Selena Gomez releases new solo album after 4 years

A true BOP.

Rexanne Yap | January 13, 2020, 10:56 PM

Featuring 11 new songs, including collaborations with 6LACK and Kid Cudi, Selena Gomez's third solo album "Rare" dropped on Friday January 10.

Selena Gomez's "Rare" released on Jan 10 Photo via Selena Gomez/FB

Calling it the "most honest music she's ever made," the actress and singer co-wrote every single song on the album, documenting all the heartbreak, healing and growth that she experienced since 2015.

During these four years, the 27-year-old battled lupus, a long-term autoimmune disease, that almost killed her.

On the relationship front, she went through a high-profile breakup with The Weeknd and finally called it quits with on-again-off-again ex Justin Bieber in 2018.

View this post on Instagram

I’m very aware some of my fans had noticed I was laying low for part of the summer and questioning why I wasn’t promoting my new music, which I was extremely proud of. So I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering. It was what I needed to do for my overall health. I honestly look forward to sharing with you, soon my journey through these past several months as I have always wanted to do with you. Until then I want to publicly thank my family and incredible team of doctors for everything they have done for me prior to and post-surgery. And finally, there aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis. Lupus continues to be very misunderstood but progress is being made. For more information regarding Lupus please go to the Lupus Research Alliance website: www.lupusresearch.org/ -by grace through faith

A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) on

Eagerly anticipated by her fans, the former Disney star apologised that her sophomore album took so long to release, but said in an interview with iHeartRadio that making the album "got her through the past four years".

Talking about her title track, the singer, who has 165 million followers on Instagram, said, "It's a song that says I don't have it all but I do know that I deserve something special, and that song is exactly how I feel. I won't tolerate being treated any other way anymore."

Receiving mostly positive reviews, the album was described as Gomez's best work by Vulture, one of the best pop albums in recent memory by Variety, and "full of divine ruthlessness" by Rolling Stone. On the other hand, the Independent thought that the album wasn't as impressive as her previous singles, and NME said that some of her "filler songs" were not particularly memorable.

Interestingly, the album also includes "Cut You Off", which was censored for the word "shit".

Listen to the album here.

Top photo from Selena Gomez/Instagram.