The singer/actress made the revelation during a roundtable discussion with Amy Schumer and Tracee Ellis Ross, among others.
Selena Gomez is opening up about the industry's "unfair" practice of sexualizing stars at a young age. Case in point: one of her album covers that made her feel "ashamed."
The 29-year-old singer and actress made the admission during The Hollywood Reporter's Comedy Actress Emmy Roundtable that included Tracee Ellis Ross, Amy Schumer, Molly Shannon, Quinta Brunson and Bridget Everett. Near the end of that hour-long conversation that took place in May, Schumer commended the Only Murders in the Building star for charting her own path.
"And then how someone like Selena, who was sexualized at such a young age, but you've just rejected that and have really found your own style and your own presence," Schumer says. "Because I know they put you through a system and make you feel like this is how you have to do it. And especially when you're getting that positive feedback and people are attracted to you, it takes a lot to go, 'I'm going to go in this direction.'"
Gomez jumped in and said "it's really unfair" before bringing up a particular experience early on in her singing career.
"I actually did an album cover and I was really ashamed after I did it," Gomez said. "I had to work through those feelings because I realized it was attached to something deep that was going on. And it was a choice that I wasn't necessarily happy that I made, but I think that I've done my best, at least I try to be myself."
Gomez never mentions which album she's referring to, but her second studio album, Revival, in 2016 had Gomez, 24 at the time, posing nude. Gomez posted the black and white album cover on her Instagram in September 2016 to promote the album, but she didn't exactly seem thrilled about having to do so, posting the bare minimum in her caption which included the album's name, the release date and zero emojis.
"And I’m not an overly sexual person," Gomez continued. "Sometimes I like to feel sexy, but that doesn’t mean it’s for somebody else. It can be for me."
Gomez had also previously revealed on The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast about how she felt from a career standpoint following her time after the Disney Channel.
"I felt like it was very difficult for people to take me seriously," the actress revealed. "I have slowly pushed through that, and I'm really glad, but it was very frustrating. I felt like a joke, you know?"
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