Selena Gomez Opens Up About Why ‘Words Matter’ Shortly After Hailey Bieber’s Viral Interview

There have been questions for years regarding the timing of Justin Bieber’s breakup with Selena Gomez and his quick engagement to Hailey Baldwin (now Hailey Bieber). Many have assumed there might have been some overlap between the two relationships, and Gomez fans, particularly, have held onto the grudge on behalf of the Only Murders in the Building star. But after Hailey’s viral podcast interview, in which she clarified the timeline, the “Lose You to Love Me” singer took to her own social media, saying that “words matter.”

Selena Gomez Reminds Fans That ‘Words Matter’ 

Selena Gomez went live on TikTok to speak about her makeup line Rare, which she said is all about kind words. Part of her comments were captured and shared on Twitter, with many fans thinking she was making reference to Hailey Bieber. She said: 

If you support Rare, I cannot thank you enough, but know that you are also representing what it means and that is words matter. Truly matter. So it ain’t coming from me, and I just want all of you to know that I hope that you understand that this is much bigger than anything else. I’m really grateful to all of you for hearing me out, so have a wonderful rest of your day, and I appreciate all the love.

The pop star-turned-actress didn’t mention the Biebers specifically, but it seems poignant that Selena Gomez would relay that message in the aftermath of Hailey Bieber’s Call Her Daddy interview, in which she discussed the trolling she’s endured throughout her relationship and four-year marriage to Justin Beiber. Gomez said: 

I think some of the things that I don’t even need to be aware of are just vile and disgusting. And it's not fair because no one ever should be spoken to in the manner that I've seen and all I have to say is it’s incredibly ironic that I would release something that is all about kind words ‘cause that’s exactly what I want. That’s it.

Hailey Bieber has been open in the past about the Internet’s obsession with comparing her to Selena Gomez, and a moment between her and her husband at last year’s Met Gala went viral, when Justin Bieber appeared to be comforting Hailey after a crowd started chanting, “Selena!” at them.  

Hailey Bieber Denies Overlap Between Start Of Her Relationship And Selena Gomez Breakup 

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez dated off and on from 2010 to 2018. They broke up for good in March 2018, with Bieber reuniting with Hailey, who he’d dated during one of his splits from Gomez, shortly after. They were engaged only a few months later, in July. On the Call Her Daddy podcast, Hailey Bieber said the door was completely closed with Gomez before she got with Justin. She explained: 

As a woman, I would never want to get into a relationship with someone and be engaged to them and be getting married to them and think in the back of my mind, ‘I wonder if that was really closed for you.' I know for a fact that the reason we were able to get back together was because it was very much completely closed.

Hailey Bieber said she has spoken to Selenz Gomez since marrying Justin Bieber, and “it’s all respect. It’s all love,” between the two of them. Gomez’s comments encouraging her supporters to remember that words matter seemingly show that she’s on the same page. 

My Mind and Me, a documentary about Selena Gomez’s personal and professional life, is coming to those with an Apple TV+ subscription on November 4, and in the meantime, you see her on the first two seasons of Only Murders in the Building, available with a Hulu subscription

Heidi Venable
Content Producer

Heidi Venable is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend, a mom of two and a hard-core '90s kid. She started freelancing for CinemaBlend in 2020 and officially came on board in 2021. Her job entails writing news stories and TV reactions from some of her favorite prime-time shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Journalism and worked in the newspaper industry for almost two decades in multiple roles including Sports Editor, Page Designer and Online Editor. Unprovoked, will quote Friends in any situation. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks.