Rohal Raval, Bhairavi Dixit Trivedi
The
literary landscape abounds in authors who have drawninspiration from their own
life and experiences for their writing – for instance,Charles Dickens, Marcel
Proust, James Joyce,T. S. Eliot and countless others. The same can be said of
artists belonging to popular culture. This article aims to offer a critical and
autobiographical analysis of three of Selena Gomez’s songs, part of her album Rare
(Deluxe edition) (2020). As someone who has struggled with numerous ups and
downs in her relationships, especially with singer, songwriter, and former
boyfriend Justin Bieber, and physical and mental health crises, the selected
songs provide Gomez an outlet to reflect on her past while simultaneously
breaking free of it and emerging stronger. Though the songs have been written
in collaboration, they derive much of their implicit content from Gomez’s
personal life.Moreover, they combine a number of strategies and/or literary
devises in order to author the self, including retrospective, third-person
narration, figures of speech, and expression and confession of desires. These
devices add rich layers of meaning to the texts, inviting detailed study and
analysis.
Autobiographical
Analysis. “Boyfriend.” Justin Bieber. “Lose You to Love Me.” Selena Gomez. “She.”
VOL.13, ISSUE No.3, September 2021