And it’s very much deserved
From the editors of InStyle US Words by Lara Walsh
Selena Gomez's whirlwind year is paying off.
The former Disney alum, who spent the summer recovering from a kidney transplant due to lupus complications, made time in between executive producing Netflix's popular series 13 Reasons Why and launching new fashion collaborations with Puma and Coach to gift fans a few smash hit singles, like ‘Bad Liar,’ ‘Fetish,’ ‘It Ain't Me,’ and, most recently, ‘Wolves’ this year.
And, on Tuesday, it looked like the pop star's hard work was not for nothing, as she joins the ranks of fellow musical superstars - Lady Gaga, Madonna, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift - as Billboard's 2017 Woman of the Year.
In a statement, the panel said they were ‘thrilled’ to bestow the title on the 25-year-old chart-topper, who has twice beat out the competition for the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart.
‘Not only is Selena soaring on the charts, but she continuously inspires young women everywhere to be authentic, give back and to not be afraid to use their voice,’ the president of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group, John Amato, said of their decision.
He continued, ‘She is never afraid to speak her mind and has used her platform to advocate for the needs of others. We are thrilled to be able to honour her as our Woman of the Year.’
Watch Gomez accept her new title during the Women in Music event live on Twitter at 9 p.m. ET on Nov. 30.