At only 25 years-old Selena Gomez has already lived a lot. Being a Disney kid means she has worked since the age of seven, and life in the limelight was made even more difficult with boughts of depression and anxiety (which the actress and singer has been refreshingly open about), as well as a Lupus diagnosis.
It comes as no surprise to many that last night she was awarded with the Woman of the Year at Billboard's Women in Music. On stage, she wept in gratitude for the honour, noting her best friend who saved her life this year.
This summer the Texan-born star revealed that she had received a kidney transplant from her best friend, Francia Raísa, and has now spoken to Billboard about how that serious surgery has changed her perspective on things, particularly her body.
She has been vocal before about her relationship with her figure, particularly back in 2015 when her lupus caused her to gain a small amount of weight and she was mercilessness trolled by many on social media.
Speaking to the magazine, she opened up about how she felt post-surgery, 'I just kept thinking about how much my body is my own. [After the surgery] I had this sense of gratitude for myself. I don't think I've ever just stopped and been like, 'I'm actually grateful for who I am.''
Though Raísa has been bold in showing her scar from the beginning, Gomez has been less forthcoming, however, she is learning to make peace with it.
When asked is she felt comfortable showing it she said, 'I didn't, but I do now. It was really hard in the beginning. I remember looking at myself in the mirror completely naked and thinking about all the things that I used to b*tch about and just asking, 'Why?' I had someone in my life for a very long time who pointed out all the things that I didn't feel great about with myself. When I look at my body now, I just see life. There are a million things I can do — lasers and creams and all that stuff — but I'm OK with it.'
The 'Wolves' singer was also asked about her involvement in a Woody Allen film, A Rainy Day in New York, that is set for release at some point. Many have critisised her and other actresses (including Elle Fanning) for working with the director who has been accused of sexual misconduct.
In her profile, she was asked whether she considered the director's past before signing onto the film, to which she responded, 'To be honest, I'm not sure how to answer — not because I'm trying to back away from it,' she said. '[The Harvey Weinstein allegations] actually happened right after I had started [on the movie]. They popped up in the midst of it. And that's something, yes, I had to face and discuss. I stepped back and thought, 'Wow, the universe works in interesting ways.'
All in all it's been a whirlwind of a year for the young performer, hopefully next year will be a little more stable.
Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.
