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Jessie Murph wanted to spend her That Ain’t No Man That’s The Devil release week with her fans. At each listening party across the country, the 19-year-old genre-defying singer-songwriter was reminded that persevering through adolescent bullying in Athens, Georgia was worth it. “It felt like one big therapy session, honestly,” Murph tells Uproxx over Zoom two days before her debut studio album arrived. In Columbus, Ohio, people sang along to “Someone In This Room” featuring Bailey Zimmerman. At other points, fans have attached to “Love Lies,” a pleasant surprise for Murph.

Nothing is more important to her than sharing music with the world, and nothing could possibly stop her from it. That Ain’t No Man That’s The Devil solidifies that Murph, who already has two platinum-certified songs and 12.65 million monthly Spotify listeners to her name, has only scratched the surface of her resonance.

Below, Murph told Uproxx about her journey to her debut LP, her respect for Shaboozey, and what she hopes people understand about her after listening to it.

You’ve cited the late Amy Winehouse as an inspiration, and I could tell that right away with the opening track, “Gotta Hold.” Was there a particular moment where you channeled or felt the most inspired by Amy in the studio?

Well, I think my whole life I’ve been very inspired by her. The first song I ever remember covering — I think I was like eight or nine — was “You Know I’m No Good” by her. She’s always just been a huge inspiration, and the more I explore musically and the more I just find myself as a person, I come into myself musically simultaneously. I’ve been letting the soul side of me, which is stuff I love so much, come out and flourish, especially on this album.

Had you been more hesitant to lean into soul prior, or is it more to do with naturally coming of age?

I think it’s just more a natural progression. I try not to ever think too much about what I’m sounding like. It’s definitely a more mature sound coming out in this album, but like I said, it’s happening as I grow up.

Actually, you’ve frequently named Amy, Adele, and Drake as formative influences. I think this album encapsulates all three, given the soul, the belted vocal runs, and the effortless flow. How have you cultivated such a unique blend as your signature sound?

I don’t know. I never really think about it. I think it would freak me out to think about it too preemptively. It just comes out as I’m making these songs. With this album, the creative process was a little different. I would go in the studio, and everybody would just be on instruments and somebody would hand me a mic. I would just kind of get to freestyle these melodies and most of these lyrics, which is really sick and something that I found so freeing. So everything just kind of came out in the font of what I’ve always listened to because I think you are what you listen to a little bit.

Do you remember the first time someone reacted to your singing voice in a way that made you realize it was unusual that you sound like that?

I think I was 11, and I posted a video on YouTube of me singing “Titanium,” and I remember it got like 24,000 views. I remember being so freaked out and excited about that. I think that was the first moment that I was like, Whoa, I could really do this if I work hard enough. I always wanted to be a singer, but growing up, especially in Alabama, everybody’s like, “That is not realistic.”

You released “When I’m Not Around” in 2021 in response to the bullying you’d faced in your hometown, Athens, Georgia, after beginning to share your music. Was there a moment when you contemplated quitting because you were tired of being judged?

No, not at all. If anything, it made me want to do it more. I’ve always been so motivated by spite. So, people being like, “You suck,” or something like that, just made me want to prove them wrong. I’m actually still grateful for all of that because it really did push me to say the things I was saying. I feel like I wouldn’t have been so spiteful in my songs if I didn’t have that type of chip on my shoulder.

Do you hear from people back home now who have conveniently changed their opinions?

Of course. Yeah. I have no resentment in my heart for any of that. I talk to people occasionally, and I’m so grateful for all of that. I’m able to look at everything with a different perspective now, thankfully, instead of being mad about it.

When did the process for this album start?

The second half of last year into this year was predominantly when the whole thing started from front to back, but the main chunk of songs I made in a week, I think. It was in the summer at some point last year, I think. Something happened, and I was so hurt, and it brought out a lot of other past anger that I’d held in my entire life, honestly. I’ve never been good at talking about things, but when you don’t, that sh*t comes to the surface. That really happened to me, and everything just came out at once.

You told Billboard that “there’s a lot of emotion” behind That Ain’t No Man That’s The Devil. Where does that emotion stem from?

I think I’ve always been very emotional. I’ve always felt things so deeply, whether it’s good or bad. It’s always going to be super extreme, which is great for what I do but not great for my mental health. I’ve always been like that my whole life. I mean, thank God I have this to pour it into, because otherwise, I feel like that could be so damaging and controlling.

