Pop singer Selena Gomez recently opened up about her Christian faith and revealed her favorite CCM artist to be an award-winning Hillsong worship leader.
The "Good For You" singer, who is among a slew of celebrities who attend Australian megachurch Hillsong's U.S. branches, was asked to name her "favorite Christian artist" while promoting her latest movie "Hotel Transylvania 2."
In response, the 23-year-old Texas native identified acclaimed New Zealand singer-songwriter Brooke Fraser as her favorite singer, whom she also knows personally.
"I'm trying to think," she told Breathecast's Jeannie Law in Miami. "I love Brooke Fraser. She's my favorite and I have the pleasure of knowing her and she's incredible. I've always loved her music."
Fraser, an NZ music award-winner, has co-written a number of popular tunes for Hillsong's award-winning worship band, Hillsong United, including "Hosanna" and "Soon."
"I love Hillsong as well. I love all of their worship, I'm a sucker for all of it," Gomez added.
In addition to releasing her latest album, "Revival," Gomez recently lent her voice to the animated film "Hotel Transylvania 2," where she plays a vampire named Mavis.
While some Christians may take issue with the film's content, as it includes monsters such as vampires, werewolves, mummies, and more, Gomez said she views it as lighthearted fun.
"Now for me I respect people (and) whatever boundaries they set for themselves. So I'm more lenient towards that. I am Christian, so I understand," she said. "For me it's just ultimately about what it is."
Instead of focusing on the negatives, Gomez said she hopes viewers will enjoy the movie's themes of love, family, and friendship. "It's a beautiful movie, it's got a great message," she said. "There's not much to really dissect but it's about family, that's what it really is. Whatever it is or, however, we're telling it, that's the truth."
In August, Gomez opened up about why she decided to take off her promise ring, which she began wearing at the age of 13 as a promise to God that she would abstain from sex until marriage.
At the time, the singer told The Sunday Times U.K. that father helped pick out the purity ring, which was a sacred symbol of her virginity, and had it blessed by a pastor 10 years ago.
"I said, 'Dad, I want a promise ring,'" Gomez said. "He went to the church and got it blessed. He actually used me as an example for other kids. I'm going to keep my promise to myself, to my family, and to God."
However, she eventually grew to discover that "it isn't for everyone."
"I'm not embarrassed to say that," Gomez said. "I'm also not embarrassed to say that the ring has come off. I got it when I was 13 and I respect so much what it represented, but it isn't for everyone."
The reported suggested Gomez removed her ring during her four-year relationship with pop star Justin Bieber, whom she began dating in 2011.
In turn, Bieber, who also regularly attends Hillsong Church, recalled mistakes that he made during his relationship with Gomez during an interview with Complex Magazine. He said they moved very quickly in their relationship and that in the end, he learned that the only one he should rely upon is Jesus Christ.
"I moved in with my girlfriend when I was 18," he said. "Started my own life with her. It was a marriage kind of thing. Living with a girl, it was just too much at that age. But we were so in love. Nothing else mattered."
He added: "We were all about each other. But when it's like that and you get your value from that, people will always disappoint you. Your girl or your dude, they're always going to disappoint you. Your full identity can't be in that person - that's something in life that I had to figure out. I can't lean on people. I got to lean on God. I gotta trust in Him through all my situations."
