Selena Gomez Opens Up About "Bad Liar" & Being Able to Sample Talking Heads

Call her revived. Since Selena Gomez released her last album Revival, a lot has happened for the singer/actress/producer. She went on tour, and she and her mother teamed up to produce Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, among other projects, and took some time off for her health. Now, Selena has shared a brand new single, "Bad Liar," her first new music since her last album, and it's unlike anything we've ever heard from her before. Furthermore, it sounds like she's been creatively inspired, and has a clear direction of what she wants her new music to sound like.

"Bad Liar" is a bit different from the music on Selena's two previous albums, which contain more upbeat dance rhythms and ballads. Her new single is simplistic with a (very famous) repetitive bass line underneath minor additional percussion and the occasional bell sound, complimented by her vocals. The song contains a sample of Talking Heads' 1977 hit song "Psycho Killer," from the band's debut album Talking Heads: 77. That track was included on The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.

"Bad Liar" Inspiration & Meaning

Selena tells iHeartRadio that she had been sitting on "Bad Liar" for a while, as she had been in the studio working on music for about a year. But, as they say, it's all about timing.

"You know what's crazy is I actually took some time off last year. There was a lot happening in my personal life and I think, creatively, I felt a little stumped," she explains. "And when I went into the studio, I've been recording for about a year, and writing and working on new music, and we had 'Bad Liar' for about a year. And it was more about just the timing of where I was, and what I wanted my music to sound like, and how I wanted it to feel different and separate from everything else."

"Bad Liar" captures that feeling of the rush you get when you're just getting into a relationship, and all of the excitement that comes with that. Selena explains that when she was recording "Bad Liar," she was missing that feeling as a then-single lady.

"I was very much single when I was working on the song, and I think I was missing that feeling. It's a story. It starts off telling exactly what you feel when you're in that initial rush of being into someone, and I think that that feeling is something that I've always been a sucker for. So, I just think it's addicting, and it's beautiful, and it's complicated, and I loved that."

"Bad Liar" Favorites

What Selena loves the most about her new song, is its simplicity. She explains that in anything she does in her endeavors, in music, in acting, she is always trying to find a sense of uniqueness. And what makes "Bad Liar" stand out is its simplistic storytelling abilities about a subject that most people can relate to. 

"For me, I've always tried to figure out what separates me, and I think I'm always constantly searching for that, whether it's in film or acting or creative or content. I've always tried to find what really makes me feel unique, and I think the storytelling and how simple it is," she tells us. "At the end of the day it's really just a song that's talking about something very basic, but it's beautiful and it's catchy, and I think that's what I wanted it to capture."

In the same vein as the theme of simplicity, fans might be surprised to know that her favorite parts of her new single are the most simple moments throughout the track. "I think it's that feeling where it's the beginning of it, and I like the, 'Ohs.' It's not a traditional melody. When I sing the song, you don't really catch onto it until you capture those moments," she explains. "It's like when you're walking down the street and then you think you see someone and then you don't. That's like the story of my life, because I'm on Instagram, or I'm on my page, or I'm at something, and there's just those simple moments that capture you, and it can totally affect your day, and I think that's something that a lot of people can relate to."

Talking Heads Inspo

The Talking Heads' song "Psycho Killer" that's sampled in "Bad Liar" is an iconic song in Rock and roll. The 1977 song is from the band's debut album, and is considered their "signature debut hit." As Selena explains, "We're sampling one of the greatest bands of all time, which is a lot of pressure, but we got the blessing. We sent it to David Byrne and the whole band liked it. It was a surreal moment." 

Selena adds that she hopes sampling the Talking Heads will acquaint her own fans with the band if they don't listen to them already. 

"It was just one of those moments where it happened. 'Psycho Killer' is an amazing song and the bass line is totally separate from what the actual song is, but it is one of the those things where it either works or it doesn't work. And luckily, in this case, I think it came out really well, and it did it justice. And I really hope that some of my fans who maybe weren't really familiar with that kind of music would be introduced to that. So, it was exciting."

Plans for New Music

"Bad Liar" is only the beginning of what we will be hearing from Selena this year. She has been in the studio recording, in addition to executive producing 13 Reasons Why, which will see a second season. As for new songs, she doesn't have a set plan of when she's releasing new music for fans, but she does promise that "a lot of new music" IS on its way. She's just making sure it's the best it can possibly be.

"I kind of hovered away a little bit because I really tried to find the balance in my life. I think it's really important for me to figure out what makes me happy, and I don't really want to be all over the place. I want to pick the things that I'm passionate about, and I want to make them great, and I think that's where I'm at in my life and in my career. So, I take the moments for myself," she tells us. "I spent a year in the studio, and now I'm putting all of these pieces together, and it's coming a lot faster than people think. But that's what makes it great, because there's a little mystery to it, and it sounds so separate from everything else I've done. I mean, from the Kygo record, to 'Bad Liar' and the next thing that's after 'Bad Liar' is so separate from that, it's just me trying to figure out where it's gonna go. And I don't really have a set plan, but a lot of new music is coming for sure."

Photos: Katherine Tyler