Hailey Bieber recently shared in an interview that she doesn’t “feel competitive” with people she’s not “inspired by.” This candid comment has unexpectedly sparked a response from Selena Gomez, who seemingly addressed the ongoing narrative surrounding the two stars.
Selena Gomez took to her Instagram story to write, “The only person keeping this Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez narrative alive is Selena Gomez herself and her fans.” Many fans and observers are now side-eyeing Selena’s statement, suggesting that she may be stirring the pot deliberately.
To provide some context, Selena and Hailey have been at the center of feud rumors for years. These rumors began around 2018, when Hailey started dating her now-husband, Justin Bieber, who had been involved in a long, on-again, off-again relationship with Selena for seven years prior. Since then, both women have been unfairly pitted against each other by fans and media alike.
Both Selena and Hailey have previously asked their fanbases to refrain from fueling these rivalry stories. Despite this, tensions continue to bubble up, especially on social media.
The most recent incident occurred last week after Hailey’s interview with the Wall Street Journal, where she discussed her flourishing beauty business. Notably, the journalist asked Hailey about the ongoing feud rumors with Selena. Hailey’s publicist had advised her to skip the question altogether. Instead, she responded:
“It’s always annoying being pitted against other people. I didn’t ask for that. When people want to see you a certain way and they’ve made up a story about you in their minds, it’s not up to you to change that.”
Later in the interview, Hailey was asked if she felt “competitive” about her beauty products competing against other brands in major stores like Sephora. Hailey replied:
“I think there is space for everybody. I don’t feel competitive with people that I’m not inspired by.”
Many of Selena’s fans interpreted this remark as a subtle shade towards Selena’s own beauty brand, Rare Beauty. However, sources close to Hailey told TMZ that she was not referring to Selena or her brand in any way.
Despite this clarification, Selena addressed the discourse among fans sparked by Hailey’s comments. She wrote on her Instagram story:
“Just leave the girl alone. She can say whatever she wants. Doesn’t affect my life whatsoever. It’s just about relevance not intelligence. Be kind. All brands inspire me. There is room for everyone. And hopefully we can all stop.”
Selena’s decision to respond has drawn heavy criticism online. Many accuse her of fueling the controversy and point out that there was no direct suggestion from Hailey that she was referencing Rare Beauty.
What do you make of Selena’s statement? Do you think she was stirring the pot, or simply standing up for kindness and understanding? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
https://www.buzzfeed.com/stephaniesoteriou/selena-gomez-called-out-for-hailey-bieber-statement