Demi Lovato Jamming To 2 Chainz Before Her VMA Pre-Show

Demi Lovato has a busy Thursday ahead of her. The 20-year-old singer has the exciting task of performing live during the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards red carpet pre-show (kicking off at 7 p.m. ET) and she's been busy prepping for it all week.

MTV News caught up with the "Skyscraper" singer Wednesday (September 5) and asked her how she's been been preparing for her time in the spotlight. It turns out Lovato has been listening to her fellow VMA performers a lot to get her in the mood for Thursday night's big show.

"What really pumps me up is 2 Chainz and Nicki Minaj, but not her pop stuff. Like, you know, the grimy stuff," Lovato said with a smile.

Other than that, she's planning on "rehearsing a lot" and "making sure that I'm well-rested so I don't look like a hag when I step out on stage to perform."

Even though the "X Factor" judge is now a pro at performing live, Lovato still gets the jitters before a big show. The pre-show performance is no different, especially since the former Disney starlet will be performing on the VMA red carpet.

"I'm really nervous to perform because there's going to be a lot of celebrities walking the red carpet at the same time that I come out and perform, so not only do I want to do a good job because it's on camera, but also there's people that I really admire on the red carpet," she said. "It's kind of nerve-racking."

From the sounds of things, Lovato shouldn't be nervous at all. She promised that her performance will be unlike anything her fans have seen before.

"This is going to be something that I think everyone is going to be surprised by," she said. "I can't give away too much, but it's going to be really cool and I'm excited."

The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards are set to go live from Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET/PT. But before it all goes down, don't miss our "Jersey Shore" special! "Gym, T an, Look Back" at 6 p.m. and our pre-show with Demi Lovato at 7 p.m.! And head over to VMA.MTV.com to vote on Best New Artist and Most Share-Worthy Video!

Which VMA nominee pumps you up? List your faves in the comments!