Though Selena Gomez had previously kept mum on her on-and-off relationship with musical sensation Justin Bieber, the former Disney star decided to open up about her experiences in a new interview -- and the revelations are coming as a shock to fans. In the interview, the "Lose You To Love Me" singer slams ex-boyfriend Bieber, who shot to fame with his 2009 smash 'Baby,' calling him emotionally abusive. However, the interview ended on a more positive note, with Gomez claiming that she now feels the "strongest" she has ever felt.
Gomez called herself a "victim" in her relationship
Speaking candidly to NPR, the "It Ain't Me" singer said that though what she had with Bieber was "beautiful," it was also "difficult" and Gomez emphasized that she was "happy it's over."
"I'm not being disrespectful, I do feel I was a victim to certain abuse," Gomez boldly claimed, holding back no punches when discussing the uglier sides to her old relationship.
After it was clarified that the abuse Gomez suffered was emotional, the "Come and Get It" crooner explained both her accepting and then overcoming her abuse.
"I had to find a way to understand it as an adult. And I had to understand the choices I was making," she said.
"As much as I definitely don't want to spend the rest of my life talking about this, I am really proud that I can say I feel the strongest I've ever felt and I've found a way to just walk through it with as much grace as possible," Gomez concluded.
In light of her experience, Gomez wrote a new song called "Vulnerable"
Though many consider vulnerability to be synonymous with weakness, Gomez claimed that she believes it was a source of her strength that was needed for both her relationship with Justin Bieber and life in Hollywood at large.
"I grew up in this chaotic space, I did have to learn how to be tough, and to be strong, but I'm not this hard person. And I have every right to be: From 7-years-old to 27, I've been working, and I've had the most horrible things said to me, said about me, and being exposed to way too much," Gomez explained.
"One of my issues is that I always felt like I was this weak person because I would cry, or I would get emotional, or I hated when people were rude. I just started getting to the place, definitely a few years ago, where I understood that vulnerability is actually such a strength," she finished.
As covered by The International Business Times, the singer recently celebrated the release of her latest album, RARE.
