The Many Triumphs Of Selena Gomez

The pop icon on first Spanish EP ‘Revelación,’ the power that comes from honoring her heritage and her unbreakable bond with her fans

- Riddhi Chakraborty

For a lot of teens in the early 2010s, Selena Gomez was a key part of the pop culture experience. Whether it was discovering her via Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place or getting to know her better through her first solo studio album Stars Dance, her positivity was a balm to the angst-fueled years of many. She and I are the same age, so seeing her onscreen or listening to her music helped eliminate a lot of the loneliness of my own coming-of-age journey. She became a beacon of hope and empowerment and remains a positive influence in my life today.

I can’t help but tell her this when we finally get to talk, and her response is incredibly heartwarming. “Thank you for saying that,” she says. “Hearing it means more than you can ever know.”

As one ages, the challenges increase and Gomez was not exempt to this rule. Over the years, the 28-year-old has seen it all– from vicious media scrutiny around her every move and personal life, to a battle with the autoimmune disease lupus that eventually led to a kidney transplant and took a massive toll on her mental health. Gomez eventually cut short her 2016 tour for her second studio album