Selena Gomez Speaks Out: Single and Strong, Addressing Past Heartbreak and Body Image Criticism

Selena Gomez donned designer dresses and reflected on her ‘dark season’ for a gif-filled spread shot last month by photographer Olivia Malone.

Sarah Schussheim styled the sophisticated shoot, which included ensembles from Louis Vuitton, Hellessy, and Anthony Vaccarello.

The 23-year-old pop diva sported sleek locks by Lona Vigi, invisible make-up by Jake Bailey, and nude manicure by Stephanie Stone.

Scroll down for video

Growing pains: Selena Gomez donned designer dresses and reflected on her ‘dark season’ for a gif-filled spread shot last month by photographer Olivia Malone

Back in April, pictures of the ‘Texican’ ingénue wearing a Mint Swim pink bikini in Mexico were viciously picked apart by online trolls.

‘It was appalling. I had never experienced that before. I was sad. I was angry. I feel all of it,’ Gomez admitted to Refinery29.

Selena followed the criticism with an Instagram announcing she was happy with having ‘more to love’ on her 5ft5in figure.

‘I don’t want to become little or hurt or a victim. I want to be strong for girls. I just want them to know that there is an option of standing up for yourself,’ said the Same Old Love singer.

More news on Selena Gomez, her Justin Bieber heartbreak and her battle with lupus

Hellessy sheer-paneled LBD: The 23-year-old pop diva sported a sleek updo by Lona Vigi, invisible make-up by Jake Bailey, and nude manicure by Stephanie Stone

‘Some mornings you wake up and you’re like, “Everything about me is amazing!” And the next morning you’re like, “How did anybody ever sleep with me?”‘

The former Disney star – who boasts a combined 138.4M followers – admits to being a bit of a social media addict.

‘I’m young and suceptible. I’ll be looking at someone’s pictures and start feeling bad about myself. I’ll have to turn it off for a few days,’ Gomez revealed.

‘It’s also scary how it can turn into your life. It can be the first thing you check in the morning and the last thing you’re doing at the end of the day. Crazy.’

‘It was appalling. I had never experienced that before. I was sad. I was angry’: Back in April, pictures of the ‘Texican’ ingénue wearing a Mint Swim pink bikini in Mexico were viciously picked apart by online trolls

‘I want to be strong for girls’: Selena followed the criticism with an Instagram announcing she was happy with having ‘more to love’ on her 5ft5in figure

‘I’ll be looking at someone’s pictures and start feeling bad about myself’: The former Disney star – who boasts a combined 138.4M followers – admits to being a bit of a social media addict

Selena said she had ‘no anger’ since receiving closure from ex-boyfriend, Canadian pop star Justin Bieber, last year.

‘We’ve seen each other. I’m always encouraging and I am proud of his journey. I think people are making it out to be something that is more tragic than it really was. We grew up together. We both made mistakes. That’s it,’ she stated.

However, the cherubic-faced beauty admitted: ‘Of course I got my heart broken. Of course I was p***ed about it.’

Gomez added: ‘I think there are people who have been in my life who are seasonal. Even people who I have dated have been just that. It’s part of growing up.’

‘We grew up together. We both made mistakes. That’s it’: Selena said she had ‘no anger’ since receiving closure from ex-boyfriend, Canadian pop star Justin Bieber, last year

However, the cherubic-faced beauty admitted: ‘Of course I got my heart broken. Of course I was p***ed about it’

Gomez added: ‘I think there are people who have been in my life who are seasonal. Even people who I have dated have been just that. It’s part of growing up’

Aside from the end of her on/off three-year relationship, Selena also underwent chemotherapy to treat the autoimmune disease, Lupus.

‘The year wasn’t just me trying to transition in my career — it was my whole life,’ she admitted.

‘I had to reconfigure everything. That was a little uncomfortable and very scary. I didn’t have anything to fall back on.’

The Hotel Transylvania 2 starlet is single at the moment and happy to focus on her health and career.

‘[That’s] who I call crying. They see my best and my worst’: Gomez confides in only four female friends – her two non-famous roommates, her cousin, and Taylor Swift (pictured)

‘Do not try to date me right now. I’d rather be around women than men’: The Bad Blood video vixen is single at the moment and happy to focus on her health and career

‘Do not try to date me right now,’ Gomez warned. ‘I’d rather be around women than men. I think they are interesting, complicated, and beautiful.’

Selena confides in only four female friends – her two non-famous roommates, her cousin, and Taylor Swift.

The Bad Blood video vixen explained: ‘I have a lot of friends in the business, but at the end of the day, [these four women] are who I call crying. They see my best and my worst.’

The Behaving Badly actress will next appear as celebrity mentor on Monday night’s episode of NBC’s The Voice.

Helping singing contestants: The Behaving Badly actress will next appear as celebrity mentor on Monday night’s episode of NBC’s The Voice

Coach Gwen Stefani told the mag: ‘Selena is incredibly passionate about her craft, and her talent far exceeds what one would expect from a woman her age’

‘Selena is incredibly passionate about her craft, and her talent far exceeds what one would expect from a woman her age,’ coach Gwen Stefani told the mag.

Gomez is also promoting her second studio album Revival, which Interscope Records dropped last Friday.

The I Want You to Know songstress will kick off her Revival World Tour May 6 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

New phase: Gomez is also promoting her second studio album Revival, which Interscope Records dropped last Friday

Hitting the road next spring! The I Want You to Know songstress will kick off her Revival World Tour May 6 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (pictured Monday)

Beauty: Selena looked lovely as she left a restaurant in New York City on Monday evening

Sex appeal: The star wore  a loose navy blouse with a thigh-high-slit black skirt and black boots