Selena Gomez’s break from the spotlight came to an end on Nov. 20, when she accepted the American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist — but she made sure to address her personal struggles in front of millions.
“In 2014, this stage was actually the first time that I was authentically 100 percent honest with you,” she started her speech, referencing her heart-wrenching AMAs performance of “The Heart Wants What It Wants.”
“I think it’s safe to say that a lot of you know a lot of my life whether I liked it or not and I had to stop. Because I had everything, and I was absolutely broken. And I kept it together and I swore I would never let you down, but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down.” Gomez continued, “I’m not trying to get validation, nor do I need it anymore.”
Choking back tears as she delivered her heartfelt speech, Gomez sent hope to those who have gone through the same struggles she has in the past couple of years. “If you are broken, you don’t have to stay broken.”
This story first appeared on Billboard.com.