Interview: Selena Gomez on wanting to work with AR Rahman and lockdown lessons
- Fashion Featured
Pratishtha Rana- 16 minutes read
Global sensation Selena Gomez talks to LuxeBook about Rare, her luxury beauty brand; Ice Cream, her new song with K-pop girl band BLACKPINK and dealing with lockdown blues.
By Pratishtha Rana
It has been an action-packed year for Selena Gomez. The young American popstar, popular for her trendsetting songs, took her fans by surprise when she collaborated with the sensational K-Pop girl group BLACKPINK last month. Their single ‘Ice Cream’ has already crossed 334 million+ views and is being hailed as the summer anthem of 2020.
Gomez made another big announcement, soon after. On September 3, the ex-Disney actress launched Rare Beauty, her first-ever venture into the world of cosmetics, which took two years in the making. She’s no stranger to the retail business though. She launched her clothing line ‘Dream Out Loud’ in 2010, and an eponymous Eau de
Parfum the following year.
But Rare beauty is special. One per cent of all product sales, plus funds raised by partners, will go toward the Rare Impact Fund to support mental health services. The Fund aims to raise $100 million over the next 10 years to provide mental health services to underserved communities. That makes it one of the largest corporate mental health
funds.
Rare Beauty supports the ideas of self-love and self-esteem, by encouraging people to love themselves and appreciate what makes them different and unique through self-expression with their makeup. It discourages the unrealistic and harmful high standards that society places on unattainable physical perfection. The make-up line has foundation, liquid liner, lipstick, lip balm, blush, concealer, primer and other touch-up products.
Before launching Rare, the 28-year-old Gomez has been the face of many brands. Adidas Neo was her first, in 2013, after which the Billboard chart topper went on to partner with Coca Cola, Pantene, O.P.I, Puma, Louis Vuitton and Coach for contracts as hefty as $10 million.
Her popularity is unrivaled. Once the most followed celebrity on the gram, the Kill em with Kindness singer is inching closer to hit the 200 million follower count. She was ranked no.6 on the 2020 Instagram Rich List of Hopper HQ (social media marketing firm), which said reported that she earns around $848,000 for every sponsored post.
Gomez, the producer of the newly released movie The Broken Hearts Gallery, talks to LuxeBook about building her own empire and reveals her desire to sing alongside the
legendary AR Rahman!
“Reading and listening to music has helped me stay calm”
What makes Rare Beauty unique in a market saturated with makeup and skincare products?
I think Rare Beauty can be more than a beauty brand. It isn’t about how other people see you, it’s about how you see yourself. I want us all to stop comparing ourselves to each other and start embracing our uniqueness. Being rare is about being comfortable and I’ve stopped trying to be perfect, I just want to be me.
You new song ‘Ice Cream’ with K-Pop girl band BLACKPINK is setting records. What was the concept behind it.
This year has been hard on everyone. So, the core idea was to just do something fun and crazy and go all out with it. From the music to our outfits, all of it has a fun summer theme because, in a way, we’ve all missed it this year being indoors. With ‘Ice Cream’, we wanted people to go back to all the summers they’ve thoroughly enjoyed before.
How was your experience working with the BLACKPINK girls?
The girls are so cool and I love their music. They have this thing about them and I just think that they know what they’re doing. I had such a good time with all of them over FaceTime.
Which artist would you love to collaborate with in the future?
I like AR Rahman’s work. He is a global figure today and I would love to sing or be a part of his compositions. I think it would be beautiful to sing for a Bollywood movie.
How did you spend your lockdown at home?
Like everyone else, I feel unsettled and am going through a variety of emotions during this time. For that reason, I think it’s important to stay informed, be aware of the latest news and also take breaks from it because it can be overwhelming.
Reading and listening to music have helped me stay calm. I know that not everyone is that lucky and many people are feeling isolated and lonely. Picking up the phone, calling people and checking in on them has never been more important.
Did you take up any new hobbies recently?
I’ve recently gotten into watercolor painting. I also started a new book series. Oh, and I have been cooking meals that I’ve never cooked before!
How do you unwind after a long, exhausting day at work?
By taking an Epsom salt bath.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Late night snacking – Popcorn & Pickle juice.
Where do you shop your outfits from?
Urban Outfitters – I love their street-style wear.
One gadget you cannot live without?
Any kind of kitchen gadget.
