Selena Gomez‘s comeback album Rare arrived in January. While the record came five years after her previous album Revival, it was worth the wait. Many of the songs are her way of coming to terms with the painful parting of ways with her ex Justin Bieber. But the album is much more than a breakup record, and “Rare” is an example of that. Distancing itself from a self-pity narrative that is oftentimes correlated with a post-breakup track, “Rare” is an empowering assertion of self-worth. The theme is amplified by Gomez’s stripped-down performance of the track live in studio.
Gomez stopped by The Village Studios for the acoustic performance. Backed by just an acoustic guitar and harmonizing vocals, Gomez belts each line of the track with unwavering conviction. “Why don’t you recognize I’m so rare?” she sings with confidence, asking herself why she chose to remain with a person who didn’t recognize her value.
Ahead of releasing the video for the acoustic rendition of “Rare,” Gomez recently shared a Revival b-side with fans. Previously performed on tour, the studio version of “Feel Me” boasts buoyant synths, lushly layered production, and a similar fiery assertion of self-worth.
Watch Gomez perform “Rare” live from The Village Studios above.
Rare is out now via Interscope. Get it here.
