Selena Gomez’s New Album Sparks Buzz About Past Relationships

Selena Gomez dropped her latest album, I Said I Love You First, on Friday, and it didn’t take long for fans to start analyzing the lyrics for hidden meanings. Surprisingly, much of the speculation isn’t about her fiancé, Benny Blanco, but rather her well-known past relationship with Justin Bieber.

One track, How Does It Feel to Be Forgotten, has particularly caught listeners’ attention, with many believing it may be directed at Bieber, 31, who has reportedly been facing emotional struggles.

The song includes lines like:

“You’re so embarrassing / Go cry when no one’s watchin’ / I can’t imagine it / How does it feel to be forgotten?”

Another verse continues:

“‘Cause you walked in, big-a* grin / Talkin’ like we’re friends, honey, what were you thinkin’? / He loves me, I love him / Look at you, just look at you now.”*

According to Genius.com, the phrase “Look at you, just look at you now” closely resembles a lyric from her 2020 song Look at Her Now, which was widely believed to reference her 2018 breakup with Bieber.

Another track, You Said You Were Sorry, has also fueled speculation. Fans believe its lyrics may be aimed at Bieber as well, particularly in the chorus:

“But I had a dream / You said you were sorry, said you were sorry / Sorry for everything / That you put on me, that you put on me.”

In the emotional ballad Don’t Wanna Cry, Gomez appears to allude to a past relationship that involved public heartbreak:

“Left the door wide open for the whole wide world to see you / Then you kiss her right in front of me like I’m not even there / I should cause a scene for the things you’ve done to me / The saddest part is we both know that I would never leave.”

Fans quickly connected this to Bieber’s relationship with Hailey Bieber, whom he married in 2018, shortly after ending things with Gomez. The couple welcomed their son, Jack, in August 2024, but Gomez’s supporters have continued to criticize Hailey, even accusing her of coming between the former couple.

Following the album’s release, Hailey’s social media was flooded with negative comments, with some calling her a “stalker” and others posting GIFs of Gomez. Reports suggest that Hailey has been consulting with attorney Lisa Moore—who represented Cardi B in a high-profile defamation case—about potential legal action against online harassment.

Meanwhile, Gomez, who is now engaged to producer Benny Blanco, took to Instagram on Friday to share her thoughts on the album’s meaning. She wrote, “These songs represent our past, present, and future… something I can’t wait to experience with you from now until forever.”