Selena Gomez has seemingly taken aim at her past relationship with Justin Bieber in her latest album, I Said I Love You First, released on Friday, March 21.
The 32-year-old pop star has fans buzzing with speculation, especially after the release of the track “How Does It Feel to Be Forgotten,” where Gomez sings lyrics that many believe are aimed at her ex, Bieber.
The song includes the lines, “You’re so embarrassing / Go cry when no one’s watchin’ / I can’t imagine it / How does it feel to be forgotten?”
These words have fueled rumors that they reference Bieber, who has had his share of emotional outbursts on social media in the past.
The timing of the song, coupled with the lyrics, has sparked widespread speculation about the track’s meaning.
Gomez and Bieber’s on-again, off-again relationship lasted from 2010 until their final breakup in early 2018.
That same year, Bieber married model Hailey Baldwin, now Hailey Bieber, further fueling the public’s fascination with their past romance.
Gomez’s new album seems to revisit that tumultuous history, with some of the tracks providing subtle hints at the pain and heartbreak of their past.
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Another track, “Don’t Wanna Cry,” has also attracted attention for its pointed lyrics: “Left the door wide open for the whole wide world to see you / Then you kiss her right in front of me like I’m not even there.”
These words seem to hint at the heartbreak Gomez felt when Bieber moved on to Hailey publicly, an event that left many fans reflecting on the couple’s complicated love story.
In addition to these tracks, the song “Younger and Hotter Than Me” includes lyrics that suggest a reflection on youthful naivety: “Begging for more / X on my hand drawn in Sharpie / Now I use my own ID.”
Some have interpreted the “X” as a reference to underage clubbing, possibly alluding to the early days of Gomez and Bieber’s relationship when she was 18 and he was 16.
Although fans are quick to connect the dots, Gomez has not confirmed that these songs are about Bieber. In an interview with Spotify, she explained that the album isn’t solely about her life, stating, “Some songs reflect both my and Benny’s past experiences.”
Benny Blanco, who produced the album, is Gomez’s fiancé, and the couple announced their engagement in December 2024.
Despite the speculation, Gomez emphasized that the album is open to interpretation, adding, “It’s up for whatever people want, but to me, it was about both of our pasts and our history and also just inspired by friends and relationships.”
Whether or not the tracks are aimed at Bieber, I Said I Love You First reveals a deeply personal and introspective side to Gomez, leaving fans to debate the true meaning behind her powerful lyrics.
