Selena Gomez is Quitting Music?

When asked in an interview about new music, Selena Gomez is quoted saying, I don't know if I'm ready, you know? It's a vulnerable space. Acting has always been my first love. Music is just a hobby that went out of control. However, Gomez isn't quitting music. Now it is a part of who I am, so I don't think I'm going anywhere, she said. I'm just not ready yet. I thought this comment was interesting. Not because it's shocking, but because it's so honest. A lot of Disney Channel stars just have music as a part of their package deal. That's the model. You get a show, and then you get a record deal, and start releasing albums, which is a really smart way to grow and stabilize a fanbase. However, that doesn't equate to an undying passion for music, for the music acts, especially for those who got into the game simply for acting. Also, take into account that a lot of Disney stars didn't tend to have creative control over their music or image. But regardless of that, many take on their own paths after their time on Disney, and when they are afforded creative control. And it can lead to really exciting moments, or really dull and inconsistent moments. Under Disney, there is a tight grip, so I feel like there's generally always a consistency there. Some have had their most successful moments as far as music under Disney. Now that's not the case for Selena Gomez. But she still did have a very big music career under Disney. Music being something that Selena likes, but doesn't necessarily have a burning passion for, makes a lot of sense when you consider her music career. She hasn't been the most consistent pop star in any area, but when she locks in, she can make a good song. And contrary to popular belief, you do not have to have a major passion for something to be good or successful at it. It can just be a hobby, something you enjoy doing, or in some cases, a means to end for bigger opportunities. I do believe artists who have expressed a huge passion for music, and center music as their meat and potatoes brand, tend to be the best at it, and I think it shows in their output. But even if that isn't the case, that doesn't mean that you can't be successful or good at music. I kind of view Selena Gomez as a brand, and as a celebrity, as a successor to Jennifer Lopez. They have similar career paths, they have attained success in multiple forms of media, and really operate as an overall media brand, as opposed to a music first brand. In my opinion, I think following her time after Disney, she kind of had to do music, because it was her most successful artistic endeavor. And her acting career was a bit inconsistent. She had Spring Breakers, she had that controversial movie with Woody Allen that was halted, but now she has bigger fish to fry with the success of Rare Beauty, Selena and the Chef, as well as the acclaimed show Only Murders in the Building. So she has no reason to prioritize music if she doesn't truly want to. In retrospect, I even wonder if her album Rare was only released to coincide with the launch of Rare Beauty, which shares the same name. But anyways, to me, Selena Gomez in the scene is where Selena Gomez's artistic peak lies. She doesn't have a clear passion for music like, say, Miley Cyrus does, but when paired with the right people, she can do something nice. I know in general Disney pop is kind of brushed off as a joke. Yes, it is generic. Yes, it is process. And yes, most of it is heavily manufactured. But I still think there are multiple gems with multiple artists in Disney pop. I think people have come to be kinder to 90s teen pop. We recognize that there are pop gems in the work of NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, and the early work of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, which is equally manufactured and generic. But there are some really good songs to come out of that time period. And I feel like that is the equivalent to 2000s Disney Channel and Nickelodeon pop. Some Disney Channel stars break away from Disney and are still generic and safe. But I feel like their Disney music gave them a funner pulse, which is why when we talk about Disney Channel pop, I think Selena Gomez in the scene is highly regarded. Just to be blunt, I think Selena made funner music under the scene. I think it was catchier. I also like that it isn't consistently flooded with that Julia Michaels-esque delivery. Nothing against Julia Michaels as a songwriter. She has worked with everyone. From Bieber to Sabrina Carpenter to Dua Lipa to Olivia Rodrigo. I don't think her songwriting is a problem. I'm just not a fan of when the artist she writes for adopts her talk-singing, cram-fisted vocal delivery. Not all of them do that, but Selena and Sabrina on past releases have done it a lot. It's like when Sia writes a song and then the artist does their best Sia impression. I just don't find it appealing. And of course, being a Disney act means you're probably even more susceptible to mimicking people behind the scenes. But the difference is, I don't think it tends to exist in one mode as much. Like Selena in the scene's delivery is totally different from solo Selena, where she adopted a more whispery delivery. And when we talk about Selena Gomez in the scene, we have A Year Without Brain. We have Lovely Like a Love Song and Hit the Lights. They're not reinventing the wheel with their fun little cute pop songs. And their third album, When the Sun Goes Down, has writing credits from Britney Spears and Katy Perry in their prime. I'm not really sure why Selena insisted on doing more minimalist and slower songs. Sure, some of Selena Gomez in the scene's spirit exists in some of her EDM hits, but it's just not the same. The Disney Channel producers knew how to write a hook, okay? Following her music career post-Disney, her most loved era critically, and I'd even go as far to say for pop music heads, isn't even really an album of hers. It was the Droplet Era. Which I think did show a lot of promise for Selena Gomez and the type of artist that she could be if she really applied herself. Now for those of you that don't know, a Droplet Era is just focused on drops. We're not getting a whole body of water, just little single drops. And I actually think this method worked extremely well for Selena, whose strength as an artist is her singles. Granted, there was rumored to be an album to go with these singles, but it never materialized. So it's not certain if Selena was throwing stuff at the wall to see if it sticks, or if she was just genuinely prioritizing single releases. But one thing's for sure, is that she was exploring newer and more interesting territory at this point in her career. We had Bad Liar, which is Selena Gomez's most acclaimed track ever. It was even awarded Best New Track by Pitchfork. It's certainly a weird song, especially for pop in 2017. It's weird, minimalist alt-pop. And while I can't say I love it, the appreciation is there, and the artistic risk works more than it doesn't work. Then we have Fetish, which is a slow R&B trap number. And I really think it's the sexiest and most confident Selena Gomez has ever sounded in her career. It blows all of her other sex songs out of the water. It's also a song that I can imagine Ariana Grande singing. Then we have Wolves, her big EDM single. And it's a typical radio pop single for its time. However, it's fairly hooky, even though it is generic. When she did release her album, that possibility of a new artistic journey was not followed up on. I will say though, Ring sounds like a distant relative of her Droplet era. What confuses me about Selena being forthcoming about how music is not her ultimate passion is how contentious she's been about not being taken seriously as an artist. She said, Lose you to love me, I felt was the best song I've ever released. For some people, it wasn't enough. I think there are a lot of people who enjoy my music, and for that, I'm so thankful. For that, I keep going. I think the next time I do an album, it'll be different. And you know, it's the shifting of the blame to the audience. For some people, this wasn't enough. That whole angle, it's like the accountability is not there. It's like, it's not the audience's fault. You have the experience. You have the resources. You have the money to make a great song and progress vocally and sonically. It's funny because it echoes the same sentiment that JLo also had. It's just 20, 25 years of people going, well, she's not that great. She's pretty and she makes cute music. But it's not really this and that, Lopez said. You know, I think I've done some nice work over the years. Some really nice work. But there was a club that I wasn't a part of. And I always acted like, yeah, I'm good. I'm fine. I'm okay. But it hurts not to be included. I don't know if I ever will be. There's an inner circle like, we are the great artists. And then there's the pop artists. And you know, it's just not anyone else's fault but yours that you didn't do the work to be taken seriously as an artist. Many of your peers have done it. Some with even less of a headstart. Both JLo and Selena began acting first before branching into music. Selena's recent singles were not good. Titled Singles Soon and Love On, nor were they received positively. And while her music career is extremely inconsistent at the moment, her acting career has finally picked up. She received an Emmy nomination. She also won Best Actress at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. So acting is finally giving her the validation that she seeks. And music isn't a priority. And I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't for a long time.