How Selena Gomez built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Selena Gomez is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman. She started as a child actress on Barney & Friends and gained prominence as Alex Russo on Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place. Gomez signed with Hollywood Records in 2008 and formed Selena Gomez & the Scene, releasing three albums: Kiss & Tell, A Year Without Rain, and When the Sun Goes Down.
In 2002, Selena Gomez began her acting career on the children's television series Barney & Friends, portraying the character Gianna.
In 2002, Selena Gomez began her acting career on the children's television series Barney & Friends.
Selena Gomez's second album, Revival, was mainly inspired by Christina Aguilera's album Stripped from 2002, as well as Janet Jackson and Britney Spears.
In 2003, while working on Barney & Friends, Selena Gomez had a bit part role in the film Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over.
In 2004, Selena Gomez's tenure on Barney & Friends concluded after appearing in thirteen episodes because producers thought she was too old for the show.
In 2006, Selena Gomez appeared in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
In 2007, Selena Gomez landed the leading role as Alex Russo on the Disney Channel sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place, marking a significant step in her career as a teen idol.
In 2007, Selena Gomez was given a recurring role on the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana as pop star Mikayla and moved to Los Angeles with her mother after landing the lead role in Wizards of Waverly Place.
In October 2008, Selena Gomez participated in St. Jude's Children's Hospital's "Runway For Life", and she was named UNICEF's spokesperson for the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign, which encouraged children to raise money on Halloween for children around the world.
In 2008, Selena Gomez appeared in Another Cinderella Story.
In 2008, Selena Gomez raised over $700,000 for the UNICEF Trick-or-Treat campaign.
In 2008, Selena Gomez signed with Hollywood Records, marking the beginning of her music career.
In 2008, Selena Gomez was involved in the UR Votes Count campaign, which encouraged teenagers to learn more about the 2008 presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.
In 2008, while working on the second season of Wizards of Waverly Place, Selena Gomez voiced Helga in the animated film Horton Hears a Who!
In June 2009, Selena Gomez, along with Demi Lovato, starred in the Disney Channel film Princess Protection Program, which premiered to 8.5 million viewers. They also recorded the song "One and the Same" for the film's soundtrack.
In August 2009, Selena Gomez, then 17 years old, became the youngest UNICEF ambassador.
In September 2009, Selena Gomez & the Scene released their debut album, Kiss & Tell, which debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the U.S.
In September 2009, Selena Gomez traveled to Ghana for one week in her first official field mission as a UNICEF ambassador. She witnessed the conditions of vulnerable children lacking necessities such as clean water, nourishment, education and healthcare.
From 2009 to 2012, Selena Gomez was involved in "Disney's Friends for Change", an organization that promoted environmentally-friendly behavior, and appeared in its public service announcements. She also recorded the charity single "Send It On" with other Disney stars, donating proceeds to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.
In 2009, Selena Gomez & the Scene released their debut album, Kiss & Tell.
In 2009, Selena Gomez appeared in Princess Protection Program.
In 2009, Selena Gomez became the ambassador of DoSomething and also became involved with the charity RAISE Hope For Congo, raising funds to address conflict minerals and violence against women and girls in the Congo.
In 2009, Selena Gomez was named spokesperson for UNICEF's Trick-or-Treat campaign for the second year in a row, with a goal to raise US$1 million. She participated in auctions and webcasts to support the campaign.
In 2010, Selena Gomez & the Scene released their second album, A Year Without Rain.
In 2010, Selena Gomez released the Dream Out Loud fashion collection, featuring bohemian dresses, floral tops, jeans, skirts, jackets, scarves, and hats made from recycled or eco-friendly materials, in collaboration with designers Tony Melillo and Sandra Campos.
In 2010, Selena Gomez returned as the UNICEF spokesperson for the 60th anniversary of the Trick-or-Treat campaign. She and the Scene held a benefit concert, donating all proceeds to the campaign, and raised $4 million with Gomez's help.
In 2010, Selena Gomez starred alongside Joey King in Ramona and Beezus and Selena Gomez & the Scene released their second studio album A Year Without Rain.