If you had to choose — and I’m forcing you to, so blame me — which three emotions are the glue throughout all 12 tracks?

Ooh. I’d say anger, spite, and hurt.

I read in an old Flaunt interview that you have notebooks in which you wrote as a kid about wanting to do what you’re doing now. Have you re-read them recently?

I do read them occasionally. I haven’t done it in a while. I need to sit down and do that actually, especially with the album coming out. It’d probably be really surreal. But, yeah, I definitely do have a lot of that stuff. I remember this one specific thing I have that I wrote. I think I did it around probably 12 or 13, and it was this contract I wrote myself. It said, “By signing this, it means you abide by becoming a singer,” or some sh*t like that. And I signed it. From that moment forward, I remember being in my room, in my basement, making so many videos, and posting as many as I could. I was so adamant that I wanted it to happen.

How do you think you’ve grown from Drowning, your February 2023 debut mixtape, to your debut LP?

I think a large part of the growth is sonically, and I feel like I get better at songwriting the more I do it, which is just the natural thing that happens. But I’ve just come into my sound more and myself and a lot with the creative process. Traditionally, in most sessions, I feel like people go in and sit down and they’re like, “OK, what are you going through?” You talk it out, and you come up with a title, and then you write it. I’ve always found that process to be so excruciating. It makes you feel naked — and not in a good way. I wanted to change that for this album. Being able to go and just freestyle, most of it was so therapeutic and good. I could just sing whatever melodies I wanted, and they would just come out, and I wouldn’t really have to talk about it, which was so nice.

Do you remember where you were and what happened when you thought of That Ain’t No Man That’s The Devil as the title?

I don’t remember where I was when I realized that was the title, but it was in one of the first songs off the album, “Son Of A B*tch.” I always knew that line was crazy, and I feel like it really just encapsulates the album well. I knew for a long time that was going to be the title.

What statement does this album make about you as an artist?

I think it makes the statement of I can do absolutely anything. I’m rapping on it. I’m singing on it, I’m really singing on it. But I definitely was adamant that I wanted to get both of those points across because I am so passionate about both. I feel like that’s something that’s almost unique to me in the way of just being able to do both and loving them both so much.

Which song was the toughest to release to the public because it’s so vulnerable?

I never really think about that until after the fact.

Probably smart.

But I think the most vulnerable song on the project is definitely “I Could Go Bad.” It kind of takes the album and wraps it up and gives it reason for why you’re so f*cking angry the whole time. I mean, it’s like, F*ck yeah, I’m mad, but you take that away, and I’m just hurt. That feels really vulnerable.

Shaboozey opened for the first leg of your In The Sticks Tour this spring. Did observing him up close as his artistry and life exploded to a new level inspire you to push yourself even more?

Dude, I am the biggest Shaboozey fan. I mean, getting to see him perform — first of all, he’s an incredible performer. I think that was his first tour, which is really sick. I’ve been a fan of him for a very long time, and I’m so glad he’s getting his flowers. He’s just got that swag about him.

You’ve had so many successful collaborations, from “Heartbroken” with Diplo and Polo G to “Wild Ones” with Jelly Roll or “Texas” with Maren Morris. That’s before mentioning Teddy Swims and Bailey Zimmerman are also featured on this album. Did you feel pressure to prove that you don’t need features in order to make a resonant record?

I mean, it’s definitely crossed my mind, but at the end of the day, I just f*cking love collabs, actually. It’s real fun. I think I’ve been viewing it through a lens of I’m just blessed to be able to do that than as pressure, which is good. The other perspective kind of stresses me out. But I’m passionate about this album, and I feel like I put my heart and soul into it. That’s all I can really do. Whatever happens on the other side of that is none of my business.

What are you most looking forward to about this next leg of your In The Sticks Tour?

I’m just excited to go back to the sticks. I prefer going to the sticks over big cities any day. The shows are so much more fun. The people are so nice. I love that sh*t, so I’m real excited about that. Oh, my God. I’m playing my first-ever arena in my hometown, which is really sick.

That’s something you probably didn’t even know you could write down in a notebook when you were a child.

It’s actually been one of my goals. I saw Disney On Ice at this arena when I was a little kid. I’d watch hockey games there, and I would sit there and watch the game and be like, “I’m going to play here one day.” And now, I’m going to play there.

