Selena Gomez has always been a massive light to her community. That light has guided her and helped to create a strong, long-lasting career as a household name in multiple industries. For decades, the star has shined bright both on stage, in the studio, or in front of the camera. Despite years in the limelight, she is fiercely protective of her personal life, that is until now. Selena has finally released her highly anticipated documentary, “My Mind and Me.” We all know this isn’t the first time where a star has offered a glimpse into their lives. What makes this documentary unique is Alek Keshishian filming the unguarded Gomez to finally show the world the real her. After years of being notoriously private, Gomez has finally given the world a peek into both her true self and her psyche.
What is it about?
“My Mind & Me,” directed by Alek Keshishian (known for his acclaimed 1991 documentary “Madonna: Truth or Dare“). Filming began back in 2016, at the height of Gomez’s Revival Tour. The tour is originally depicted as you would expect, screaming fans, packed stadiums, overall high energy. This energy is met with a very stark contrast however, as we soon see Selena absolutely distraught. She begins spiraling and even questioning her self-worth, during one of the highlights of her career. While she may have not been feeling the love within, the love was always there from her fanbase. As you can see in this viral video of Gomez on her Revival Tour, singing “Who Says,” where the entire audience was singing back to her, giving her a moment to shine.
“I’ll only tell you my darkest secrets.”
Within a couple of months into touring, the star had abruptly canceled the tour due to a “breakdown” and entered psychiatric treatment. Selena’s team and close friends had described Gomez on tour as “unrecognizable.” Leaving the audience in a very protective state of the star. The documentary showed the star’s struggles dealing with her lupus flare-up, kidney transplant, emergency surgery, depression, and bipolar disorder.
The moment that broke my heart
Hearing the singer talk about her relationship with being a public figure was heartbreaking. All Selena ever wanted was to do good and spread kindness. Whether it was about mental awareness, lupus awareness, etc. She expressed that she never wanted to be famous. Yet she is in this position, so she plans to use that for good. Selena described the documentary as dark, but there are moments of light even within that. She highlighted her trips back home to Texas or her journey to Kenya. When she stepped away from the spotlight and visited the school where she helps fund, she told E! News, “I hate that. I feel like I went and filmed and experienced, but it’s just so hard because I feel so selfish. Do I feel great? Yes, and do I feel like I left an impact? Yes, but do I feel like I’ve done enough? No.”
As you reach the end of the documentary, it highlights the year 2020. When Gomez comes back into the world, killing the industry with her kindness. You can see the star, really tired, people hovering over her, and prepping her for promo. She had released her album “Rare.” With releasing one comes exhausting press junket interviews and excessive traveling. Her dislike of press comes to a head during a scene in London with a callous interviewer, who clearly wasn’t internalizing Selena’s thoughts, and was just there for clickbait. When the intervener “got what they needed” and left abruptly, it left Gomez feeling quite shocked. She angrily voiced how much she never wanted to do that again. How it made her feel like more of a product. It was heartbreaking to see the star wanting to talk about what makes her happy but showing how brutal and dehumanizing the industry can be.
Final Thoughts
Selena Gomez has opened up a lot within this documentary, sharing her diary entry throughout the film. She has grown from her Disney days, and this documentary was her way of showing us that. This entire film has left me feeling proud that Selena is in a position to change the world. I highly encourage people to watch the documentary with an open mind and understand from her point of view, knowing that it is hard to be in this position. However, it isn’t impossible to get through.
Selena Gomez new documentary, “My Mind and Me,” is now available exclusively on Apple TV. Along with her new song, which is available on all streaming services. This is a film that you do not want to miss!
