Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez is an American actress, singer, producer, and entrepreneur who has grown from a child star into one of the wealthiest self-made women in entertainment. Born in Grand Prairie, Texas, she was named after the iconic Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla. She began her career at age seven on the children’s television series Barney & Friends before landing the lead role of Alex Russo on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-2012), which made her a household name among younger audiences.

Gomez launched a highly successful music career, initially with her band Selena Gomez & the Scene before going solo. Her albums Stars Dance (2013), Revival (2015), and Rare (2020) produced multiple hit singles including “Come & Get It,” “Good for You,” “Lose You to Love Me,” and “Hands to Myself.” She became one of the most followed people on Instagram and used her massive platform to raise awareness about mental health issues, having been open about her own battles with anxiety, depression, and lupus, including a kidney transplant she underwent in 2017.

The single most transformative business decision in Gomez’s career was the founding of Rare Beauty in 2020. The cosmetics brand, named after her album, became a cultural phenomenon and one of the fastest-growing beauty brands in history. By 2024, Rare Beauty was valued at over $2 billion, making Gomez a billionaire on paper before accounting for her minority ownership stake. The brand’s success, combined with her entertainment earnings, has made her one of the wealthiest young entertainers in the world. Rare Beauty’s emphasis on mental health awareness, including the Rare Impact Fund, has also been widely praised.

In addition to her music and business ventures, Gomez has continued to act, most notably as Mabel Mora in the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building (2021-present), alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short. The show has been a critical and commercial hit, earning Gomez Emmy nominations and proving her dramatic acting abilities. She also produced the Netflix documentary My Mind & Me (2022) and the docuseries Living Undocumented. Her combination of entertainment success, entrepreneurial achievement, and philanthropic commitment has established her as one of the most influential figures of her generation.