Sorry to break it to you Taylor Swift, but it sounds like your BFF Selena Gomez might have a new best friend, which just so happens to be her boyfriend, The Weeknd.
After a whirlwind romance that's seen Selena and The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) go public with their relationship at the 2017 Met Ball and the 24-year-old 'Fetish' singer join her Canadian beau on tour, Gomez has finally opened up about what's she's learned over the years when it comes to self-love, independence and finding happiness.
'I don't depend on one area of my life to make me happy. It's really important for me to love and nourish my friends and family and to make sure that I never get influenced by a guy,' she told InStyle magazine.
'I've wanted to be in a strong headspace for years, and I really wasn't. Before, I was so young and easily influenced, and I'd feel insecure,' she added, years after an on-off three-year relationship with Justin Bieber.
Speaking of her new boyfriend, the Texas-born star revealed the qualities that make him so loveable.
'You want someone to add to your life, not to complete you, if that makes sense. I'm lucky because he's more of a best friend than anything else,' she gushed.
Having recently celebrated her 25th birthday with friends and family in Los Angeles, Selena also shed light on the importance, or lack of, in her life.
'I kind of wish numbers didn't exist sometimes, because I feel like I'm 15 some days, and then other days I wake up and I'm 40,' she explained.
Last year, the former Disney star took 90 days off her Revival World Tour to be 'proactive' about having to copy with the side effects of lupus, which can provoke symptoms of anxiety, depression and panic attacks.
Opening up about the decision to take a break from her tour, Selena said: 'It's so weird, how one year can change everything. Last year I canceled my tour and went away for 90 days, and it was the best thing that I ever could've done.
'I had no phone, nothing, and I was scared. But it was amazing, and I learned a lot. Everything I cared about, I stopped caring about. I came out, and it felt like, 'OK, I can only go forward.' And there are still days. I go to therapy. I believe in that and talking about where you are. But I'm in a really, really healthy place.'
After receiving treatment, she returned to the spotlight last November at the American Music Awards, but admitted it wasn't a decision taken lightly.
'I was in the countryside and never did my hair; I took part in equine therapy, which is so beautiful. And it was hard, obviously. But I knew what my heart was saying, and I thought, 'OK, I think this has helped me become stronger for other people,' she recalled.
'When I came out, I was asked to go to the American Music Awards, and everyone around me was like, 'Do whatever makes you comfortable.' I didn't want my fans to have a negative view of taking care of yourself, so I just went in head-on, and I'll tell you, the first time stepping on that carpet was so overwhelming. I felt like my back was sweating,' she joked.
Discussing the pressures of social media and living up to the expectations of her 124 million Instagram followers, the Coach model admitted: 'Because of social media, because of all the pressure that girls have, it's so difficult.
'It's good to be connected, to see things, and to get a sense of what your friends are up to. But it also allows people to think they need to look or be a certain way.'
However, social media isn't all bad for the star.
'On Instagram my fans throw back all these old videos, and I get so emotional because I'm like, "Wow, my life is so different now". Not to say that's bad, but it's just crazy. It really is,' she explained.
'It can all be a bit overwhelming, but I try and balance it out with what makes me happy. If I'm part of a really good project, I can lean into it all,' as he added.
It sounds like Selena is in a pretty good place right now.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
