Selena Gomez opens up about vocal changes and shrugging off speculation about the way she speaks

17 December 2025

Selena Gomez, the Grammy-nominated singer and acclaimed actor, recently took a moment during a live social media session to address persistent public curiosity about changes in the way she speaks and sings, offering fans a candid and unfiltered response that underscored her commitment to honesty, self-acceptance and resilience in the face of scrutiny. At 33 years old, Gomez has spent much of her life in the public spotlight, and she has previously been open about her ongoing health challenges, including her battle with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect multiple systems of the body. In an Instagram Live broadcast on December 16, 2025, she directly answered questions from followers who had noticed that her voice both in conversation and in performance sounds different now than it did in earlier years, and she did so with both humour and heartfelt reflection.

Gomez began by acknowledging that she has heard questions about her voice before, responding to a fan’s query with characteristic frankness. She said that while people have asked her about changes in her vocal tone, she has learned not to let it trouble her. “There’s no excuse. I don’t really care,” she said, explaining that “sometimes things happen” and that her throat can swell internally on occasion, which affects how she sounds. Her explanation was brief, matter-of-fact and peppered with her trademark wit, but it also conveyed a deeper message about living with unpredictability and embracing whatever comes along with grace rather than anxiety.

The singer and actress’s willingness to speak openly about her voice reflects a larger pattern in how she has navigated her health journey in the public eye. Gomez was first diagnosed with lupus in 2015, and she has spoken candidly about the toll the condition and its treatments have taken on her physically and emotionally. She has discussed how medications have led to body changes and weight fluctuations, and she has been vocal in pushing back against invasive media speculation about her appearance. In previous interviews, she has explained that certain medications caused changes in her body, and she has at times asserted that outside commentary on her looks or sound misses the bigger picture of what she is experiencing medically and personally.

Indeed, in 2023 Gomez shared on the Apple TV+ series Dear… that her weight fluctuated significantly during lupus treatment and that public commentary about her body was hurtful and unwanted. Her remarks in the Instagram Live echoed that same theme of rising above external commentary to focus on her own truth. In shrugging off the speculation about her voice, she made it clear to fans that she feels no pressure to apologize or explain herself simply to satisfy public curiosity. Instead, she wants to be real with her audience and comfortable in her own skin, vocal qualities included.

The candid exchange also touched on the broader context of living with chronic illness. Lupus can cause inflammation in various parts of the body, including in areas that affect the voice and throat. Gomez acknowledged that her throat sometimes swells, which can alter the sound of her voice, but she emphasised that this is simply one of many unpredictable aspects of her health, something she navigates with a mixture of self-awareness and light-hearted acceptance. She conveyed appreciation for fans’ honesty in asking questions and emphasized that she values authenticity in her interactions with them.

Beyond addressing her voice, Gomez has continued to be transparent about other aspects of her health in recent weeks. In early December she responded to a comment about facial hair in a makeup-free Instagram video, explaining that discoloration above her lip was due to melasma, a skin condition often triggered by sun exposure and hormonal changes, rather than anything to do with shaving or facial hair. She used that moment to encourage fans to wear sunscreen, particularly given her lupus diagnosis, which makes sun exposure more impactful. Her reflections were delivered with humour and empathy, traits that have endeared her to many followers who appreciate her openness about real-world issues.

Gomez’s broader message in these exchanges has been one of self-acceptance and holistic well-being. She has openly discussed how taking care of her skin, for example, goes beyond cosmetics and relates to overall health and emotional balance. Speaking previously about her experience with acne, she elaborated that stress and routine disruptions can affect her skin, reminding fans that care for the body is intimately connected to care for the mind and spirit. Her willingness to disclose such personal experiences reinforces her reputation as an artist who prioritizes vulnerability and shared humanity over perfection.

Fans and observers have responded positively to Gomez’s candidness, seeing her remarks as a refreshing break from the often sanitized or defensive celebrity narratives that dominate coverage. Rather than retreat from questions about her voice, her health or her appearance, she approaches them with a blend of humour, honesty and poise that resonates with many who also face life’s unpredictable challenges. In doing so, she continues to build a relationship with her audience based on trust and relatability rather than curated image management, a dynamic that has become one of the defining features of her public persona.

As Gomez balances her music, acting, entrepreneurial ventures, activism and advocacy, her candid reflections serve as a reminder that physical change and personal evolution are a normal part of life, even under the spotlight. Her perspective invites fans to rethink how they approach speculation and commentary about public figures, encouraging empathy and understanding rather than judgment. In addressing the ongoing questions about her voice and shrugging off speculation with grace, she once again demonstrated that her voice, in song, in conversation and in authenticity remains unmistakably her own.