Selena Gomez slams the ‘Disney girl’ image: ‘It’s a haunting feeling’

Singer and songwriter Selena Gomez addresses her hatred for still being dubbed a “Disney girl” and its “haunting” presence.

The singer touched upon her Disney days during an interview for Vogue and was quoted saying, "I still live with this haunting feeling that people still view me as this Disney girl.”

Given that she started her career very early with the Wizards of Waverly Place, Gomez felt the pressure “to be prefect.” She added, "That was my job in a way—to be perfect. You're considered a figure kids look up to, and they take that seriously there."

At the end of the day the show pushed her to become ‘such a people-pleaser’. "It seems almost impossible not to be, as a performer. Unless you're like... a man? Yeah. I think I spent so many years just trying to say the right thing to people for the sake of keeping myself sane.”

During her interview Gomez also addressed her failing mental health and how she prioritized wellness during haphazard years. "I knew I couldn't go on unless I learned to listen to my body and mind when I really needed help. Once I stopped, and accepted my vulnerability, and decided to share my story with people—that's when I felt release.”

"I woke up one morning and looked at Instagram, like every other person, and I was done. I was tired of reading horrible things. I was tired of seeing other people's lives. After that decision, it was instant freedom. My life in front of me was my life, and I was present, and I could not have been more happy about it."