Rock.

# This is real, this is me

# I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be now... #

Demi co-starred with huge boyband, The Jonas Brothers.

# Now I've found who I am

# There's no way to hold it in. #

The film was massive, getting over

eight and a half million viewers

when it premiered in the US alone.

15-year-old Demi Lovato became an overnight superstar.

# ..to feel so in the dark

# To dream about a life where you're the shining star

# Even though it seems... #

Demi, have five Ambo Points

for starring in a massive movie.

Demi had made it,

but Camp Rock was just the start,

bigger things were around the corner.

# This is real, this is me

# I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be now... #

Demi, take the weight off,

it's time to check out those Rixton Boys.

# All I need's a little love in my life,

# All I need's a little love in the dark

# A little but I'm hoping it might kick-start

# Me and my broken heart

# I need a little loving tonight...#

They're the boyband who've got it all.

Talent, tunes and legions of fans across the globe.

# Me and my broken heart. #

But before they were rocking all over the world

they were dreaming of stardom

right here in Blackpool!

# Baby, aimed at my heart, you got one

# Tear me apart and then some

# How do we call this love?

# Whoah-oh-oh... #

Rixton's story starts right here in Blackpool,

with a young Jake Roche.

Jake was a musical kid and he had showbiz in his blood.

But it'd be when he teamed up with Danny, Charley and Lewi

that he'd take the UK and US by storm.

Here's how it all went down.

Jake's mum is famous singer Coleen Nolan

and his dad is entertainment royalty Shane Ritchie.

Jake and his big brother both wanted

to follow in their parents' showbiz footsteps

So, in 2009, he started a band with a keyboardist called...

You guessed it, Danny!

And you are never going to believe this.

I'm off to the pub where they played their first ever gig together...

So keen!

# Someone like you...

# Whoa, whoa... #

I want to know all about their first gig,

so I'm meeting Jake's big bro and fellow singer,

Shane Richie Jnr.

This is footage from that very gig with Shane singing in the middle

and Jake and Danny to the right of him.

-Jay!

-How's it going? Yeah.

-So good.

This is the site of where you guys did your first ever gig.

Tell me everything.

It was amazing, to be fair.

It was really, really good.

Jake was still young, he was only 16-17.

It was his first big thing,

and every night before the gig...

"Shane, I don't think I can go on...

"Honestly, mate, you might just have to go on tonight by yourself."

Then, as soon as he'd step on, he's like, "Here I am!"

Apparently still does it now.

HE PRETENDS TO CLEAR THROAT "La, la, la, la la."

One, two, three, four...

-# It's all about you

-It's about you

# It's all about you, baby...#

Was he always a singer, like, growing up, around home?

Just always singing, it used to do my head in -

and he's still the same now, so annoying.

If he wasn't going to sing,

he'd have acted or been in the West End

or Broadway or something like that.

He was destined for it.

# Dancing on the kitchen tiles

# It's all about you. #

Now, I've got to ask you this...

Is it true that Jake still comes home and gets his pants washed?

-Yeah, he still takes them back to my mum...

-Oh, really?!

..and she washes his boxers, yes, she does.

Oh, still a mummy's boy at heart.

-Absolutely.

-Oh, well, thank you so much, it has been amazing.

Bring it in.

# The thing about my baby, it don't matter if you're black or white! #

For some big time brotherly love and rocking out to a packed crowd,

have three Ambo Points.

But, hey! I'm taking one away

for still getting Mum to clean your undies.

After a handful of gigs Jake and Danny left the band

to start working on their own tunes.

They wanted to write songs nonstop,

so they moved in together,

into this caravan.

# Take it, take it

# I'll give my heart to you for free, girl

# Don't you break it, break it... #

Not only is this is where Jake and Danny started writing together

but the Rixton boys came back to record a live performance.

I want a tour, so I've called Danny's Mum Angela

to find out what things were like back then.

-What's up?

-Hey.

Angela, give me some.

I'm a little bit excited.

I can't believe that this is where Danny and Jake

used to write out music.

Give me the grand tour.

