Selena Gomez did an extensive interview with Business of Fashion to promote her collaboration with Coach, out now. (As a side note, Selena’s bags with Coach aren’t much of a departure from their classic collection and are disappointing to me. I was expecting more innovative designs. She just has a couple of different wristlets, some cute key charms, and a satchel/carryall that looks like so many other purses. I was expecting more boho and/or young-looking pieces, like patchwork or fringe purses, but Coach already has those.)

Getting back to the interview, I was surprised by how much Selena opened up to BoF, especially considering that it was conducted over Facetime. The interviewer, Imran Amed, did his homework on Selena and he reached the same conclusion that so many of us have – that her appeal lies in her vulnerability and in her quest to be true to herself and with her fans. That really shines through here, and I would suggest that you read whole piece if you’re interested. It’s very long and is a deep dive into her thought process and motivations. Here are some highlights and it’s worth noting that this interview was conducted before Selena revealed that she’d had a kidney transplant earlier this summer.

“What do you think is the biggest challenge for your generation?”
The biggest challenge is separating what you see on your phone from what is your life. A lot of young girls are getting involved with things that I didn’t even know about, quicker… I see a disconnect from real life connections to people, and that makes me a little worried. I do think social media is an amazing way to stay connected, to learn more things about what’s going outside your little bubble, but sometimes I think it’s too much information.

“What are the key things that make your generation different — apart from social media and technology?”
There’s more freedom in expression, not just through social media, but through fashion, and the ability to say things and be vocal about how you’re feeling, maybe your sexuality or your personality. It’s become a little more open for conversation.

Her mom told her to be humble from a young age
[My mom] said, “This entire industry is going to tell you you’re perfect and you’re great, and I’m going to tell you that you’re no better or bigger than anyone. You are the person that you are, and you are very lucky.” That’s something that’s always been replaying in my head. She just taught me to be kind, and that’s about understanding where I’m at. But it got harder the older I was getting. I was actually more confident when I was younger than I am now.

She came to understand that show business can be slimy
When I got older, I started to become exposed to the truth behind some stuff and that’s when it flipped a little bit. I realised that, “Oh this is actually really hard, and kind of slimy in certain areas,” and I didn’t realise that certain people wanted certain things from me. My confidence went through a lot with that.

On if she would have the same issues as a non-famous person
No, I think I would have all of the same issues. I think mine are amplified just a little bit only because of the public aspect, but I do think they’re very similar. When it comes to the internal stuff — the insecurities, growing up, friendships, family, mental health, all of that stuff.

“You’re back in the spotlight again, after having gone through that very difficult period. What tools do you use now to cope so that you don’t fall back into that place?”
Balance the power of saying no and self-care. I have to take care of myself and not feel guilty about it. I will say no when I need to say no, and I will make sure that I will not overdo everything because I feel like if I don’t accept everything that’s happening then maybe it seems like I’m ungrateful, or I’m not doing enough. I just have to take care of myself. Therapy, faith, hard work, kindness. That’s it.

[From Business of Fashion]

There’s so much more about her conflicted feelings about social media, how she’s both fascinated and repelled by it (a lot of us can relate) and how she feels like she would have the same issues and problems she’s having as a non-famous person. And that’s why Selena is considered the face of the millennials. She doesn’t just give soundbytes or calculated revelations about her life, she opens up on a level that makes it sound like she’s confiding in a best friend. In turn some fans consider her one.

Here’s Selena’s new puppy, she got it with The Weeknd.

Oh and Selena just got a Puma contract. Take that Adidas.

Officially a part of the fam @puma #pumapartner

A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) on Sep 18, 2017 at 10:00am PDT

Photos credit: WENN, Backgrid, Instagram/Selena Gomez, Coach