There’s nothing better than that. You never wavered. How do you think this album represents you being rewarded for staying true to yourself?

I don’t know, to be honest. Everything’s been kind of a blur. I think what’s kept me really grounded and really myself is that I’m just always so focused on the music. That’s what I love. I don’t care about any of the other sh*t. The music is just — I love it. It lights me up inside. Getting to perform the music and sing with people, that is what truly makes this worth it for me.

Muna’s Katie Gavin expressed gratitude for having “these f*cking amazing fans that have proved to be so loyal and will show up for us” when Muna served as Uproxx’s November 2023 cover stars.

If only all Muna fans behaved amazingly.

On Sunday, September 8, Muna posted a statement to their Instagram Story addressing concerning behavior within their fan base.

“We love our fans, but some stuff has been happening recently that we cannot be silent about,” Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson wrote. “Cyberstalking, hackings, and bullying other fans and our loved ones, plus spreading falsehoods about us and our loved ones for clout and attention online has been going on for months, and we have to address it now for our own safety and peace of mind.”

They continued, “This sh*t is truly scary for us, and it’s literally embarrassing to have to post about this, but here we are. Not gonna say names because you guys know who you are. And we do, too. Cut it the fck out.”

Muna released their self-titled third LP in June 2022, and the band’s most recent release was Live At The Greek Theatre In Los Angeles this June.

“It’s mystical, it’s in the trees, and it’s a legendary place,” Maskin told Uproxx of Muna’s October 2023 The Greek shows. “I grew up going to shows there, and it always was a dream of ours to be able to play a show that big. And to be able to do that? It’s just trippy. Life is interesting, and it’s kind of funny. We did it, and now it’s over, and you’re still existing and moving on to whatever’s next.”

There are certain songs that resonate for everyone of a certain age. Among the tracks that stir up something deep inside for my age group, those in their early-to-mid 30s, is “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” by The Darkness.

There is something so engaging about the song that you can’t help trying to hit your highest falsetto on the chorus, and if you don’t believe me, just ask two of the most famous people of my age group — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. With Kelce opening his season on Thursday with a Chiefs win over the Ravens, the couple was able to spend their weekend in New York to take some Fashion Week festivities and the U.S. Open. On Sunday, the two were in a box sipping on Honey Deuces for the men’s final that Jannik Sinner won over American Taylor Fritz, and during a break in action the Arthur Ashe Stadium DJ threw on “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” and Swift and Kelce (and plenty of others in the crowd) belted it out in a little impromptu karaoke session.

That is the appropriate level of commitment needed to sing along with The Darkness, as you can’t half-ass it when trying to hit those notes.

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw Megan Thee Stallion dive back into the K-pop world and ASAP Rocky link up with J. Cole. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters.

Megan Thee Stallion — “Neva Play” Feat. RM

Megan Thee Stallion finds herself back in the BTS universe after collaborating with the K-pop titans on a remix of “Butter.” This time, she links up with just RM on “Neva Play,” of which Meg said she’s “never heard [RM] rap in this style before.”

Halsey — “Ego”

Halsey has so far leaned into a rock-influenced sound on the songs we’ve so far heard from The Great Impersonator, and that’s true of last week’s “Ego,” which sees her grappling with her personal demons.

ASAP Rocky — “Ruby Rosary” Feat. J. Cole

J. Cole has remained relatively under the radar since bowing out of the Kendrick Lamar feud. ASAP Rocky just got him to resurface, though, on “Ruby Rosary,” an Alchemist-produced number that just might have a Drake diss in there.

Toro Y Moi — “Madonna” Feat. Don Toliver

There’s a ton of variety on Toro Y Moi’s new album Hole Erth, from the dreamy “Heaven” to the more hip-hop-leaning “Madonna,” the latter being a collab with Don Toliver.

MJ Lenderman – “Wristwatch”

Uproxx’s Steven Hyden says of MJ Lenderman’s new album Manning Fireworks, “Manning Fireworks would be my favorite album of most years, but in 2024 it feels like an especially precious commodity. It’s the kind of record that makes me want to write like Jon Landau after seeing Bruce Springsteen in 1974.”

Central Cee and Raye — “Moi”

Central Cee and Raye have both emerged as stars in their circles in recent years, and now they’ve combined forces on “Moi.” They lean heavy into the French on this one, on which the two flex their current success.

