Not many 25-year-olds can say they have featured in Time magazine's list of 46 women who are changing the world, but it appears the accolade is one that singer Selena Gomez doesn't take lightly.
The Texas-born star is one of several people profiled in the magazine's 'Firsts' project, highlighting women of various ages, ethnicities, political affiliations and sexual orientations who are changing the world.
Gracing the cover of the publication, shot by photographer Luisa Dörr on an iPhone, Gomez took the opportunity to thank her mother for making her into a strong, hard-working woman.
'My mom is the kind of person who understands what hard work is. She was still in high school when she had me. She worked multiple jobs. But she made me feel like I was capable of doing anything I wanted, maybe because she didn't really have that opportunity,' Gomez said.
'She taught me everything I know. How I'm no less but also no greater than anyone. How when people come at you with their worst, you should come at them with your best,' she added.
Discussing her stellar career and becoming the first person to reach 100 million followers on Instagram, The Weeknd's girlfriend admitted she didn't plan on becoming an internationally recognised musician.
'I don't know if there was a moment where I actually said, "OK, this is what I want to do." I think it became what I loved. There is a trust I have with people my age, or a little bit younger, that I don't think I would have if I started later.
'I hope my fans learn who they are is beautiful [and they] can connect with people by sharing what they're feeling. It's very personal to me,' she added.
Thanking the publication for featuring her in a list of women including the likes of Ava DuVernay, Melinda Gates, Serena William,s and Hillary Clinton, Selena took to Instagram to encourage her fans to see this moment as a time for change.
She captioned her magazine cover: 'Sometimes it's incredibly difficult to wake up every day knowing there is so much going on in the world. At times I feel selfish, I ask why, I ask how can this change? Will it actually ever change? I try to contribute my heart before anything because it can be so easy to lose the desire to have hope when sometimes all I want to be is angry.
'When I read about the beautiful women who wake up consciously every day to make a change, it inspires me to want to do so much more. Not really sure how I got so lucky @time but thank you for highlighting the power of what we can and will always strive to be. I believe in the goodness in the land of the living. I hope this is just the beginning of more change.'
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.
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