Demi Lovato pleads for ‘protection’ in ‘Child Star’ trailer

Demi Lovato believes there should be ‘protections’ for children in the spotlight.

The trailer for this will be released on Thursday, September 5th Child starthe documentary marking the directorial debut of the actor/musician (who uses the pronouns they/them) was released.

The teaser features footage of Lovato, Drew Barrymore, JoJo Siwa, Kenan Thompson, Raven Symone, Christina Ricci and Alyson Stoner from the past and present, showing what it’s like to be in the spotlight at a young age.

“Everyone wanted to make it in the industry from a young age,” Lovato, 32, said in the trailer.

In the clip, the characters reflect on their experiences with substances, financial struggles, and dating their fellow actors, as well as the challenges facing a new generation of kids who are using social media to become famous.

“It just scares me to hear that these kids are making tens of millions of dollars. There needs to be protections in place,” the “Cool for the Summer” singer said in the teaser.

The trailer returns to Lovato’s story at the end.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t made all the choices that led me to this point, but it did come at a cost,” Lovato said in the voiceover.

Never miss a story: Sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Lovato recently opened up about Child star in a cover story interview with The Hollywood Reporter and explained why she will keep her future daughter out of the entertainment industry until she is an adult.

When asked how they would respond if her child asked to be an artist, Lovato told the publication, “I would say, ‘Let’s study music theory and prepare for the day you turn 18, because nothing happens before that.'”

She added: “Not because I don’t believe in you or love you or want you to be happy, but because I want you to have a childhood, a childhood that I didn’t have.”

The “Heart Attack” artist said they wanted to have a “backup plan” — “something I wish I had because sometimes I think it’s time to move on, but I’m in a weird position in my career because I still rely on music for my income.”

Child star is directed by Lovato and Nicola Marsh and produced by Demi Lovato and Michael D. Ratner, Scott Ratner, Miranda Sherman and Kfir Goldberg for OBB Pictures.