Selena Gomez has a long history of collaborations, dating all the way back to her Disney days (with Demi Lovato) and her first few albums with The Scene, spanning to her latest single ‘Past Life’ with Trevor Daniel. It’s her vulnerability, ability to connect with fans, and pop hooks that are so sticky they’re with you for life that consistently make her the obvious choice to jump on back-to-back bangers.
From creating magic with EDM heavyweights and rap legends, to some of the biggest names in the world right now, these are our favourite Selena Gomez collabs.
‘Past Life’ – Trevor Daniel
Released just last month, Selena Gomez and Trevor Daniel didn’t let quarantine stop them from releasing one of the best bops of 2020, music video and all. Starting with an Instagram live performance of the song the video then travels to a whole other dimension with their faces morphing into stunning 3D landscapes. About the song Selena said, “When I heard it the first time, I loved the fact that it was kind of like a story about all the things that we tend to hold onto and the patterns that we have. And I’m very, very vocal about my personal experiences making decisions that aren’t necessarily healthy for me.”
‘Good For You’ – A$AP Rocky
Selena’s 2015 album Revival saw her departure from Disney Channel darling and marked her arrival into mainstream pop superstardom. Sophisticated and seductive lead single ‘Good For You’ came with a message of female empowerment, and a music video to match. Add in a rap verse by the legendary A$AP Rocky and the catchy tune leveled up to chart topper. Selena debuted the live performance at none other than on her bestie Taylor Swift’s 1989 World Tour stop in LA (and I was lucky enough to have been front row 😭). ‘Good For You’ went on to become the first top-five single on the Hot 100 for both Gomez and Rocky, and achieved Gold status here in NZ.
‘It Ain’t Me’ – Kygo
“Who’s waking up to drive you home when you’re drunk and all alone? Who’s gonna walk you through the dark side of the morning? It ain’t me.” With a chorus so scorching it leaves third degree burns, there’s no better way to tell a toxic ex that, “you need me, but I don’t need you.” Kygo’s glittery production and Selena’s husky vocals create the perfect dream team, that it’s only a matter of time before they collab again ✨.
‘I Want You To Know’ – Zedd
This 2015 Zedd collab was the first time Selena truly dipped her toes into the electronic music world. ‘I Want You To Know’ is an infectious tune, with a music video to match that makes you want to hit the dancefloor asap. Side note: Did the pair actually ever date? Or was that just clever marketing? 🤔 We will likely never know, but their musical chemistry is undeniable.
‘Wolves’ – Marshmello 🐺
‘It Ain’t Me’ walked so ‘Wolves’ could run. If Marshmello hyping fans up on Twitter with the news of the collab wasn’t enough then the hilarious popcorn promo pics certainly would have been enough to earn a stream. Released in 2017, Selena revealed that she “was going through stuff” at the time, and she evoked these personal feelings directly into the song. From the dark and gloomy upbeat backing track, to the romantic angst of the lyrics, ‘Wolves’ quickly proved that Selena was fast-becoming a natural fit in the EDM crossover world.
‘Anxiety’ – Julia Michaels
The longtime songwriting duo and best pals finally picked up the mics together after putting pen to paper, and created a breathtaking song raising awareness surrounding mental health. Selena revealed in an interview that the song “is extremely close to my heart as I’ve experienced anxiety and know a lot of my friends do too. You’re never alone if you feel this way.” Bringing more than just feels, it’s become an anthem and coping mechanism for many.
‘Taki Taki’ – DJ Snake, Ozuna & Cardi B
This 🔥🔥🔥 burning Latin smash hit is a collab we didn’t see coming but are so glad it did. Four people on one song is always a party, and with DJ Snake, Ozuna, and Cardi B joining forces on the Reggaeton-charged ‘Taki Taki’, it’s been stuck in our heads since it dropped back in 2018. Not to mention it has reached a casual 1.8 billion views on YouTube.
‘Fetish’ – Gucci Mane
‘Fetish’ embraces the messy, fragile, freeing complexities of love, lust, and womanhood. “If I were you, I’d do me, too” is probably one of the most evocative and thrilling lyrics of Selena’s entire career so far. Pair that with Selena rolling around on her kitchen floor and sticking her tongue in an eyelash curler, and the song truly lives up to its name. If ‘Good For You’ kicked off the era of “grownup” Selena, ‘Fetish’ made us completely forget that she even started out in Wizards of Waverly Place.
‘I Can’t Get Enough’ – benny blanco, J Balvin, and Tainy
We can’t get enough of all of these straight fiyah collabs that Selena consistently adds to her catalog. Teaming up with our fave under the radar producer benny blanco, and the reggae heavyweights J. Balvin and Tainy this track was always destined to be a surefire hit. P.S. when can we borrow that teddy bear suit?!
‘Trust Nobody’ – Cashmere Cat ft. Tory Lanez
The top comment on YouTube for ‘Trust Nobody’ is “this is the most underrated selena song” and we agree 100%. Thanks to Selena’s breathy vocals and Cashmere Cat’s effortless production, this is not just a summer jam but an all-year-round hit that should be added to all of your playlists. And Selena’s lil signature giggle at the end is the icing on the most delicious cake.
SEE ALSO: Selena Gomez Is Exactly The Kind Of Role Model We Need in 2020
