Many people know Selena Gomez from her appearances on Disney Channel, her scandalous relationship with Justin Bieber and her previously questionable music. With the debut of her new album, “Revival,” Gomez breaks away from her past to focus on her promising career as a talented musical artist. Gomez’s rise to fame lies in her television appearances as a young teen. After appearing on “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and “Hannah Montana,” she landed the lead role on “Wizards of Waverly Place.” This gave her mainstream success and she became a Disney Channel celebrity alongside Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers. Afterwards, Gomez attempted to branch off into other career options, including film and music. She starred in films such as “Monte Carlo” and “Spring Breakers,” but struggled to achieve the same success she had on television. She sparked a musical career with her band Selena Gomez and the Scene, but there was an onset of criticism from people saying she was trying to be scene or punk, when, in reality, she was a pop artist. The group had little commercial success, leading many people to question whether Gomez should continue to pursue singing or stick to children’s television and films. In 2013, Gomez released her debut solo album, “Stars Dance,” which topped the Billboard Charts and her single “Come and Get It” was her first top ten hit. However, after its first week, sales dropped and critics questioned whether Gomez had a solid hold on who she really was as an artist. In 2014, the singer debuted “For You,” featuring the smash hit “Come and Get It.” Many believed this would be her big break in the music industry, but accusations of lip-syncing and a debilitating relationship with Bieber resulted in Gomez canceling legs of her tour, firing her parents as managers and checking into a rehabilitation center for two months.
With the recent release of her new album, Selena Gomez hopes to push aside her past. The album demonstrates real growth from her previous albums and she has finally found solid ground in the musical industry. The album cover features a topless Gomez, highlighting her recent empowerment and self-confidence. From attempting to be scene to mainstream pop, Gomez now combines pop with EDM beats, creating an eclectic musical experience. Throughout the album, each song has a strong emotional attachment and sound experimentation, showing that Gomez isn’t afraid to break away from her past and try new things. “Revival” debuted at number one on the Billboard Charts and has been met with positive reviews. The first single from the album, “Good For You,” featuring ASAP Rocky, peaked at number five on Billboard. This marks the singer’s highest charting single to date. The song is about attempting to impress and highlight the singer’s beau. She repeats the lyrics, “Cuz I just wanna look good for you, good for you,” showing a seductive Gomez that has arisen out of the ashes of children’s television. The next single after the album’s release, “Same Old Love,” digresses from her usual pop vibes. It has a similar gritty, raw voice and instrumentals to Charli XCX, who actually co-wrote the song. The powerful lyrics, “I’m not spending any time wasting tonight on you. I know, I’ve heard it all” may be a statement about an ex-boyfriend such as Bieber and how she is ready to move on.
Another highlight, “Revival” is the first song on the album. The opening lyrics, “I dive into the future” and “who knows what I’ll become” epitomize the revival that is taking place, both in Gomez’s musical career and life. She also repeats “this is my revival, this is a revival.” The song is a personal favorite of mine and shows a dramatic improvement in Gomez’s sound. With “Revival,” Gomez has produced an empowering, electric-pop album that has truly revived her musical career. The former Disney princess has finally found herself as an artist and as a person.