To say Selena Gomez is having a comeback would be blatantly false. This is not to say Gomez isn’t having a major moment in the spotlight right now—she is—but rather that she’s had several comebacks, and this is just another moment where she’s getting plenty of well deserved attention.
Gomez’s fervid fan base (who deem themselves the “Selenators”) has never stopped being one of the loudest voices among celebrities’ online communities, so, again, to say this is a new phenomenon isn’t quite accurate. But a pile-up of projects—Only Murders in the Building, possible involvement in Taylor Swift’s 1989 rerecording, and a rumored new album coming soon—suggest that she’s on the cusp of being an It Girl again.
Gomez may already be a household name—and, now, across generations and demographics—thanks to her acting comeback in Only Murders in the Building, which premiered in 2021. Starring alongside the always lovable Steve Martin and Martin Short, Gomez proved her acting chops in three seasons of the murder mystery romp. By partnering with the SNL giants, she has won over a new generation of fans.
Gomez earned a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Mabel last year. This year, however, the actress is showing that she can act alongside acting legends like Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd. Mabel might not be the most intriguing or funniest character on the show; she’s supposed to be the token youth, but her dialogue feels like it was written by someone over the age of 50. But that’s kind of fun, isn’t it? Gomez rolls with it and, in turn, is just as watchable as her goofy 70-something pals.
As a musician, she’s also been on a hot streak on social media recently, too. That’s not only on her own accounts, but also as fans reshare her old work, presumably getting ready for a possible new album. As one Twitter user so eloquently put it, “selena gomez and her team are rebranding her as an it girl again and it’s very impressive how smoothly it’s working out for her.”
Well, it’s working out smoothly because she deserves this placement in pop culture! I was reminded of this when more fans recirculated a couple of her beloved Disney Channel-era music moments. Just look at that sparkle.
One of Gomez’s besties, Taylor Swift, is also contributing to the increased conversation. On Wednesday evening, Swift announced the release date of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), a throwback to her 2014 album that featured a huge appearance from Gomez. Both appeared in the viral “Bad Blood” music video together when it was released.
Gomez, who is still close friends with Swift, attended the Eras Tour the night before 1989 (TV) was announced. Fans are speculating (and when Swift fans speculate, they dig deep) that Gomez will contribute to the new rerelease. Will she appear in a music video? Will she be featured on one of the vault tracks, like Paramore, Fall Out Boy, and Phoebe Bridgers? Any way you spin it, Gomez’s connection to 1989 is undeniable. When the new album releases on Oct. 27, here’s hoping we get to see these two gal pals lighting men on fire all over again.
Then there’s the fact that Gomez, herself, is rumored to be releasing a new album this year. It’s over three years since her last album, and with all this other buzz, now feels like the right time to make a musical comeback.
Plus, like many of the other musicians who put out work during the pandemic, Gomez hasn’t yet toured her last album. Maybe if new music is released, she’ll hit the road all over again.
Gomez has the opportunity to become one of the world’s biggest stars—again, some might argue—by the end of the year. Mark our words: With Swift, Short, Martin, and her fans by her side, the second half of the year belongs to her.
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