Rex Orange County — “2008”

Of his new album The Alexander Technique, Rex Orange County previously said it feels “as though this is the first time I’m trying to make a project about everything in life.” Part of that is a nostalgic look back on “2008,” which includes references to Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West.

The Dare — “All Night”

The Dare has been on the rise (he popped up in Charli XCX and Billie Eilish’s “Guess” video recently). That culminated last week with the new album What’s Wrong With New York, along with a sold-out tour.

LE SSERAFIM — “Crazy” Feat. PinkPantheress

LE SSERAFIM dropped “Crazy” a week ago, but that didn’t mean they were done with the song. They quickly followed it up with a remix, which taps PinkPantheress to add her spark to the track.

Fred Again.., Duskus, Four Tet, Skrillex, and Joy Anonymous — “Glow”

Fred Again.. has followed up his star-making 2023 with an active 2024 that includes a new album, Ten Days. He reunites with his Coachella buddies Four Tet and Skrillex on the project’s “Glow,” which also features Duskus and Joy Anonymous.

Beyoncé was not nominated for a single CMA Award, but her efforts didn’t go totally unnoticed thanks to her Cowboy Carter collaborator Shaboozey. Shaboozey, whose breakout single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” topped the charts in August, was nominated for two awards: best new artist and single of the year. In acknowledging his nominations — and, seemingly, Beyoncé’s snub — he addressed the opportunities created by the Renaissance singer, even if she didn’t get to enjoy the benefits herself.

“That goes without saying,” he wrote on Twitter (never calling it “X”). “Thank you @Beyonce for opening a door for us, starting a conversation, and giving us one of the most innovative country albums of all time!”

In explaining the inspiration behind Cowboy Carter ahead of its release, Beyoncé shared her intention to create space for Black artists after being made to feel unwelcome at the 2016 CMA Awards. “This album has been over five years in the making,” she wrote. “It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.”

There’s little doubt which experience she referred to, and Beyoncé herself is probably unsurprised by the snub, as she signed off the above message by noting, “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.” The “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer likely knew exactly how her latest project would be received — or not — by the country establishment. But it looks like they can’t keep her out completely, thanks to Shaboozey.

Sabrina Carpenter is committed to the bit. Each ad-libbed “Nonsense” outro is better than the last, but Carpenter’s flair for suggestive humor isn’t limited to her live shows.

On Monday morning, September 9, Redken announced Carpenter as the brand’s first-ever Celebrity Ambassador. The first ad spot shows Carpenter brushing her hair, smirking, and asking, “Are you ready for a big bang?”

Redken’s official YouTube description reads, “‘Beauty and especially my hair is a big part of my identity…’ says Carpenter. The destined collaboration was born and bred in the salon throughout Sabrina’s rise to fame. She has been a longtime lover of the esteemed professional haircare brand, attributing her signature blonde exclusively to Redken’s Shades EQ, the #1 demi-permanent hair gloss worldwide. Sabrina’s blonde bangs and bouncy style have captivated consumers around the globe, a trade secret her longtime hairstylist, Scott King, and colorist, Laurie Heaps, both credit to Redken.”

According to a press release, Carpenter’s debut Redken campaign for Acidic Bonding Concentrate will launch on September 19, “with additional campaigns spanning both customer and salon professionals to come.”

Carpenter is riding the high of scoring her first-ever Billboard 200 No. 1 album in Short N’ Sweet. The multi-platinum-certified pop star will kick off her subsequent Short N’ Sweet Tour on September 23. See all of her dates here.

The Boys‘ fourth season introduced two members of The Seven to replace departing Supes. Fortunately, Annie January/Starlight was still onscreen for plenty of time on the vigilante side (and Erin Moriarty killed as the Shifter). Filling the onscreen void left by Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott), however, was no small feat, but Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) and Firecracker (Valorie Curry) held their own while heading straight to the dark side. In particular, Firecracker (who Eric Kripke based on a certain congresswoman) is utterly reprehensible and will stop at nothing to earn Homelander’s favor.