OK. This is it!

It's great, it's great. I'm loving it.

-Don't hold back, tell me everything!

-OK.

This is where Danny and Jake signed it originally and Charley

and Lewi added on when they joined.

Just clear this space, I might try to take that and put it on my wall.

Nope, that's not going anywhere.

You're lucky.

# Say it, say it

# I know there's something on your mind, girl

# And I hate it, hate it... #

What was it like when the guys were living here? Was it this neat?

-Or was it just a load of stuff...?

-It definitely wasn't neat.

There'd be a keyboard,

all the equipment that they would use, the recording equipment,

clothes everywhere,

cups everywhere, plates everywhere.

So, no, it definitely wasn't neat.

# Wait on me I know how to love you

# And I want to love you some more

# Wait on me Come a little closer... #

It sounds like this place was a tip but, boys,

I'm giving you two Ambo Points for making the most

out of your little home.

# I wanna feel your body

# Wait on me I know how to love you

# And I wanna love you some more... #

To complete the band, Jake and Danny needed more members.

Enter Charley, a guitarist from Essex

and a drummer from Lancashire called Lewi.

And that was it. The band Relics were born!

What? Yep, that's right.

Back then, Rixton were called Relics.

But the story's not over yet!

# We've got the sweet, hot loving

# Dancing in the dark

# Out in the streets we're running

# Shut down every bar... #

Relics hit the studio and started uploading cover songs

to the internet, like this version of Rita Ora's Like We Do.

# ..Cos that's just how we do.

# We do... #

Their videos got loads of views and managed to catch the attention

of one Scooter Braun,

who's only the manager of...JUSTIN BEIBER!

He got in touch and arranged to meet the boys

at a recording studio, right here in London.

# Just go numb

# You'll never know until you let go

# Just go numb... #

Scooter liked the boys so much that he signed them right there and then.

Boom!

# I can feel you now. #

Have three Ambo Points for making a mega impression on a showbiz legend.

# Keep on doing the same old things... #

Unfortunately, the band name Relics was taken,

so the boys became Rixton.

They had the name, a record deal

and were ready to take the world by storm.

And that all started with this bad boy.

# Let's make out

# Ooh-ooh-ooh

# Let's make out

# Ooh-ooh-ooh

# Let's make out... #

The video for their debut track Make Out went viral in 2013

and peeps in the USA went wild for it.

Rixton had cracked America with their very first song,

something most artists spend their whole career trying to do.

Have three Ambo points

for making it in the US, boys.

# T-t-t-tell somebody. #

Let's have a look at the scores...

These guys have astronomical levels

of pop potential

but it's Demi Lovato

who takes an early lead.

We've seen how our stars made it,

now it's time to see how hard they've been working.

It's time for Round 2!

Round 2, Pop Success.

This is all about what our stars have been up to,

to make sure that they stay at the top of the charts.

First up, Demi.

# I'm not a supermodel

# I still eat McDonalds, baby

# That's just me. #

Camp Rock made Demi Lovato a massive star.

So, it wasn't long before she started writing

and releasing her own songs.

Demi released two albums within a year of each other.

The first, Don't Forget,

got to number two in the US album charts in 2008

and her second, Here We Go Again,

got that all important top spot.

# Hey, hey! #

Have two Ambo Points for totally bossing the charts from the get go.

But what about Rixton?

# Girl, let me love you, baby

# Ooh-ooh. #

Rixton work around the clock to promote their music

and they've appeared on some of the biggest TV shows in the USA.

And all this TV promo work

has helped them smash into the US top 20 billboard charts.

Nice work.

# I just wanna be the one to remind you

# What it is to smile... #

But the Rixton boys aren't just big in the US.

In the UK, Me and My Broken Heart went straight to number one,

outselling Nicole Scherzinger

by 12,000 copies.

Now, that's schamazing!

# All I need's a little love in my life

# All I need's a little love in the dark... #

Rixton, I'm throwing three Ambo Points your way

for instant world domination.

