The heart wants what it wants, and for Selena Gomez, it may mean narrowing down her broad career portfolio in the new year. The 31-year-old actress sat down for an interview on the SmartLess podcast hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes. She revealed that she’s looking to focus primarily on acting—even if it means her music career takes a backseat.
Gomez began her acting career on the children’s show Barney & Friends before landing her big break as Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place. From there, her career took off, and she started releasing more music with her teen pop band, Selena Gomez & the Scene. By 2009, she had a handful of Disney films and signed a record deal with Hollywood Records. That led to the release of her debut album, Come & Get It, and her first Top 10 single, “Just Give Me A Chance.”
Selena then dropped the lady’s “Single Soon” anthem in 2013, shedding her squeaky clean girl image for a more grown-up sound and eschewing her old Disney label for Interscope. The following year, she released her Stars Dance album and took a risk with racier lyrics, securing her spot as an adult pop star. She continued to release hit albums and singles with artists like Marshmello, Zedd, Benny Blacno, and J Balvin. She also went on a few tours, but those were ultimately cut short due to her health struggles with lupus.
Following her album Revival in 2015, Gomez released a few singles and collaborated with DJs but didn’t put out another full-length album until 2020’s Rare. That LP solidified her as an artist with a clear point of view and message, and she also launched her makeup line, Rare Beauty, which promotes the idea that everyone is unique just the way they are.
However, her life in the public eye can be a lot to manage, and Gomez said that the pressure to produce an album was beginning to weigh on her. She was getting tired of putting out the product and wanted to concentrate on what she loved to do.
