We'd love to swap lives with Selena right now. Not only is she totally gorgeous, she has her own show and a movie (Wizards of Waverly Place) that premiered last month, she's done a film with her bff Demi Lovato (how cool would that be?!) and she's recorded an album. All by the age of 17! "People think that this all happened overnight," she says, "but I've actually been working hard for about two years to get to where I am now."
Teen dreams
Selena decided that she wanted to be an actress when she was little and used to watch her mum practise lines for theatre productions. "I wanted to be Lizzie McGuire," she giggles. Her first acting break was on the kids' show Barney & Friends, where she met her best friend and fellow Disney star, Demi Lovato.
"We were standing in line for the Barney audition and Demi asked me if I wanted to help her colour. We both got signed for two seasons and we've been best friends ever since. It's such a cool story to tell our children when we're older."
The talented teen caught the attention of Disney Channel after she persuaded her mum to let her attend an open casting call in her hometown of Texas. She was flown to California where she guest starred on shows such as Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. And the rest is history.
Study sista
Selena might be a star, but she's actually just like any other teen. She misses her pets (four dogs and two turtles, which were given to her as a birthday pressie), loves shopping and iChatting with her friends, and would be totally lost without her mum, Mandy.
As well as keeping track of Selena's schedule, Mandy ensures that she knuckles down to study, too. She made sure Selena picked a home-schooling course that's recognised by the top US universities, so if Selena decides she wants to continue studying after high school, she can.
And while it might sound like a total 'mare to concentrate on maths or science when you're in the middle of filming or on an overseas trip, Selena takes advantage of her jetset lifestyle by spending time checking out the local history of the places she visits.
So does she miss out on all her friends' gossip by not going to a regular school? "I do miss some things," she says, "but my friends keep me up to date with the dramas. I can't really complain, coz I'm getting to do my dream job."
Gossip girl
It might be a dream job, but it still comes with downsides. "You get such wonderful people that like you but you also get a lot of people who hate you, too," says Selena.
After hanging out with her, it's hard to imagine anyone would have a bad word to say about her. But with rumours that she's dating Twilight hottie Taylor Lautner, and her every fashion move being watched, there will always be some haters.
"It's not that fun to be picked at every little second for every little thing, from a sock or scarf I wear," she says. "People can break down every little thing that you say to make it mean something different."
So does she ignore all the negative comments? "I used to Google myself a lot," she admits. "But it's not healthy, so I stopped. I think I've gone about six or seven weeks now without looking. I kind of have to laugh about it if I read something negative, as that person doesn't know you. I just turn it off and talk to people who love me, like my family."
She does kiss and tell!
Selena Gomez & The Scene's album Kiss & Tell will be available here in New Zealand on October 19. We asked her about her musical taste and what we can expect from the album.
How would you describe your musical style? It's quite rocky, a bit like Paramore. For my album I really wanted to get a sound that was fun and young. I really want everyone to jump around to it, whether they're adults or children. I wouldn't want to torture the parents!
Who are your musical influences? I love Jason Mraz. I love that fact that he has a folky style with a rocky edge. But I also listen to Fall Out Boy, Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus... There's such a wide range of music I like, so it's kind of an odd mix.
Have you ever written a song for someone special? I've written songs about my mum before and I've written songs about certain friends. When I was younger I would write about my first crush and stuff like that.
What's your fave song right now? I love "Breathless" by Corinne Bailey Rae. I actually only heard it for the first time the other day and I didn't even know who she was, but I bought it immediately. It's just such a beautiful love song.
Do you download a lot of music? Yes, all the time! I take my laptop with me everywhere and I'm always on iTunes. I'm in love with Taylor Swift's album at the moment - it's incredible!
Do you feel that there's pressure for young stars to be good at everything - acting, singing, dancing... I don't think that we have to be good at all those things, but when you're given the opportunity to do other things it's always great to try.
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