The former Wizards of Waverly Place star grew up in the limelight, and has become tabloid fodder in recent years, thanks in part to her on/off romance with Justin Bieber, and in an interview with New York's Z100 radio station, the 22 year old admits the constant gossip and false rumours about her have prompted her to put a wall up between herself and the people in her life.

She reveals, "You can't talk about anything that you want to share with people because it's going to be ripped apart, and that's what makes me really sad. That's why I had to start doing it through my music and that was the whole reason why The Heart Wants What it Wants came out - because I was, like, 'I have a right to say what I'm going to say. If you're going to sit here and talk about my life, I have a right to say what I want and obviously I'm going to do it the way I wish to'.

"But it is unfortunate, and you have to be guarded... I don't trust anyone... It's something that I have to live with and I have to find the balance of who I want in my life and who isn't good for me."

Gomez says she relies on her loyal fans, and turns to social media to connect with them when she feels stories about her are getting out of hand.

She continues, "My fans know who I am, so no matter what happens or what people are saying about me, what's going to come through is who I am. If I was truly everything that people say I am, you would see it. It's not like I can hide anything any more.

"My life is so public that I do take that into consideration. But I'm also a normal person, I'm a human being and I'm feeling things. I get sad, I get anxious, I get emotional, I get happy!"