As Firecracker even admitted, she would do “anything” for Antony Starr’s character, and that seems to be the basis of what Curry was hinting at when she described a European Comic-Con incident, in which a fan or fans were (presumably) dressed like Homelander and decided to “demand” certain acts of Curry. She alluded to the incident, thereby becoming the latest public figure who sadly needed to set real boundaries regarding “fans” who don’t know when to stop. Here’s how Curry described this issue via an Instagram story:

“Just got back from the first day of Comic-Con in Northern Ireland in Belfast, and by and large, everyone was fantastic… everyone for the most part has been so kind and so lovely. It’s really been wonderful. But we do need to talk about boundaries and what is appropriate in terms of behavior. I know people saw a character that I played do some pretty extreme things on The Boys. And I don’t care if you’re in costume, I don’t care if you’re in character, it’s not okay and it’s not funny to demand those things from me in person at my booth. It’s not okay.”

Curry didn’t elaborate on what acts were demanded of her, but in all likelihood, this refers to a Season 4, Episode 6 scene in which Firecracker reveals to Homelander that she took a dangerous drug cocktail in order to satisfy his milk fetish. This was the “anything” that Firecracker had suggestively alluded to, and indeed, this is one of the more extreme things that The Boys includes as satire on television. This is also nothing that it is appropriate to ask a celebrity to do, joke or not.

Following her initial post, Curry updated the situation in another Instagram story, in which she wrote, “Thank you to everyone who reached out after my post yesterday, and especially to @comicconnorthernireland for taking it so seriously.” Fingers crossed that Curry won’t be subject to this treatment anymore, and if anybody that you know was responsible for this mess, here’s some advice that might prompt some reflection.

The Olympics are over, but if there were an event called “missing the point,” you can go ahead and give the entire Country Music Association a gold medal for it.

Despite creating her new album, Cowboy Carter, with the intent of highlighting Black Americans’ cultural contributions to the country genre (and American music as a whole), Beyoncé was nominated for exactly zero of the upcoming 58th CMA Awards.

Maybe their fee-fees were hurt by being called out for snubbing Beyoncé at the 2016 CMA Awards ahead of Cowboy Carter‘s release. In a statement on her social media, Beyoncé revealed the album was inspired by “an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t.”

It wasn’t hard for music listeners to put two and two together and figure out that the experience in question was Bey’s foray into Nashville to perform her Lemonade song “Daddy Lessons” with The Chicks (then called Dixie Chicks); while the performance was well-received on some corners of the internet but hated in others, the CMA was accused of scrubbing the performance from its social media accounts after racist backlash (some of the posts were later restored after fans called out the CMA).

Of course, the CMA will issue its usual mealy-mouthed response about Beyoncé not being a “traditional country artist,” and the world will keep spinning. By the way, Post Malone, who started his music career in cornrows and a gold grill, is nominated for four awards, while Jelly Roll, who most extensively collaborated with Lil Wyte, Haystak, and Tech N9ne before switching to crooning less than three years ago, is nominated for three. On the bright side, Beyoncé collaborator Shaboozey’s nominated for two.

The CMA Awards will be on November 20 and air on ABC at 8 PM PT/ET — two weeks later due to the election.

There are a lot of words you could use to describe Ron Howard as a director: steady, good with actors, journeyman, etc. But “weird” is not one of them. However, six decades into his second career as a filmmaker, it sounds like Howard has finally let his freak flag fly with Eden.

The survival thriller stars Jude Law and Vanessa Kirby as Dr. Friedrich Ritter and Dora Strauch, a married couple in the 1920s who escape to a quiet life on the island of Floreana in the Galápagos. But their peaceful oasis is interrupted by the arrival of a very pregnant Margaret (Sydney Sweeney) and her husband Heinz (Daniel Brühl), and later, Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn (Ana de Armas) and her two “crazy threesome” male companions (Felix Kammerer and Toby Wallace). Will they be able to co-exist on the island together?

We’ll have to wait until Eden is released to find out, but the film had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend, and the reviews are all over the place. One critic praised Howard for allowing himself “to lose his mind,” while another called Eden “a movie that makes you want to get off that island and go back to a place where the people are sane.” The closest thing to a consensus among reviewers is that Sweeney gives the best performance.

Below, you’ll find what critics are saying about Eden.

Chase Hutchinson for The Wrap:

Though built around an excellent ensemble cast of Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, and Ana de Armas, it’s Sydney Sweeney who runs away with the whole thing. She doesn’t always give the loudest performance of the bunch, though it’s her subtle looks and a growing agency that turns Eden into something more. Also, if you thought you would never again see a movie where Sweeney plays a character going through the most hellish pregnancy imaginable after this year’s magnificent horror Immaculate, think again. This and every moment with her at the forefront is Eden at its best.

