What instruments does Selena Gomez play? Singer's musical abilities explored

2023 MTV Video Music Awards - Arrivals
Selena at the MTV Video Music Awards. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Selena Gomez stands out as a multi-faceted musician in the pop domain. The Love On singer has showcased various abilities, from singing award-winning songs, such as Calm Down to picking mature acting roles of the likes of Only Murders In The Building. While a lot has been covered about her acting and singing talents, her instrumental pursuits also deserve attention.

Apart from running a beauty brand, preparing for acting roles, and releasing new songs, Selena Gomez also devotes time to her musical interests. The singer and actress plays a variety of instruments including the guitar, piano, and ukulele.

As an artist, Selena has worked on building her capabilities every year. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
As an artist, Selena has worked on building her capabilities every year. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

A glimpse into Selena Gomez's love for instruments

Selena has been mostly seen with her guitar and piano. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Selena has been mostly seen with her guitar and piano. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Over the years, Gomez has honed her musical skills and spent time learning instruments. While her first acting and singing break in the show Barney & Friends came at the age of seven, she learned classical piano at the age of four. In an interview with Billboard in 2015, the Rare singer expressed her fondness for playing piano and wished that she:

"Was better at it"

Gomez has played the cover versions of her songs on the piano while touring. She has also previously surprised her audience with vulnerable videos on social media, showcasing her talent. Apart from guitar and piano, Gomez also occasionally plays drums and ukulele.

In an interview with Vogue in 2021, the singer shared that she spent time learning and refining her guitar skills during the pandemic. Selena Gomez reported that she played Knocking on Heaven's Door on her guitar whilst spending time with her family. The singer took to her Instagram to share a picture of herself in her new home and guitar. She captioned it as,

"Things I’ve been doing in quarantine- settling into my new house and guitar lessons."

Lose You To Lose Me: Selena's love for piano and vulnerable writing

Selena's love for music and vulnerability often are tied together. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Billboard)
Selena's love for music and vulnerability often are tied together. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Billboard)

While growing up, Selena learned various lessons from her mother, Mandy Teefy about facing her fears and building a career. In many ways, Selena Gomez has been vulnerable about her art and mental health. One of her most profound writings can be seen in her hit song, Lose You To Love Me.

In October 2019, Selena Gomez released Lose You to Love Me as the lead single from her third studio album, Rare. In a now-deleted TikTok video, Gomez revealed a vulnerable moment in her musical process and showed her fans how she wrote the song while playing the piano.

Gomez's song reflected a piece of her mental health, and she told Billboard in 2020,

“When I wrote the song Lose You to Love Me, I was kind of a mess. It was really difficult for me."

Gomez persevered through this process and on her piano to deliver not only a chart-topper but a song that many look up to for their mental health.


Selena Gomez has many talents up her sleeves and playing instruments is a bonus for her fans. From the age of five, Gomez has continued to learn and grow her musical abilities and hopes to refine them further. Apart from working on her music, Selena is now preparing to play Linda Ronstadt in an upcoming biopic.

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