In a cover story interview for Vogue Australia, Selena Gomez spoke about the meaning behind her January 2020 album, Rare. She has the word tattooed on her neck, and she says it serves as an important reminder to her:
“I think most of my experiences in relationships have been cursed,” she began. “I’ve been way too young to be exposed to certain things when I was in relationships. I guess I needed to find what was that word for me, because I felt so less than in past relationships, and never really felt equal.”
She added that the word “rare” embodied a way she wanted to live her life for herself.
She said “it wasn’t even necessarily like: ‘Oh, I feel that way, let me sing it.’ It was almost like: ‘Actually, I need to feel that way about myself.’” She added: “I think that my family, and my chosen family—I feel like I’m surrounded by real people.”
Since releasing Rare, Gomez has spoken openly about her own relationship with her mental healthcare. In an interview with her mom, Mandy Teefey, for The Newsette, Gomez spoke about how her focus on self care and mental health has helped her in her life and career.
“None of what I’m doing now would have stemmed from the mindset I had before. My best stuff is happening now. And then the greatest thing ever in my music was ‘Lose You to Love Me’ [her breakup song about Justin Bieber]…I remember I had a moment where I couldn’t believe it, because the first and second day, the reactions were crazy, and I remember I smiled and I was like, ‘That’s why it’s worth it. All of these years of confusion and being in love, and all of this stuff… and it was finally a clean slate.’ And it wasn’t even because everyone liked it; it was just a realization of why I went through everything I went through…”
Hilary Weaver
Hilary Weaver is a freelance writer based in New York who writes about politics, queer issues, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, and every woman the Queen has ever made a dame.
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