In 2010, Selena Gomez started organizing charity concerts to benefit UNICEF, raising funds to provide children with essential resources like therapeutic foods, medicines, clean water, education, and immunization.
In February 2011, Selena Gomez traveled to Chile with UNICEF to meet with families supported by the "Programa Puente", which helped families understand and develop skills related to early childhood education and development.
On July 14, 2011, Selena Gomez signed a license agreement with Adrenalina to develop, manufacture, and distribute her own fragrance.
From 2011, Selena Gomez achieved a streak of 16 consecutive top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the longest active run of any artist according to Billboard.
In 2011, Selena Gomez & the Scene released their third album, When the Sun Goes Down.
In 2011, Selena Gomez & the Scene released their third and final studio album, When the Sun Goes Down.
In 2011, Selena Gomez starred in the comedy film Monte Carlo, and hosted the MuchMusic Video Awards in June and the MTV Europe Music Awards in November.
In January 2012, Selena Gomez confirmed she would be taking a break from music, placing Selena Gomez & the Scene on hiatus, which eventually led to a permanent split and Wizards of Waverly Place officially ended its run on the Disney Channel after four seasons.
In April 2012, Selena Gomez was named ambassador to the Ryan Seacrest Foundation.
In May 2012, Selena Gomez's first fragrance was released under the license agreement with Adrenalina.
In 2012, Selena Gomez starred in the exploitation film Spring Breakers, which premiered in September at the 69th Venice International Film Festival.
In 2012, Wizards of Waverly Place officially ended its run on the Disney Channel after four seasons.
In April 2013, Selena Gomez released "Come & Get It" as the lead single from her solo debut album. The song became Gomez's first top-ten entry on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, reaching number six, and also reached the top-ten in Canada and the U.K.
In August 2013, Selena Gomez embarked on her Stars Dance Tour, performing in North America and Europe.
In December 2013, Selena Gomez canceled the Australian and Asian legs of her Stars Dance Tour, citing a need to take a hiatus and spend time with her family.
In 2013, Selena Gomez appeared in Girl Rising and The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex.
In 2013, Selena Gomez organized charity concerts to benefit UNICEF, raising funds to provide children with essential resources like therapeutic foods, medicines, clean water, education, and immunization.
In 2013, Selena Gomez released her EDM-infused debut solo album, Stars Dance, which debuted atop the US Billboard 200 and featured the international top-ten single "Come & Get It".
In 2013, Selena Gomez released her second fragrance, Vivamore by Selena Gomez, and created her own collection of nail polish colors for Nicole by OPI.
In 2013, Selena Gomez starred in the action thriller "Getaway" and served as executive producer and starred in the television special "The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex" on the Disney Channel. "Getaway" was a critical and commercial failure.
In 2013, Selena Gomez's debut solo album Stars Dance was prominently influenced by Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, and EDM producer Skrillex.
In April 2014, Selena Gomez fired her mother and stepfather as her managers and signed with WMA and Brillstein companies.
In December 2014, Selena Gomez officially parted ways with Hollywood Records and later signed with Interscope Records.
In February 2015, Selena Gomez collaborated with German DJ Zedd on "I Want You to Know", which debuted at number-seventeen in the U.S.
In October 2015, Selena Gomez released her second studio album, Revival. The album debuted at number-one on the U.S. Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 117,000 album units, and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
In 2015, Selena Gomez made a cameo appearance in Adam McKay's film The Big Short.
In 2015, Selena Gomez moved to Interscope Records and released the electropop album Revival, which was supported by the top-ten singles "Good for You", "Same Old Love", and "Hands to Myself".
In 2015, Selena Gomez signed a $3 million endorsement deal with Pantene.
In 2015, Selena Gomez was honored with the Chart-Topper Award at the Billboard Women in Music event.
In January 2016, Selena Gomez starred in "The Fundamentals of Caring", which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and performed as the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live".
In May 2016, Selena Gomez embarked on her worldwide Revival Tour, aiming for a focus solely on her as an artist and with less choreography than her previous tour.
