Selena Gomez recently released her new album Rare, which tackles everything from confidence to self-love to exes.
Shortly after the album dropped, the singer sat down with Apple Music to discuss how Rare came together and the stories behind the songs.
Her explanation behind her song “Vulnerable” was particularly inspiring as she discussed finally realizing her self-worth and deciding to ditch toxic men. She told interviewer Zane Lowe,
“Now I have expectations [in relationships] where it’s like, if I were to do to this or if I were to give you, are you strong enough, are you capable of being someone that’s going to be in my life?”
She continued,
“That’s how I approach things now. And I’m not being conceited, I’m saying it’s actually an honor to be with me because I think I’m a great person and I love people deeply and I won’t tolerate ever being treated the way that I had been. That’s the song. It’s not just me being like, ‘I’m still vulnerable’, it’s like, ‘well I am but I need these things for you to get that from me.'”
Of course, we all know who she’s referring to when she talks about not being treated well. Her highly public on-again-off-again relationship with Justin Bieber lasted for years and it was often speculated that he wasn’t such a great boyfriend to her (let’s just say her bestie Taylor Swift wasn’t a fan).
But it’s clear from “Vulnerable”, as well as from most of the songs on the album, that Selena has finally realized her self-worth and, as she says, will never let someone treat her like that again.
That’s also pretty evident in her title track “Rare”, which she told Apple Music, is “just such a perfect description of how I think girls or women are meant to feel.”
She added,
“You know, it’s even acknowledging, I don’t have it all but I do know that I’m worth something. I’m not going to settle, I’m going to wait. Because there is something out there that is going to give me that feeling that I deserve and that I want.”
You can watch Selena’s entire interview with Apple Music below.
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Selena Gomez’s Album ‘Rare’ is a Beautiful Celebration of Self-Love