Demi Lovato says she's 'introverted' but has found 'peace' with her fiancé (exclusive)

Demi Lovato speaks openly about what is really important to her in life.

The 32-year-old former Disney Channel employee (who uses they/them pronouns) spoke to PEOPLE about her new documentary Child star (out September 17 on Hulu) and she says it's the people in her life who give her the most strength.

“What makes me happy and brings me peace now are the relationships in my life. I'm an introverted person, but I love working with the people who really matter to me,” says Lovato, who is making her directorial debut with the documentary.

“First and foremost my fiancé, but also my best friends, my family, my dogs… I really value and cherish the love in my life. It means more to me than anything else, because that's what life is really about: love,” she says.

Lovato's fiancé is Canadian songwriter Jordan “Jutes” Lutes. The couple, who first made their romance public in August 2022, got engaged in December 2023.

They met while writing their song “Substance” together. Lutes is also a contributing writer on Lovato's songs “Happy Ending” and “City of Angels,” all from their eighth album. Holy shit.

“I try to spend as much time as possible with the people I care about because careers and experiences are fleeting, but relationships, family and friends are forever. It's about connection and spending time with the people you love,” Lovato tells PEOPLE.

Child starwhich features footage of Lovato, Drew Barrymore, JoJo Siwa, Kenan Thompson, Raven-Symoné, Christina Ricci and Alyson Stoner from the past and present reflecting on what it was like to be thrust into the spotlight at a young age, also traces Lovato's journey after she realized that “my career is completely disconnected from my identity.”

“When I was younger, it was tangled and entangled because my brand was such a big part of me back then. I confused the two and was so young that I couldn't tell the difference between my brand and my personality,” she says today. “But as I got older… knowing how to differentiate the two things was one of the biggest lessons of my life, and I no longer value my success and equate it with self-worth.”

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In particular, conversations with Barrymore and Ricci shaped Lovato's views on child star status, as the two actresses came of age at different times.

“[Drew] has so much wisdom and experience because she's been in the spotlight for so long. I feel like I've learned so much from her, but the most interesting thing was talking to her about her experiences before cell phone cameras and social media. There was more anonymity. Christina Ricci and Drew Barrymore had different experiences and talking to them about that was really interesting,” she says.

Still, Lovato has reconciled her past and present, saying she has “been very, very honest and shown that vulnerability throughout my life. I've shared a lot with people and I've realized that my experiences don't define me.”

For more on Demi Lovato, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.

Child star The film is directed by Lovato and Marsh and produced by Lovato and Michael D. Ratner, Scott Ratner, Miranda Sherman and Kfir Goldberg for OBB Pictures. It premieres on Hulu on September 17.