In June 2016, Selena Gomez joined numerous celebrities to write a "love letter" during pride month as part of Billboard's 30 Days of Pride. She also collaborated with 23 other artists for the charity single "Hands", a tribute for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting, to raise funds for Equality Florida's Pulse Victims Fund, GLAAD, and the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida.
In August 2016, Selena Gomez canceled the European and South America legs of her Revival Tour due to anxiety, panic attacks, and depression caused by her lupus.
In 2016, Selena Gomez appeared in The Fundamentals of Caring and Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising.
In 2016, Selena Gomez broke the record with the song "Ice Cream" with Blackpink as the third-highest 24-hour debut for a music video on YouTube at the time, with over 79 million views, and the highest for female artist and female collaboration.
In 2016, Selena Gomez starred in the film The Fundamentals of Caring.
In 2016, Selena Gomez was featured on Charlie Puth's single, "We Don't Talk Anymore", which became an international success. In the same year, she also had a supporting role in "In Dubious Battle" and guest starred in "Inside Amy Schumer".
In 2016, Selena Gomez's music video "We Don't Talk Anymore" with Charlie Puth became the most-viewed music video published on YouTube.
In February 2017, Selena Gomez and the Norwegian DJ Kygo released a single together, "It Ain't Me". The collaboration reached top ten of most major music charts worldwide, including the U.S. and the U.K.
In March 2017, Selena Gomez served as executive producer for the series adaptation of the novel "Thirteen Reasons Why" which premiered on Netflix. The series drew backlash from mental health charities over "dangerous content".
As of May 2017, Selena Gomez has sold 24.3 million songs in the United States.
In October 2017, Selena Gomez and Marshmello released the single "Wolves". The song achieved commercial success, reaching the top ten in several countries.
In 2016, Selena Gomez donated proceeds of her Revival Tour concert in North Carolina to fight the state's recent legislation known as the "bathroom law," which was repealed in 2017.
In 2017, Selena Gomez became the executive producer for the television series 13 Reasons Why.
In 2017, Selena Gomez confirmed her collaboration with Coach, becoming the face of the brand and releasing the "Selena Grace" line of handbags. She also signed a $30 million contract with Puma as brand ambassador, appearing in campaigns for the Phenom Lux sneakers and launching the SG x PUMA Strong Girl collection.
In 2017, Selena Gomez partnered with Coach and participated in activities with Step Up, an organization supporting girls in under-resourced communities by attending events and gifting Coach bags to girls in Los Angeles high schools.
In 2017, Selena Gomez was approached about the project that would become the Netflix docuseries Living Undocumented, which ultimately led to her involvement as an executive producer.
In 2017, Shakira released the album El Dorado. In 2021 Selena Gomez released Revelacion which had the largest sales week for a Latin album by a woman at the time, since Shakira's El Dorado in 2017.
In 2017, Time honored Selena Gomez as one of the "women who are changing the world" on its First Women Leaders list.
In May 2018, Selena Gomez released the single "Back to You", which was featured on the 13 Reasons Why Season 2 Soundtrack. The song achieved top-ten positions in various European countries and top-twenty in the U.S. and the U.K.
In 2018, Billboard included Selena Gomez in its list of Greatest of All Time Pop Songs Artists at number 31.
In January 2019, Selena Gomez was featured on Julia Michaels's single "Anxiety", adding to her list of collaborations and musical endeavors.
On October 1, 2019, Selena Gomez wrote an op-ed for Time, explaining her involvement as executive producer for the Netflix docuseries Living Undocumented after relating to the struggles of undocumented families.
In October 2019, Selena Gomez served as an executive producer for the Netflix docuseries Living Undocumented, which follows the lives of eight undocumented families in America. The series was critically acclaimed and nominated for a News and Documentary Emmy Award.
In 2019, Billboard named Selena Gomez one of the 100 most successful artists of the 2010s, ranking her at number 38.
In 2019, Selena Gomez appeared in The Dead Don't Die and A Rainy Day in New York.
