Did Selena Gomez scrap her album release plans?
Los Angeles, California - Selena Gomez has shared a surprising update about her next music moves amid rampant speculation her anticipated third studio album will arrive this year.
The 31-year-old star got candid about her career in an interview with Rolling Stone published on Monday, where she admitted that while she "hopes" the new album will drop this year, it's not a done deal.
Selena released her flirty new song Love On last month, with many assuming that the track served as the new album's lead single.
However, she told the outlet that both Love On and the contrasting breakup anthem Single Soon, which was released in August 2023, may be better understood as standalone tracks rather than teasers for a complete record.
"Both of them stand alone in their messaging, but I stand by each of them for sure," she said. "I guess it's safe to say that Single Soon and Love On might not be really reflective of the project that I'm working on."
Selena, who announced her new romance with music producer Benny Blanco last December, gushed that her new work has been influenced by the "good place" she's arrived at in her life.
Along with her music plans, the Rare Beauty founder dished on her other professional endeavors, including expanding her TV resume and tackling the role of Linda Ronstadt in an upcoming biopic about the music legend.
Will Selena Gomez continue to focus more on acting than music?
Both of Selena's next TV projects are a return to familiar roots. In January, she announced her involvement in the upcoming Wizards of Waverly Place revival, and last Friday, she kicked off production on Only Murders in the Building season 4.
As for her next ventures on the big screen, she's gearing up to take on what might be the most challenging role of her acting career to date with the upcoming Linda Ronstadt flick.
"I'm stepping into someone's life, and that can be really intimidating," she told Rolling Stone. "But I'm beyond inspired by [Linda], and I know too much about her at this point."
Selena also walked back on a previous comment that her next album was likely to be her last, clarifying that it's not a "no, never" when it comes to making further music.
Instead, she hopes stepping away will give her a chance to further expand her career in film and TV, adding, "I haven't done a lot of the things that I want to do in that space."
Cover photo: FRAZER HARRISON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP