In a candid interview with Billboard, Selena Gomez announced that she has undergone chemotherapy to ease the symptoms of lupus, a disease she has been struggling with for a few years.  Although there were many rumors about why Selena took time off in 2013 and 2014, we now know the reason.

Lupus is a disease that causes the body to mistakenly detect its own tissue as a foreign invader.

The disease can cause inflammation in organs such as the heart and lungs.

In spite of her diagnosis, Gomez is keeping a positive attitude and is not letting it stop her from moving forward in her career.

In addition to confronting judgmental whispers about her disease, Gomez has recently received a lot of hate for her body in the press. In an interview with Extra news, Gomez revealed that this was her motivation for the title of her second solo album, Revival. 

“I want to kill them with kindness,” said Gomez.

This idea is carried onto the album with the song “Kill ‘em with Kindness.”  Gomez hopes to promote the message that she is going to keep a smile on her face throughout all of the judgment and negativity she is receiving.

Some of the songs on the album include “Me & My Girls,” “Same Old Love,” “Revival,” and “Perfect.”  The song “Body Heart” brings Latin fusion to her album like never before.

“I love this new album because it is so different from the usual pop we have seen by her in the past,” said senior Carly Lanzkowsky.

In a radio interview with The Toby Knapp Show, Gomez revealed that one of the songs on the record is partly inspired by her 2011 hit “Who Says.”

The title of her album, Revival, makes a split from the Disney empire that shaped her story.  Revival has a smoother sound than her previous album, Stars Dance.

The album features her single, “Good for You” which received number three on the Billboard Hot 100.  This song features A$AP Rocky who pokes fun at her good girl past.

Selena is tired of being defined by the men in her life, especially Justin Bieber.  She stated that the two of them are on good terms but do not speak.  Selena did not want a guy in there when she was filming her music video for the song, “Good for You.”

“It’s all about how I feel about myself, not how men feel about me,” said Gomez.

Selena plans to start touring around the country in May 2016.  Shows are anticipated to sell-out, just as they have in the past.

“I am so happy that Selena is going on tour.  I even bought tickets already,” said freshman Carly Hecht.

Revival has gotten lots of positive feedback in the press, and Selena Gomez will use this opportunity to take her career to the next level, without letting her recent diagnosis, or Bieber distractions, get in the way of her success.