# Me and my broken heart. #

# You can take everything I have

# You can break everything I am

# Like I'm made of glass

# Like I'm made of paper. #

Demi Lovato was huge in the USA

but it wasn't until 2012 that she cracked the UK charts,

with this track, Skyscraper, that rocketed into the top 10.

# Like a skyscraper

# Like a skyscraper. #

And, in 2013, the super awesome track Heart Attack went even higher,

crashing into the UK top 5.

# If I ever did that

# I think I'd have a heart attack

# I think I'd have a heart attack. #

Demi, I'm giving you two Ambo points for two killer tunes.

Not only that, Demi also sang the single version

of a small song you might have heard of from Frozen!

Let it go, let it go...

# Turn my back and slam the door

# And here I stand, and here I'll stay... #

Demi, you can have three Ambo Points

because everybody loves Frozen.

Let it go, let it go!

The cold never bothered me anyway.

OK, so I may not have the best voice,

but there has to be someone to thank for Demi's rock awesomeness

and that would be vocal coach and tour buddy Linda Septien.

Whoop!

Linda Septien is a showbiz icon.

She's worked with Beyonce, Selena Gomez

and has coached Demi since she was nine years old.

I want to know all about how hard-working Demi is.

-Hello!

-Hello.

You're living mine and everyone's dream by getting to tour with Demi.

What's it like?

She is probably one of the hardest workers

of any female singer I've ever worked with.

So, what do you do, and what do you tell her,

to keep that voice really powerful and strong?

Well, I can tell you a story that she may not mind.

We were, I think, here in Dallas

and she said, "I'm so hoarse right now I'm really struggling."

She says, "I've got a two hour show."

and I said, "OK, there's a trick

"that you can do with cayenne pepper and lemon and a little bit of honey.

"Let's see if it works."

And, so, she eats this whole little thing and goes,

"Oh, that's awful,"

and then about 30 minutes later, she's going,

"Wow! I can talk. I can do anything."

"This is amazing. Let me have another one."

And I said, "Demi, I don't think you want two of those things."

So, she put another one in her mouth, and was fine. She was great.

After the show, she comes backstage

and she whispers in my ear,

"I threw up cayenne pepper the entire time."

I said, "What did you do with it? While you were onstage?"

And she said, "Yeah, I just swallowed it and it was awful."

So, we do all kind of tricks.

# Don't wanna break your heart

# Wanna give your heart a break

# I know you're scared it's wrong... #

What a legend!

Demi, you can have two Ambo Points

for keeping the show going despite being sick all the way through.

# So, let me give your heart a break... #

It's not just Demi's fans who love to see her perform live,

Rixton's legions of followers are seriously dedicated too.

# Wait on me

# I know how to love you and I wanna love you some more

# Wait on me... #

Get this.

In July 2014, tickets for their US headline tour went on sale

and sold out in a staggering ten minutes!

# Wait on me

# I know how to love you and I wanna love you some more... #

For being a mega in demand band,

have three Ambo Points, boys.

# Take it, take it... #

And that's the end of round two.

Let's see those scores.

Both these guys have had big-time success

but Demi has increased her lead by four points.

If you don't agree, you know what to do.

Go to the CBBC website and have your say.

We've found out how our pop royalty made it big,

and how successful they've been.

It's now time to see how glam they've become in round three.

Round three. Pop style.

This is all about our celebrity's lives.

Clothes, cars, pets or whatever else

they splash their cash on.

First up, Miss Lovato.

# Our love runs deep like a Chevy

# If you fall I'll fall with you, baby... #

Demi is one trendy lady

and no-one rocks the rock goddess look quite like her.

With fame and fortune comes fabulous fashion and hot hair

and Demi certainly doesn't disappoint in that arena!

She changed her hair more times than I've even brushed mine.

No, seriously.

# No matter how far we go... #

She's rocked blonde, brunette,

black, pink, blue, red,

curly, straight and even shaved.

# No matter what the people say... #

Demi, have three Ambo Points

for mixing up your dos

and looking 100% every time.

Sometimes fabulous hair always work out how you'd like it to.

