Selena Gomez has come out to say that she was emotionally abused during her relationship with Justin Bieber.
The former Disney star was speaking to NPR following the release of her album Rare, which debuted at the no.1 spot in the Billboard 200 Albums chart last week.
In the interview, Gomez talks about taking care of her mental health, her Lupus battle and her private relationships being played out in public.
The Lose You To Love Me singer expressed that the reason her new album is so descriptive and vocal about her private lie is that she wanted to be able to tell her own story in her own words.
"And all of these things happened, and I wasn't going to deny that, I wasn't going to pretend to put a smile on when it actually was awful — a few of the worst moments of my life.
"And I don't know if I would have made it. And that's medical reasons, obviously, and emotional reasons.
"I just had to find a way to claim my story".
Midway through the interview, the conversation turns to her previous relationship with Justin Bieber, the basis of her song Lose You To Love Me.
"'I felt I didn't get a respectful closure, and I had accepted that, but I know I needed some way to just say a few things that I wish I had said.
"It's not a hateful song; it's a song that is saying — I had something beautiful and I would never deny that it wasn't that.
"It was very difficult and I'm happy it's over".
When asked about that time of her life being painful and one of the more difficult parts in her life so far, the former Wizards of Waverly Place actress objects and states that she found strength from that time in her life.
" It's dangerous to stay in a victim mentality. And I'm not being disrespectful, I do feel I was a victim to certain abuse —"
The interviewer asks for clarification - "You mean emotional abuse?" and the star continues.
"Yes, and I think that it's something that — I had to find a way to understand it as an adult.
"And I had to understand the choices I was making. As much as I definitely don't want to spend the rest of my life talking about this, I am really proud that I can say I feel the strongest I've ever felt and I've found a way to just walk through it with as much grace as possible".
The NPR has reached out for comment from Justin Bieber who is currently promoting a new single, upcoming album and tour.
