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Despite hinting that she wasn't coming back in a few recent interviews, it's now confirmed that Demi Lovato will return for the third season of the The X Factor.

Lovato said in a statement:
    "I am so excited to return as a judge and mentor on The X Factor. Last season was an unbelievable experience and I really enjoyed developing personal relationships with the contestants and the panel. I look forward to taking my previous experience and applying it to make this season even better!"


In February Demi was asked whether she would resume her role as a judge, and the 20-year-old starlet told Extra, "I'm focusing on my music this year, so it's going to be a lot of touring, a lot of promoting of my album … but I would love to. Obviously, if they asked for me to come back, I'd say yes." However, during a chat with Cosmo the week before that, Demi said, "I don't think I was ready when I started on The X Factor. In an ideal situation I would have maybe waited a year or more. I dived into work really quickly and maybe that wasn't the best idea at the time..."

"I couldn't be happier that Demi wants to come back this year," Simon Cowell said of the news. "She's a superstar in her own right and was a fantastic mentor last year. Even though she can be really, really annoying -- I truly enjoyed working with her and so did the artists. I'm especially pleased she's back, even during her world tour!" Hmm, maybe she was "really annoying" because she was asking for a heftier contract this time around?

Lovato and Britney Spears joined the show last season, replacing former judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul, but Spears and fellow judge L.A. Reid revealed that they were leaving earlier this year, after just one season on the program. Britney was paid $15 million for the gig, while Demi earned a paltry $1 million ... we're guessing she got a significant pay bump for the next season!