Selena Gomez covers the November issue of Flare magazine to promote her Revival album (which she executive produced). She’s wearing an Alexander Wang leather dress on the cover and looks stunning. Selena’s been wearing some amazing fashion as she promotes this album, and this editorial fits the new mood. This issue of Flare is available on Next Issue already and will hit newsstands on October 12. In this interview, she covers several topics, including whether or not she’s seeing someone, her media image, and her BFF, Taylor Swift. Selena also gets into the terrible body shaming that hit after she wore an ill-fitting bikini. Some excerpts:
On the past few years: “This has been a transitional season for me, personally and in my career. I had multiple revelations and big accomplishments in my life: a new label and a new team; I’ve been working out more and focusing on my music; and I got to do a couple of movies. I was really fighting for this transition. Then, it was frustrating to see how the media was portraying me; it was defamation of character. I’m young: I’ve lived my life in the public eye, and I’ve had to figure out how to do that. Ultimately, I am 23 and figuring out my life. I feel confident, I feel empowered, I feel in control.”
On Taylor Swift: “A bunch of women I look up to and admire are supporting one another, and Taylor has such a beautiful way of bringing people together. That was good for me, because the more I started working, the more uncomfortable I was. I wouldn’t trust people, and Taylor has a way of stripping down everything and just getting down to being human. I love that.”
On body shaming: “I was getting criticized [by the media] because I had gained weight. I was really bummed when I found out all that stuff was going on, and that’s when I was like, ‘I’m so tired of feeling like I’m being pulled down by something.'”
On dating: “I would never go on Tinder! I think it would scare me. I go on dates. It’s not that difficult – I’m a nice young lady [laughs] – but that’s not my focus. I’m really stoked about being with myself right now.”
On her Christian faith: “I respect all religions and I encourage people to have a higher power, however they feel it, because it is beautiful to have a relationship, in my case with the Lord. So I’ve always been open about that … I have compassion, I have forgiveness, I have understanding, and this is my life – this is how I choose to live it. I’ve never been disappointed in the choices I’ve made, which I’m proud of.”
Her version of sexiness: “I have my own definition of what I think is beautiful and sexy. That’s why, in [my new] video, I didn’t wear lingerie and I didn’t have a guy in it. It’s a woman in one of those raw, bare moments; she’s vulnerable, and that’s sexy.”
[From Flare]
In a way, I see what Selena’s saying about feeling pulled down all the time. She gets hit by all sorts of media flak and Twitter bodyshaming lately, and it must be exhausting. She’s so eager to ditch the collective memory that she dated Justin Bieber, and that would be enough to make anyone batty. But I think Selena will be fine. She does have a solid head on her shoulders lately, and this new album promises to be something different and somewhat original compared to many of her previous releases. Oh, and this editorial is gorgeous.
Photos courtesy of Flare
She comes off as articulate, self-aware, and centered. And she’s an absolutely stunning young woman, this much is true. I love this mod, late 60s to early 70s vibe she’s been dressing with lately. Wishing her all the best as she continues to get to know herself after what seemed like a little bit of a rough patch. I’m rooting for ya, Selena.
ETA: I think they should have gone with the photo of her smiling for the cover. Just radiantly beautiful.
Beautiful editorial indeed.
I am enjoying this new era, although the way she and the biebs are using their relationship to promote themselves is a bit irritating.
But she’s got a terrific stylist. LOVE her looks.
I’m so tired of her. She’s a pretty girl with below average talent. And again, she wouldn’t be nowhere near as famous as she is if it wasn’t for justin. Stop whining.
And what video is she talking about? Because in the last one I’ve seen she’s in a wet T shirt, which is hardly a new concept of sexiness.
And vulnerable is not sexy, at least not in my opinion.
I find her incredibly annoying. If it wasn’t for Biebs and Swifty she would have the career of Ashely Tisdale, or worse because Ashley is more talented.
But she is empowered
I think it’s a really bizarre aspect of American culture that everything has to be forgiven to people who gave you money and/or a job. Justin could’ve been the biggest douchebag in the world to Selena (why would that be hard to believe? We know about his public behavior…), but because her career benefitted from being with him, God forbid she complains about anything. An actor could’ve gone through hell working with a douchey director in a crappy movie nobody liked, but he was paid, so he has to defend the project to the end of time.
No. But don’t pretend it was this magical love story you walked in not knowing anything and he was the only one who was wrong and hurt you so much while milking the relationship AND the brakeup what, 2 years after?
She seems to be going through the same issues as young women everywhere her age are. Obviously the difference is her platform. You can’t live a quiet life while dating the Biebs. Once again, take a vacay from ig and stop tweeting your personal feelings on twitter, and people might start noticing you for your work instead of your personal life….also having a tougher skin will help. She picked the wrong profession to take everything so personally….guessing this will come with time.
+1
Therapy, Selena. But I warn you, the audience will be only two people.
I don’t know any of her songs, which is ok – I am certainly not her target market. But I think she is very pretty, and she needs to stop talking about how she was so victimized… And how much she had to over come, and how much better she is doing now, because she is only keeping that topic alive.
Look, if comments about your weight annoy you, stop posting bikini shots, get off Twitter and IG, limit yourself to interviews when you have a project going on and stop discussing the two pounds you may have had on after a breakup. Problem solved.
The editorial is beautiful, she really is very pretty. I think there really is something wrong with the media to fat shame a 22 year old (anyone really) but that is basically a child. They should know better not to mention at her heaviest she was still very thin.
She seems really nice but it’s quite sad that her voice is mediocre. That song of hers made think so. But all the best to you, girl.
I don’t get why she is being praised for talking about her problems and adjusting to fame yet when others do the same they are ungrateful/whiny
By the way, is it common knowledge that Taylor Swift and Ryan Adams had an affair? Because Lainey has hinted at it more than once and Taylor is promoting his remake of her album more than she did her own. Lil Taytay isn’t the little miss perfect with perfect morals she pretends to be.
I think it’s because Selena sounds pretty grounded and self-aware when talking about those, instead of acting like her life is oh so hard and terrible.
Wonder what would prompt a high profile celeb to do an interview with a low calibre publication such as this one – pure drivel. Seriously, does anyone even read/glance at Flare (e.g. in line at the checkout, hairdresser,) much less spend $ on it? Or have standards dropped and they’ll do pretty much anything.
She is such a pretty, classy, smart young woman, I would rather have my kids (if I had any) have her as a role model than majority of the young stars today. There are worse celebrities out there to hate on. I follow her on instagram, and she has posted videos of her singing, raw, live with no auto tune and sounds great! Love a person who is isn’t ashamed to talk about their faith, people should believe in whatever they want with no judgement 🙂
I like Selena. She’s not very talented but her music is catchy as hell (for me), she’s completely inoffensive and I really, really like her fashion.
I feel like Selena will always lurk in the shadows of more famous celebs (Jonas Bros, Biebs, Swifty), but at the end of the day she may have the last laugh. By never being too out there in the spotlight, the chances of people growing tired of you and facing a backlash are fewer. Always being the bridesmaid and never the bride also means you’ll never be the depressive divorcee.
How is being vulnerable sexy?
Also, I went and saw the photos of her in a bikini that she was bodyshamed for. Her body was fine, she was just wearing a bikini that was several sizes too small. If she had been wearing a bikini in a size that fit her body, no one would have said anything. It’s like Kim K. People only mention her weight because she wears clothes that are several sizes too small. She would look so much better wearing the appropriate size.