On January 10, 2020, Selena Gomez released her album Rare, which debuted atop the US Billboard 200, becoming her third consecutive number-one album in the US.
In January 2020, Selena Gomez voiced a giraffe in the adventure film Dolittle, which received negative reviews and was a box office disappointment.
In February 2020, Selena Gomez released the song "Feel Me", which was added to the setlist of her Revival Tour back in 2016. The release was due to high demand from fans.
In April 2020, Selena Gomez became an owner and investor of the ice cream brand Serendipity.
In April 2020, Selena Gomez released the deluxe edition of her album Rare, featuring the single "Boyfriend".
In June 2020, Selena Gomez was featured in a remix of Trevor Daniel's song, "Past Life".
The series Thirteen Reasons Why ended after four seasons in June 2020.
In September 2020, Selena Gomez executive produced The Broken Hearts Gallery, a romantic comedy film that was released to positive reviews.
In September 2020, Selena Gomez launched her own makeup and cosmetics brand, Rare Beauty, promoting inclusivity and mental health initiatives.
In 2020, Selena Gomez created the Rare Impact Fund by Rare Beauty, aiming to raise US$100 million over ten years for mental health resources for young people. Also in 2020, for each episode of her HBO Max cooking show Selena + Chef (2020–2023), $10,000 was donated to the charity of the chef's choice.
In 2020, Selena Gomez founded the cosmetic company Rare Beauty and non-profit Rare Impact Fund. She also appeared in the Time 100 list.
In 2020, Selena Gomez produced the series Selena + Chef and Living Undocumented.
In 2020, Selena Gomez released the dance-pop-influenced Rare album, which contained her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, "Lose You to Love Me".
In March 2021, Selena Gomez released her first Spanish-language project, an EP titled Revelación. It debuted at number twenty-two in the US and topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart.
In May 2021, Selena Gomez participated in the VAX Live: The Concert to Reunite the World concert to promote the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.
In June 2021, Selena Gomez signed a UNICEF open letter urging the G7 nations to donate more coronavirus vaccines to the international COVAX initiative.
In July 2021, Selena Gomez released a swimwear line with La'Mariette.
In August 2021, Selena Gomez starred in and executive produced the mystery-comedy series Only Murders in the Building, which premiered on Hulu and set a record as the most-watched comedy premiere in the platform's history.
In 2021, Selena Gomez appeared in Only Murders in the Building.
In 2021, Selena Gomez released the Spanish EP Revelación, earning nominations at the Grammys and Latin Grammy Awards.
In 2021, Vulture ranked Selena Gomez third on its "Disney and Nickelodeon Stars Gone Pop" listicle, noting her effortless likability and successful music career as an adult.
In 2021, over the first two seasons of Selena + Chef, $360,000 was raised for nonprofit organizations. Also in 2021, Selena Gomez donated 10 percent of the net proceeds from her cookware line with Our Place to the Rare Impact Fund, focusing on mental health awareness.
In May 2022, MTV partnered with Selena Gomez and the Rare Impact Fund by Rare Beauty to host the Mental Health Youth Action Forum at the White House.
In May 2022, Selena Gomez collaborated with Our Place on a cookware line called the Summer Collection.
In May 2022, Serendipity Brands—which Selena Gomez is a co-owner and investor of—donated $1 from every ice cream pint and product sold to the Rare Impact Fund.
In September 2022, Selena + Chef concluded after running for four seasons and receiving a nomination for Outstanding Culinary Series at the 50th Daytime Emmy Awards.
In November 2022, the documentary film "Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me", directed by Alek Keshishian, premiered at AFI Fest and was subsequently released on Apple TV+ and in select theaters. The film received positive reviews for its transparency regarding mental health.
In December 2022, Selena Gomez donated exclusive items to the 2nd Annual ASCAP Foundation, which supports music education and talent development programs across the US.
As of 2022, Selena Gomez is one of the most-streamed artist of all time, amassing 45 billion streams globally.
