CMV: Selena Gomez’s career and legacy in pop culture is overhyped and she has not really contributed much to pop culture with the exception of Rare Beauty (she changed the game with that blush, period).

Disclaimer: This is NOT a Selena Gomez hate take. I don’t have a problem with her at all, I actually like her a lot! I just scratch my head when I hear the sentiment around her being solidified in pop culture as this pop star musical / actress / prodigy, because I never felt like she accomplished anything THAT remarkable.

She’s the most followed person on Instagram (over Taylor Swift?!?!), and I remember at one point a while ago she was consistently the most streamed artist on Spotify every year... which always had me like, huh?? Don’t get me wrong, she has some bops (Same Old Love is my jammmm) but I never thought her music career was anymore remarkable than any other child Disney star who followed up their acting career with a short lived music career. I never viewed her contributions to pop music as anything revolutionary. I think she came out with some catchy bops for sure, but everything sounded the same as whatever pop music was trending at the time. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I have always been so puzzled at how she became so famous just for her role on Wizards of Waverly place
(which of course was excellent) and for a IMO minor pop music career.

She has also always been this pinnacle of beauty, and while yes she is obviously gorgeous, I hardly ever viewed her as one of the most beautiful women in pop culture. Again I am not saying she’s ugly at all by any means, but I just never understood this universally agreed upon sentiment that she is one of the most unattainable and beautiful modern day celebrities.

If she deserves her flowers for anything, it’s her Rare Beauty brand. She single-handedly revolutionized the cream blush game and set the standard for pigmented and blendable blushes. Those things took the world by storm. I also really like how she uses her RB platform to contribute to the mental health community.

She already had the huge claim to fame before RB though. I have always just been surprised and puzzled at how her music and early childhood acting made her one of the most famous women in the world. Again, more followers than T Swift!! How!!