By JAMI GANZ | jganz@nydailynews.com | New York Daily News
Selena Gomez, who frequently takes breaks from social media to prioritize mental health, is opening up about disabling her Instagram comments to help maintain healthy “boundaries.”
The “Only Murders in the Building” star and Rare Beauty founder, 31, spoke Wednesday at her company’s 3rd Annual Mental Health Summit about the “fuss” fans have made over her new approach to Instagram. Gomez’s 428 million followers make her the platform’s most-followed woman.
“I disabled all my comments on my photos on Instagram for only my friends. So I think I’ve created boundaries to help me,” Gomez told U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and “Today” show correspondent Hoda Kotb in an interview that aired Thursday.
While “people fussed about it” — “They fuss about about everything” — the Disney Channel alum said the move left her feeling “empowered … by saying, ‘This is just for me.’”
Gomez, who for years has been candid about her experience with bipolar disorder and the autoimmune disease lupus, is an advocate for mental health. Rare Beauty, for example, donates 1% of its annual sales to the Rare Impact Fund to expand mental health services in underserved communities.
The “Kill Em With Kindness” singer on Thursday also spoke briefly about her relationship with music producer Benny Blanco, with whom she collaborated on last summer’s “Single Soon.”
“It feels wonderful. He’s wonderful,” she said of the romance, which she confirmed in December, before having to stave off negative commenters.
Her remarks came shortly after Blanco, 36, appeared on the “Today” show and told Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager he can’t believe their relationship is real.
“I wake up every day and I look in the mirror and I’m like, ‘How did this happen?’” said the “Open Wide” cookbook author. “Look at me, the only way I got where I am is cooking food. … That’s the best first date in the world. … How can anyone not love you if you’re making them a huge stake with potatoes and salad?”