Selena Gomez released her first single of 2023, “Single Soon,” late last week—and already it’s generating buzz that it’s about her ex-boyfriend, The Weeknd. Gomez is clearing up rumors, replying to an Instagram post made by HollywoodLife about the speculation surrounding the song.
In the caption of a photo featuring Gomez and The Weeknd at the 2017 Met Gala, HollywoodLife wrote that “fans believe that [‘Single Soon’] is about her romance with #TheWeeknd. What do you think?” Gomez herself chimed in with her thoughts in the comments, swiftly clearing up the rumors by writing “Couldn’t be more false.” Boom. There you go.
In particular these lyrics apparently raised fans’ eyebrows, although, per People, their relationship ended nearly six years ago: “Maybe I’ll just disappear / I don’t wanna see a tear / And the weekend’s almost here.” (And that’s what caused all of the hype?) Gomez and The Weeknd—whose real name is Abel Tesfaye—were linked for 10 months back in 2017; they started dating shortly after Gomez’s breakup from Justin Bieber and The Weeknd’s split from Bella Hadid. During their time together, Gomez underwent a kidney transplant as a result of her battle with lupus, and he was by her side throughout her recovery. After their split that October, Gomez has spoken out about how they remained friends.
But back to “Single Soon”—Gomez said the song isn’t necessarily about anyone in particular and more about self-empowerment and an ode to being single: “Thank you guys for all the love on Single Soon!!!” she wrote on Instagram. “It’s a playful anthem about being comfortable in your own skin and loving your own company…and it’s also really fun to dance to!”