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A Look Into Selena Gomez’s Documentary “My Mind & Me”

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter.

Come Nov. 4, the documentary, My Mind & Me, will be available on Apple TV+. Fans across the world will be able to peek into six years of Selena Gomez’s life. Apple TV+ reveals the nature of the documentary as “uniquely raw and intimate.” While Gomez has shown moments of vulnerability over the course of her career, the artist is mostly protective of her personal life. Therefore, there has been much anticipation surrounding the release of the documentary.

To provide context surrounding the significance of My Mind & Me, its director— Alek Keshishian— has not directed a music documentary since 1991. The last subject of a music documentary of Keshishian’s was Madonna, as specified by Vulture. Madonna— “the biggest pop star of the time— [was shown] in a new light.” Selena being chosen as the next focus for a documentary of this style comments on her impact as a pop star in this generation. While there may be debate surrounding Selena’s talent and contributions as a performer, being chosen as the subject of this documentary cements her place in the music arena. Gomez is a predominant figure in the industry as she has “achieve[d] unimaginable stardom,” as described by Apple TV+. Moreover, according to Seventeen, Gomez has received much acclaim because of the “global success [she has had] as an actress, producer, entrepreneur, and recording artist.”

The documentary is set to provide a closer look into many details of Selena’s personal life. According to Vulture, it will largely cover the themes of “fame, lupus, mental illness, and [struggling with] a persistent feeling she’s not good enough.” Selena grew up onscreen. She has been working on projects practically nonstop since her first role on the set of Barney and Friends at the age of ten. Given this, it is natural to expect there to be repercussions because of how strenuous this has been for Gomez. In accordance with this, Vogue explains that the documentary will “[tell] the story of the prolific multi-hyphenate’s struggles with her mental and physical health, and her long road to recovery.” Selena has felt the effects of being in the limelight.

My Mind & Me will track a span of important events in Selena’s life. It places special emphasis on a series of difficult happenings she went through— and especially how she overcame them. According to Vogue, these moments of adversity include her being “diagnosed with lupus, depression, and anxiety, and still reeling from a kidney transplant which had caused one of her arteries to break and required emergency surgery.” Vulture theorizes that the documentary began to bloom into fruition after Keshishian “directed Gomez’s music video for “Hands to Myself” in 2015.” Being a high-profile celebrity and maintaining a sense of privacy is virtually unheard of. Things Gomez didn’t mind coming to the surface and things she wished could have stayed below have been made known to the public. However, the documentary will allow there to be a whole new element of truth added to what we believe we know about Selena Gomez.

The documentary will have the capacity to inspire as Selena ensures her moments of honesty allow people across the globe to connect with her tribulations and triumphs. Her resilience through the adversity she has faced is a resounding theme, not only in My Mind & Me but in her life. In the documentary’s trailer, Selena’s voice professes, “Everything that I’ve gone through—it’s going to be there. I’m just making it my friend now. This is the beginning for me.”

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Daniela is a junior majoring in Media/Communication Studies at Florida State University, with high hopes to live in a beautiful city one day. She loves James Patterson novels, pandas, going on coffee runs, and exercising- whether it be weight training, yoga, or walking. You'll almost always see her studying at Barnes&Noble, running laps around her neighborhood, or at home watching just about any reality TV show. You can find her on Instagram @dani.palacios