Selena Gomez Seemingly Shaded Justin Bieber In Her New Album, And The Internet Has Some Mixed Opinions About It

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No, I can’t believe we’re still talking about this either.

If you’ve been on the internet at ALL in the last fifteen years, you’ve probably heard some of the lore between Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez.

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We all know Selena is now happily engaged to producer Benny Blanco. But before that, she and Justin were an it-couple in the 2010s, dating on and off from 2011 until 2018. Then, just six months after their final breakup, Justin and Hailey Bieber got married.

Two celebrities pose on the red carpet. The woman wears an elegant red gown, and the man is in a sleek black suit with a matching red pocket square

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Since then, fans noticed there may be some tension between Hailey and Selena, evolving into an alleged feud. At one point, in 2023, Hailey lost almost a million followers on Instagram because of her alleged “mean girl” behaviour toward Selena.

Person in elegant off-shoulder black gown poses confidently on a red carpet, with sleek hair and statement earrings

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I should also point out that while there has been much conversation about Selena and Hailey’s supposed drama, Justin isn’t often mentioned. Which is kind of ironic.

In addition to the Hailey-Selena discussion, fans have also poked around Justin and Selena’s music in efforts to gauge how the two felt about one another, since their relationship was pretty long and public. That includes Selena’s 2020 hit “Lose You To Love Me,” and Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” (which we’ll come back to in a minute).

A celebrity poses in an elegant, black sequined gown with a floral neckline at a film festival event

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So, now that Selena’s brand-new album with Benny Blanco is out — “I Said I Love You First” — fans have been sleuthing…and it seems like at least two songs could be about Justin. And these lyrics are INTERESTING. So let’s get into it, shall we?

Two people pose on the red carpet; the woman wears an elegant off-shoulder gown, the man dons a white textured suit

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The first song fans suspect is about Justin is “How Does It Feel To Be Forgotten.” The pre-chorus reads: “And you walked in, big-ass 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.”

Person in oversized hoodie, knit hat, and white pants walking outside, holding a phone, with a casual and relaxed style

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The chorus is also absolutely FIRE: “You’re so embarrassin’ / Go cry when no one’s watchin’ / I can’t imagine it / How does it feel to be forgotten?”

Of course, this could be about one of Selena’s other exes, but the key reason people are convinced it’s about Bieber lies in the term “friends.” As a source told Life & Style magazine in 2024, Justin supposedly did want to reconcile as friends with Selena last year. Another source said tried to “make peace,” but ended up saying “good riddance” after Selena and Benny wouldn’t “let it go.”

Person with tattoos and a beard wearing oversized shirt, cap, and sunglasses, talking on a phone while walking outdoors

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“He thinks they’re lame and immature, and he’s not going to bother trying to be friendly anymore,” the second source told In Touch.

So if that story is true, we could interpret “How Does It Feel To Be Forgotten” as a reference to Justin’s attempts to reconcile. From the sounds of it, Selena and Benny are standing strong together.

A celebrity in an elegant dress playfully hugs another who is wearing a stylish suit at a seated event. Other attendees are visible in the background

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But that’s not all. Fans also think the song “You Said You Were Sorry” could be about Justin. In the song, Selena starts with: “Don’t think about you / Happy without you / More now than I ever was,” and then she sings: “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 / Our eyes were bawling rain / We finally both forgave ya / I had a dream, that’s all it was / Yeah, that was enough for me.”

Person in a strapless sequin gown with a shimmering choker on a formal event carpet, smiling at the camera

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Is anyone else crying???

Not only does the concept of this song already align with Justin’s alleged apology to Selena and Benny in 2024 — but it also connects to Justin’s song “Sorry” from 2015 (at the time, Justin confirmed the hit was “a little bit” about Selena). Judging by the lyrics of “You Said You Were Sorry,” it sounds like Selena and Benny are indeed past the whole situation, but — as anyone that has come out of a long-term relationship can attest to — she has still wondered what reconciliation might have felt like.

Person in an elegant off-the-shoulder gown with chandelier earrings, standing on a formal event backdrop

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SHE’S SO RELATABLE. I LOVE HER.

Tweet about Selena Gomez releasing an album perceived as shading Justin Bieber, expressing a personal opinion

@mvsaaan on X / Via x.com

Tweet speculating that Justin Bieber secretly listened to Selena Gomez's new album, implying surprise or interest

@777isabella_ on X / Via x.com

Tweet from a parody account noting Justin Bieber gets mentioned only when Selena Gomez releases an album

Tweet says Selena released an album about Justin Bieber, and her fiancé co-wrote it.

@elmosworldstar on X / Via x.com

Anyway, what are your thoughts on Selena and Benny’s new songs? Any lingering opinions on the Selena/Justin/Hailey lore? Let’s talk about it in the comments below!

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