Selena Gomez in Seventeen Interview: ‘This year is when I really started feeling powerful’

Selena Gomez in Seventeen Interview: ‘This year is when I really started feeling powerful’
(Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Zachary Stieber
1/17/2014
Updated:
1/17/2014

Selena Gomez in an interview with Seventeen Magazine said that this is the year that she really started feeling powerful.

“I had always been the underdog secretly,” she told the magazine. Gomez said that while she was on Disney, she was questioning the way she looked, acted, and sang, and started becoming very stale with her music.

“I realized that I was doing things for other people,” she said. “Then I turned 20, went through a really bad breakup, and realized I needed to pick up everything - I needed to have ‘Come & Get it’ be amazing. I wanted it all to be me. I was tired of feeling defeated. All this time, I was so pissed trying to figure out why I felt like such an underdog, and I finally realized I just wasn’t ready. I’m glad it’s taken me this long to get where I am because now I’m ready for it.”

Gomez, well-known as a singer and actress but also as Justin Bieber’s ex-girlfriend, graces the cover of the magazine in its March 2014 issue. A sneak peak of the interview was published by Gossip Center.

Gomez also discussed her good friends Demi Lovato and Taylor Swift. 

“I love my girl friends more than I’ve loved any of my boyfriend because they have supported me, loved me, and always stood by my side,” she said. “Some girls will drop you in five seconds for the right guy. That’s not how it’s supposed to be. That’s why I love Demi and Taylor [Swift] - they support females and love to have that empowerment! I wish girls would stop hurting each other. it’s all competitive - through fashion, best friends, and boys, boys, boys! My wish is that girls would love girls more.”

Gomez said that Lovato, who has had a very public experience rehabbing from alcohol problems, taught her not to be afraid of what people are going to say because you can’t make everyone happy.

“Just saying it out loud is the first step to taking away the fear,” Gomez said. “It took me a long time to be able to say what I wanted - even with my parents. I tried to beat around the bush, but I realized if I just said what I was thinking, I would feel so much better. It’s not easy, but there’s a way to do it. Simply say, ‘No, this doesn’t feel right,’ as opposed to doing it aggressively.”

The young singer also praised Lorde, answering a question recently asked of her regarding who she thought was up-and-coming and making a difference.

“I’m going to support her whether she likes me or not because I think she’s doing great things,” Gomez said. “I’ve never met her, but she’s extremely talented, and she has a voice that she likes to use, and I think that’s great. Some day I will see her and we'll be cool.”