Owen Gleiberman for Variety:

Eden, which is based on events that unfolded 100 years ago on one of the Galápagós Islands, is a difficult movie to characterize. It’s been labeled as a “thriller,” but I would describe it as a misanthropic survivalist Robinson Crusoe meets Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? with deranged footnotes by Friedrich Nietzsche. For Howard, the film sure is different (it has sex, murder, and animal slaughter). Yet there’s another word for it — the word is terrible.

Ross Bonaime for Collider:

But for as much fun as Eden does eventually become, it’s still a mostly uneven thriller that doesn’t really take off until it embraces its darkness. While Eden seems to be attempting a story that shows normal people (well, 1920s Germans who decided to live on a desert island) fighting against fascism after running away from the world, that mostly gets lost to dive into the more base desires of these characters.

Benjamin Lee for The Guardian:

Our attention is still secured by some of the performances – a fully naked and fully toothless Law and an underused yet alluring Kirby are magnetic throughout – and their bizarre, shaky accents and also by our desire to see just how far Howard will go with the material. At points, he goes further than we might expect with some moments of wince-inducing violence (no spoilers, but scenes involving a placenta, an infected tooth and a side-stab all provoked loud reactions at the premiere), but it’s all too silly and the writing too hokey for us to keep up and by the end, truly care about who survives or not.

Kate Erbland for IndieWire:

But what we do get from Howard’s latest is a strong reminder of his handle on not just craft and casting, but also story and tone. No film about the utter demise of a supposed utopia — a real one, to boot! — and the utter infallibility of human beings should be this fun, but we’re lucky this one is. It helps the hard truths go down easier, especially about who we all are as people (you know, hellish).

Bilge Ebiri for Vulture:

Margret is young and impressionable (Dore calls her “a child bride” at first, erroneously) but she’s also pregnant, and watching her raw, snarling instincts start to take over the course of the film is one of Eden’s great pleasures. Sweeney, who was already put through the tortures of the damned in Immaculate earlier this year, again gets to play an innocent who discovers inner, almost mythical reserves of survival. She gets the film’s most gruesome, most intense set piece, about which the less said right now, the better.

Eden does not have a release date yet.

On paper, Selena Gomez has it all. She even finally scored an elusive Primetime Emmy nomination for her role in Hulu’s Only Murders In The Building, and she’s attracting Oscar buzz for the upcoming Emilia Pérez. Not to mention, Gomez owns a reported billion-dollar company, Rare Beauty.

But Selena Gomez does not have it all because she is human, and no human has ever had it all.

On Monday morning, September 9, Vanity Fair unveiled Gomez as its October 2024 cover star. The accompanying profile, written by Yohana Desta, contains several revelations about Gomez’s relationship with acting, Benny Blanco, music, and social media, but none more vulnerable than the below.

“I haven’t ever said this, but I unfortunately can’t carry my own children,” Gomez told the publication. “I have a lot of medical issues that would put my life and the baby’s in jeopardy. That was something I had to grieve for a while.”

Gomez continued, “It’s not necessarily the way I envisioned it. I thought it would happen the way it happens for everyone. [But] I’m in a much better place with that. I find it a blessing that there are wonderful people willing to do surrogacy or adoption, which are both huge possibilities for me. It made me really thankful for the other outlets for people who are dying to be moms. I’m one of those people. I’m excited for what that journey will look like, but it’ll look a little different. At the end of the day, I don’t care. It’ll be mine. It’ll be my baby.”

Gomez has been publicly transparent about living with lupus since revealing her diagnosis to Billboard in 2015. The chronic autoimmune disease caused Gomez to need a kidney transplant in 2017.

As for becoming a mother, Gomez assured Vanity Fair that she isn’t in a rush. It has been playing on her mind long before she fell in love with Blanco, however.

“I was alone for five years, and I got really used to it,” Gomez told Time earlier this year. “A lot of people are afraid of being alone, and I probably tortured myself in my head for like two years being alone, and then I kind of accepted it. Then I came up with my plan, which was I was going to adopt at 35 if I had not met anyone.”

Gomez and Blanco publicly confirmed their relationship last December. Back with Vanity Fair, Gomez shared, “I’ve never been loved this way. He’s just been a light. A complete light in my life. He’s my best friend. I love telling him everything.”