From 2022 to 2024 consecutively, Selena Gomez was included in The Hollywood Reporter's Power 100 list as one of the most powerful women in entertainment.
In 2022, Rare Beauty sold US$70 million worth of liquid blush (over 3.1 million units).
In 2022, Selena Gomez reprised her role as Mavis in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, released on Amazon Prime Video. She also collaborated with Coldplay on "Let Somebody Go" and hosted Saturday Night Live.
In 2022, Selena Gomez was named the number one positive influencer on social media.
In May 2023, Food Network ordered two projects to be hosted by Selena Gomez, including Selena + Chef: Home for the Holidays and Selena + Restaurant.
In June 2023, Selena Gomez released a second edition of the cookware range in collaboration with Our Place.
As of August 2023, Selena Gomez has sold 3.6 million albums in the US, and shifted more than 11.5 million album-equivalent units.
In December 2023, Selena Gomez attended Ramy Youssef's fundraiser for Gaza.
From 2023 to 2024, Selena Gomez and Sephora donate all 100 percent of global Rare Beauty sales to the Rare Impact Fund in honor of World Mental Health Day.
In 2023, Selena Gomez and her cosmetics brand Rare Beauty, participated in the 53rd annual Los Angeles Pride Parade, as well as her Rare Impact Fund has been donating funds since the foundation for The Trevor Project and in 2023 for Trans Lifeline who focus on LGBTQ+ youth.
In 2023, Selena Gomez was featured on the remix of Rema's song "Calm Down". The remix became an international success, reaching number three on the Billboard Global 200 and becoming Gomez's ninth top-ten hit in the US. It also topped various charts and achieved significant milestones, including being the second best-selling song globally in 2023 according to the IFPI.
In January 2024, Selena Gomez expressed a preference for acting over music, suggesting she only has "one more album in me". She clarified her statements later, indicating that "music isn't going away."
In April 2024, Selena Gomez participated as one of the speakers at the Time 100 Summit, discussing mental health protection and social media.
On May 1, 2024, Selena Gomez held a special event dedicated to mental health awareness called the Rare Beauty Summit, where she also offered resources to solve mental health problems, the U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek Murthy joined her at this event.
In May 2024, Rare Beauty was valued at $2 billion, becoming one of the best-selling brands at Sephora and the fastest-growing celebrity beauty brand on social media.
In May 2024, Selena + Restaurant, an interactive cooking series co-hosted by Selena Gomez and Raquelle Stevens, premiered.
As of August 2024, Only Murders in the Building is the most-watched original comedy series on Hulu, highlighting its sustained success and popularity.
As of September 2024, the Rare Impact Fund has raised over $16 million since 2020, and distributed grants to support 26 mental health-focused organizations across five continents.
In September 2024, Selena Gomez was reported to have become a billionaire, with an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion, largely attributed to Rare Beauty.
On October 29, 2024, Selena Gomez reprised her role as Alex Russo in the premiere of "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" on Disney Channel and Disney+. She also served as an executive producer for the series.
From 2022 to 2024 consecutively, Selena Gomez was included in The Hollywood Reporter's Power 100 list as one of the most powerful women in entertainment.
In 2024, Selena Gomez appeared in Emilia Pérez and Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.
Rare Beauty, Selena Gomez's makeup and cosmetics brand, was named as Time's most influential company of 2024.
In January 2025, Selena Gomez volunteered to help distribute basic necessities to those displaced by the 2025 Southern California wildfires. Additionally, Rare Beauty and Gomez made donations to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and World Central Kitchen, and all proceeds from sales of Rare products during the anniversary of her album Rare were donated to fight the wildfires.
In February 2025, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco's collaboration "Talk" was previewed as the soundtrack to an Apple advertisement for the IPhone 16e.
On March 21, 2025, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco released their collaborative album, and her fourth studio album, titled "I Said I Love You First". The album received mixed to positive reviews and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200.
In 2025, Selena Gomez continues to appear in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.
In 2025, Selena Gomez released her fourth studio album I Said I Love You First, a collaborative project with Benny Blanco.
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