This one time, Demi was doing a gig at Kansas City

on a particularly warm night.

It was so hot that her hair extension melted off her head.

Not only did she not realise,

but, during a dance move, it got stuck in her bracelet.

Now, I wasn't there at the time but I imagine it went

a little something like this.

"Hello, everyone, my name is Demi Lovato.

"OK, it's a little bit hot in here but we are doing this.

"Yeah, let's go. Make some noise.

"Whoop, whoop, whoop."

# Even if the stars and moon collide

# Never watch your back... #

"Ooh, ah.

"Sorry, guys, my hair is just stuck in my bracelet.

"You keep rocking, I'll be right back.

"OK, Demi, you're going to have to pull it out. No pain, no gain."

"Oh, no, but I don't want to. Don't make me do it."

"Come on, Demi. No pain, no gain."

"OK, on three. One, two, three."

SHE SCREAMS

"I'm back.

# Even if the stars and moon collide... #

That's right, Demi and her hair were A-OK.

She went off stage, removed it from her bracelet

and then kept on rocking.

What a pro.

# But even if the stars and moon collide... #

Have three Ambo Points for not letting your hairstyle

get in the way of the show.

Hey, Demi isn't the only one who knows how to bring

some glitzy style to the party.

# Wait on me

# I know how to love you

# And I wanna love you some more. #

Those Rixton boys scrub up pretty well too.

The boys look great together but also have their own things going on.

# Wait on me... #

Jake loves a pair of sunglasses,

Danny keeps it cas',

Charley likes the shirt and blazer look

and as for drummer Lewi,

it's all about the backwards cap

and that mysterious backpack.

Nobody knows what he keeps in that backpack...

Until now!

I've have managed to exclusively get a hold of his backpack.

OK, guys we're doing this, let's go inside.

He's got a flip-flop, yep. Check.

Oh, teddy bear, that's nice. What else have we got?

Oh, he's got a beetroot?

OK, fine, you got me. It's not his. It's mine.

I guess what he keeps in the bag will remain a mystery.

So good.

# Wait on me

# I know how to love you

# And I wanna love you some more

Lads, have an Ambo Point each

for your awesome, individual style.

And Lewi you get a bonus Ambo Point

for your curious backpack.

# No matter what the people say

# I know that we'll never break

# Cos our love was made

# Made in the UK

FANS SCREAM

Demi Lovato may be a super stylish, mega famous pop star,

but it doesn't mean she's forgotten her roots.

Demi loves her family so much that, for her 18th birthday

she bought them a big house all to live in. Not only that,

but she let them live in the main house

whilst she bunked at the small building out the back.

Nice one, Demi.

# Why are you singing me love songs?

-# What good is a love song? #

-Hooking the fam up with a new pad

gets you three Ambo Points.

But Demi and her family

aren't the only ones who are close.

# Cos it's you, who

# Somehow is always the first to

# take care of me... #

The Rixton boys are so close they recorded

some of their debut album naked!

# Appreciated. # Let's go!

Being bessie mates gets the lads

three Ambo Points

but I'm taking one away

because that's just weird.

And that brings us to the end of round three.

Oh, I know, it's almost over.

I don't ever want to leave you guys,

but it's time to get a little bit serious and find out

who has won the Ambo.

Right after we take a look at what we've learnt.

This has been one epic Pop Slam, people.

Both Rixton and Demi Lovato are loved across the globe

and have some seriously good tunes.

This is a close one.

Ladies and gentlemen, yes, get excited.

It's the moment we've all been waiting for.

The votes have been counted and independently verified, by me.

And the winner of the Ambo is...

Oh, no way. It's Demi!

Sorry guys.

Bring it in, I am so proud of you.

Let's take a look at you in action.

# You can take your words and all your lies

# Oh-oh-oh

# I really don't care

# Even if the stars and moon collide... #

That Pop Slam was epic.

Make double sure you guys tune in next time

to see more of your favourite pop stars

battle it out to win the Ambo.

# Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh,

# I really don't care

# Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh,

# I really don't care.