Selena Gomez Says Acting Has ‘Always Been’ Her ‘First Love’: ‘Music Is Just a Hobby That Went Out of Control’

“It’s a vulnerable space,” she told the outlet of musicianship. “Acting has always been my first love. Music is just a hobby that went out of control.”

However, Gomez isn’t quitting music. “Now it is a part of who I am, so I don’t think I’m going anywhere,” she said. “I’m just not ready yet.”

For the time being, fans will get by with the “Hands to Myself” musician’s upcoming Spanish-language songs in Emilia Pérez, crafted by French singer and lyricist Camille with Clément Ducol. “I can sing Spanish really well,” reflected Gomez, referencing her work on Revelación.

The Spring Breakers actress made her TV debut as a child in Barney & Friends in 2002, followed by her first film role in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over the next year.

After landing the lead role on Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place in 2007, she released her first song — a cover of “Cruella de Vil” from 101 Dalmations — as part of Disneymania 6 a year later.

Gomez fully launched into pop stardom as part of Selena Gomez & the Scene, and the band released its debut album, Kiss & Tell, in 2009.

Since then, she’s earned three No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and earned top-10 singles on the publication’s Hot 100 chart with “Come & Get It,” “The Heart Wants What It Wants,” “Good for You,” “Same Old Love,” “Hands to Myself,” “It Ain’t Me,” “Lose You to Love Me,” “We Don’t Talk Anymore” and “Calm Down.”

In a recent Q&A with the Emilia Pérez cast at the Telluride Film Festival on Sept. 1, Gomez said singing in the upcoming movie was “therapeutic.”

Asked about the process of learning her character Jessi Del Monte’s song, “Mi Camino,” she explained, “It was actually a totally different song.”

“It had a bit more of a rough sound to it and over the course of, you know, working with Camille on the song intimately, it became almost like a ballad,” the Only Murders in the Building star said. “It was more of a story about a woman and phases of life that she goes through and it just was beautiful.”