Selena Gomez is embracing a new chapter in her career, focusing on her acting.
As part of Variety’s Actors on Actors series, the Emilia Pérez actress sat down with Saoirse Ronan, who is known for her roles in Blitz and The Outrun. During their conversation, Ronan complimented Gomez’s musical talents, which are showcased in Emilia Pérez, mentioning a solo that she describes as “dirty and sexy and raw.”
In response, Gomez explained, “I love storytelling, and my music career is separate. However, I don’t see that being a forever thing.”
She went on to clarify that while her music will always be a part of her life—especially since her boyfriend, Benny Blanco, is an award-winning songwriter, producer, and musician—she enjoys music as a fun outlet. “I love having moments to do it for fun. It can be a little vulnerable when you’re putting yourself out there versus escaping into a character,” she added.
Gomez further shared that her “strong suit is probably acting,” expressing pride in her music for its ability to tell stories. “One thing I’m proud of in music is being able to tell a story—my favorite songs are mostly ballads, and they’re very transparent and honest.”
Ultimately, she admitted that she feels “too old for the pop star life,” but is “genuinely so happy to just be in this new era of my life, because in a lot of ways, it’s just the beginning.”
Gomez has previously discussed her intention to move away from music and focus more on acting. “I think I’ve done just as much as I wanted to do in music, but it’s exciting because I feel like I haven’t even started in film and TV,” she told The Hollywood Reporter last month. She added that she’s “almost done” with her pop star career, explaining, “Music isn’t going away. I just set it down for a second.”
The singer hasn’t released a full album since her third studio project, Rare, which dropped in 2020 and topped the Billboard 200. The album also produced her first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Lose You to Love Me.”
In 2021, she released a Spanish-language EP, Revelación, and earlier this year, she dropped the single “Love On,” following up on her 2023 single “Single Soon.”
