Selena Gomez featured on cover of Elle's 1st Latinx issue, opens up about mental health struggles
Gomez also discussed her first Spanish-language album.
Selena Gomez is gracing Elle Magazine's first Latinx issue.
With National Hispanic Heritage Month only a month away, the singer, actress and businesswoman sizzles as the main character for the publication's inaugural issue which is a celebration of the Latinx community.
Gomez is photographed by Inez & Vinoodh for one of two covers in black and white wearing an embellished Chanel sweater and choker as well as Cartier earrings.
Her other cover is shot in full color and she's wearing a graphic t-shirt, pink skirt, fishnet tights and Giuseppe Zanotti mules that included sparkling bows on each.
Each look was styled by Alex White.
In addition to being Elle's cover star, Gomez also served as a guest editor alongside editor-in-chief Nina Gacia who is also the first Latina to helm a major American fashion magazine.
"We had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with Selena, to shine a light on all of the Latinx talent in this country," Garcia told "Good Morning America."
The "Look At Her Now" singer opened up about everything from her first Spanish-language album to how she's navigated through mental health struggles as well as heartbreak.
"My lupus, my kidney transplant, chemotherapy, having a mental illness, going through very public heartbreaks — these were all things that honestly should have taken me down," Gomez told Elle. Every time I went through something, I was like, 'What else? What else am I going to have to deal with? You're going to help people.' That's really what kept me going. There could have been a time when I wasn't strong enough and would have done something to hurt myself."
The "Shadow of the Mountain" actress also revealed that she's removed Instagram from her phone saying "There's no temptation. I suddenly had to learn how to be with myself."
Now, Gomez gets her information the traditional way by having her friends call her when they have something to talk about or share.
With the release of her first Spanish record "Revelación" a few months ago, Gomez also discussed how much more of her Latinx culture she's put into her work and the challenges that have come with it. "I think speaking in Spanish is a lot easier than singing," she said.
Gomez added: “I made sure that I didn't look like a fool. I focused so hard on making sure that the language I was speaking, and the way I was speaking it, was authentic. I wanted it to exude love — to talk about pain, but in a way that was confident. There is a song about girls saying goodbye to things that aren't good for us."
When asked about ever quitting music, Gomez said she doesn't ever think she will.
"I'm not saying I want a Grammy," she said. "I just feel like I'm doing the best I can, and it's all about me. Sometimes, that can really get to me."