Selena Gomez Says Singing for 'Emilia Pérez' Was "Therapeutic"
"I was in the studio for hours and hours...not trying to sing the way that I would normally sing."

Selena Gomez didn't try to sing like she usually does in her upcoming movie, Emilia Pérez—and she says her experience was actually “therapeutic.”
On Sunday, Gomez joined the rest of the Emilia Pérez cast (which includes Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofia Gascón, Adriana Paz, and Edgar Ramírez), for a Q&A about the film at the Telluride Film Festival and discussed the process of learning and recording her character Jessi Del Monte’s song, "Mi Camino," which she says started out as a "totally different song."
Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña discuss 'Emilia Pérez' at the Telluride Film Festival.
"It had a bit more of a rough sound to it and over the course of, you know, working with [singer-songwriter] Camille on the song intimately, it became almost like a ballad," Gomez explained, according to People. "It was more of a story about a woman and phases of life that she goes through and it just was beautiful.”
Recording the track ended up being chance for Gomez to experiment as an artist and push herself singing as her character.
“I watched it, I was in the studio for hours and hours and it was just so much fun, but also not trying to sing the way that I would normally sing,” Gomez continued. “I had to try and, you know, in my mind to think, ‘Okay, this is what were the limits I could reach within my character.'"
In the end, she says, the process was "really therapeutic" and "so beautifully done.”
Emilia Pérez, which is set for a limited theatrical release on November 1 before it premieres on Netflix on November 13, tells the story of a cartel leader who tries to fake her death.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
The film might also mark the start of a career shift for Gomez, who said in January that she thinks she'll quit music after "one more album.
“I started having a lot of fun with music and then touring was really fun,” she said on an episode of the “Smartless” podcast (which was obtained by E! News). “But I was doing my TV show [Wizards of Waverly Place] at the same time, and I just found it really fun, so I just kept going. But the older I get, the more I’m kind of like, ‘I would like to find something to just settle on.’”
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Sofia Richie Grainge Styles Zebra Pants With Flip-Flops
Next stop on the tour: her elegant wedding venue in the South of France.
-
Gigi Hadid Pairs Metallic Track Pants and Mesh Flats
The controversial shoe trend is most definitely gaining steam.
-
Body Language Expert Says Kate Can't "Mask Her Emotions"
"We also saw William...mirroring the same emotions as Kate."
-
Why Selena Gomez Got a Rash From Her First Kiss with Benny Blanco
"I was so disgusting and repulsive," Blanco joked.
-
Benny Blanco's Nickname for Selena Gomez Has to Do with Deli Meat
It does sort of sound like her name, I guess.
-
Benny Blanco Took Selena Gomez to "Prom" Since She Didn’t Get to Go as a Teen
Making your birthday about someone else? That’s true love.
-
Selena Gomez Gives a Candid Look at Her and Benny Blanco's Life in New Instagram Pics
Their lives are totally normal! Sort of...
-
Selena Gomez Shares What She Finds "Addictive" About Benny Blanco
They can't stop, won't stop complimenting each other.
-
Selena Gomez Says She’s "Excited" to Become a Mom Someday in Joint Interview with Benny Blanco
According to her fiancé, she likes kids better than adults.
-
Taylor Swift Ended Her 100-Day Instagram Hiatus to Support Selena Gomez — and Possibly Share a 'Reputation (Taylor's Version)' Easter Egg
Why some fans think the post is a sign that long-awaited re-recording of 'Reputation' is (finally) coming soon.
-
Why Fans Think Selena Gomez’s New Songs "You Said You Were Sorry" and "How Does It Feel To Be Forgotten" Are About Justin Bieber
The songs have lyrics like "happy without you," and \201cyou’re so embarrassing."