“I Didn’t Ask for That”: Hailey Bieber Pushes Back Against Ongoing Selena Gomez Rumors
Hailey Bieber is done with the internet’s obsession over her and Selena Gomez. In a new interview with WSJ. Magazine, the 27-year-old model and Rhode Beauty founder opened up about how exhausting it’s been to live under constant speculation about her relationship with the singer. “It’s always annoying being pitted against other people,” Hailey said. “I didn’t ask for that.”
For years, social media users have tried to turn Hailey and Selena into rivals — a narrative that began long before Hailey married Justin Bieber in 2018. Despite the passage of time and both women carving out successful, separate lives and careers, the comparisons never seem to end. Hailey said she’s aware of how online conversations twist small details into dramatic stories, but she’s no longer interested in fighting them. “When people want to see you a certain way and they’ve made up a story about you in their minds, it’s not up to you to change that,” she told the magazine.
Hailey also reflected on how her name and Selena’s often end up tied together in headlines — whether about beauty brands, red carpet appearances, or simple social media posts. Both women run successful companies, Rhode Beauty and Rare Beauty, which sometimes get unfairly compared as if they’re part of the same competition. But Hailey insists that’s not how she sees it. “I’m inspired by other women in the industry,” she said, “but I don’t wake up and think about competing with anyone. That’s not who I am.”
Fans may remember that Hailey and Selena actually broke the internet in 2022 when they were photographed together for the first time, both smiling and proving that any supposed feud was overblown. The photo, taken at the Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles, was meant to put rumors to rest — but online chatter continued anyway. Hailey later said she hoped that single moment would help people realize there was “no drama, no hate,” just two women moving on with their lives.
Since then, both stars have tried to maintain a peaceful distance from the chaos that surrounds their names. Selena has publicly defended Hailey multiple times, asking her own fans to stop sending cruel comments or hate. Earlier this year, Selena called out the negativity online as “vile and disgusting,” reminding followers that the constant speculation harms everyone involved.
Hailey’s interview also touched on how becoming a mother has changed her perspective. After welcoming her first child, a baby boy named Jack Blues, with husband Justin Bieber in August 2024, she says she’s more focused than ever on peace and privacy. “Motherhood gave me new confidence,” she explained. “It reminded me what really matters — family, health, and living a life that feels grounded.”
Still, she admits that being in the public eye makes it difficult to control how stories spread. Rumors about her personal life often reach her before she’s even aware of them. “Sometimes I find out about things through the internet that aren’t even remotely true,” she said. “But I’ve learned to let go of that.”
What Hailey’s words really reflect is a desire to move forward — not just from rumors about Selena Gomez, but from the culture of constant comparison that follows women in the public eye. She’s proud of her brand, her family, and the peace she’s built in her own corner of the world. As she put it simply, “I can’t control what people say, but I can control how I show up every day.”
