Selena Gomez

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Lore & Background

Gomez began her career as a child actress on the children's television series Barney & Friends (2002–2004), and emerged as a teen idol for her leading role as Alex Russo on the Disney Channel sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place (2007–2012). She signed with Hollywood Records in 2008 and formed the band Selena Gomez & the Scene, which released three albums: Kiss & Tell (2009), A Year Without Rain (2010), and When the Sun Goes Down (2011). Gomez has released three solo albums: Stars Dance (2013), Revival (2015), and Rare (2020). She also launched the Spanish EP Revelación (2021) and her fourth album I Said I Love You First (2025) with her husband Benny Blanco. Other collaborations include 'We Don't Talk Anymore', 'It Ain't Me', 'Wolves', 'Taki Taki' and 'Calm Down'. She has starred in films including Another Cinderella Story (2008), Monte Carlo (2011), Spring Breakers (2012), Hotel Transylvania film franchise (2012–2022), The Fundamentals of Caring (2016), The Dead Don't Die (2019), and Emilia Pérez (2024). Gomez has produced series such as 13 Reasons Why (2017–2020), and Selena + Chef (2020–2023), and has played a lead role in Only Murders in the Building since 2021. Her accolades include an Actor Award, an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award, two MTV Video Music Awards and 17 Guinness World Records. Gomez is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and advocates for mental health and equality. She founded the cosmetic company Rare Beauty, which was valued at $2 billion, and the Rare Impact Fund. She is the most-followed woman on Instagram and one of the wealthiest musicians.

In Their Own Story

The creation of *Music of the Spheres* was driven by Max Martin, whom the band described as a 'true wonder of the universe.' During sessions for the album, the team focused on energy levels suitable for live performance. While Gomez is not present in the recording anecdotes regarding the difficulty of 'Humankind' or the minimalism of 'Coloratura,' her involvement is confirmed through the release schedule. On 4 October 2021, Selena Gomez confirmed via Twitter that she is featured on a track from the album. This announcement followed the success of previous singles like 'My Universe' with BTS, which debuted at number one in the Billboard Hot 100. Her feature on 'Let Somebody Go' was finalized before the song's release as an official single in February 2022, adding to the album's roster of high-profile guests.

Reader's Guide

Gomez was born on July 22, 1992, in Grand Prairie, Texas. Her parents are Ricardo Joel Gomez and Amanda Dawn 'Mandy' Teefey. She was named after Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla. Her father is of Mexican descent; her mother, who was adopted, has Italian ancestry. Gomez's paternal grandparents emigrated to Texas from Monterrey, Mexico in the 1970s. Her parents divorced when she was five, and she remained with her mother. Her mother and stepfather, Brian Teefey, later had a daughter, Gracie Elliot Teefey, born in 2013. Through her father and his second wife, Sara, she has a half-sister, Victoria 'Tori' Gomez, and a stepbrother named Marcus. For most of her childhood, she was homeschooled, save for a brief period when she attended a traditional school as a young girl. She earned her high-school diploma through homeschooling in May 2010. Gomez first gained an interest in pursuing a career in entertainment watching her mother prepare for stage productions. In 2002, she began her acting career on Barney & Friends. She appeared in thirteen episodes between 2002 and 2004. After two seasons, she left the show when producers felt she had outgrown the role. Gomez later had small roles in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003) and Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005), and guest-starred in a 2006 episode of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. She had a recurring role on Hannah Montana in 2007 as Mikayla, and rose to prominence later that year after being cast as Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place. The series premiered in October 2007 and ran for four seasons. In 2008, Gomez had a minor voice role in Horton Hears a Who! and starred in Another Cinderella Story. At age 16, she signed with Hollywood Records and formed the production company July Moon Productions. She continued working with Disney Channel in 2009, appearing in Sonny with a Chance, Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana, and Princess Protection Program, and reprised her role as Alex Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie. Under her Hollywood Records contract, she formed the band Selena Gomez & the Scene. The group released three studio albums—Kiss & Tell (2009), A Year Without Rain (2010), and When the Sun Goes Down (2011). Gomez expanded into feature film roles with Ramona and Beezus (2010) and Monte Carlo (2011).

Did You Know?

• Gomez was named after Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla.
• She earned her high-school diploma through homeschooling in May 2010.
• Gomez founded the cosmetic company Rare Beauty, valued at $2 billion.
• She is the most-followed woman on Instagram.