Demi Lovato has defended fellow Disney alumni Miley Cyrus saying that none of her critics know the real her.

She said that Cyrus is obviously desperate to separate herself from her Hannah Montana character.

She said: "I guess my transition was a little easier because I went straight to rehab. I didn't twerk - I just went to rehab.

"You know what, I think the world needs to get over the fact that [Miley] was Hannah Montana when she was 16.

"Nobody knows her, nobody really knows who I am, and the same with Selena [Gomez] and Jonas [Brothers] and everyone that has grown up in front of the public eye. We're adults now."

She also commented on Miley’s controversial stage antics saying: "I think she knows what she's doing.

"A lot of artists take that route of shock value and that's fine, but I think she has such an incredible voice that's overshadowed by some of the things that she's doing. I'll always love her - she's been one of my friends since I was 14.

"Everyone is on their different journeys and she's having fun, she's being who she is - so power to her."