The love story between Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber remains one of the most celebrity relationships of the 2010s. What began as a teenage fairy tale between two of pop culture’s biggest stars evolved into an eight-year emotional rollercoaster that would define both their personal lives and public personas. Their relationship, affectionately dubbed “ Jelena ” by fans worldwide, was marked by passionate reunions, devastating breakups, and countless headlines that kept millions of followers invested in their every move.
From their first meeting in 2009 to their final split in March 2018, Gomez and Bieber’s relationship weathered numerous storms including trust issues , conflicting career demands, mental health struggles, and the relentless pressure of living their romance in the public eye. Their on-and-off dynamic became legendary, with the couple breaking up and reconciling multiple times before ultimately going their separate ways forever.
The question that has haunted fans for years remains: why did Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber break up? The answer isn’t simple, as their relationship faced multiple challenges that ultimately proved insurmountable. From busy schedules and trust issues to personal growth and different life goals, their love story serves as a cautionary tale about young love under the microscope of fame. Understanding their timeline reveals not just the reasons behind their splits, but also the complex realities of maintaining a relationship while under the pressures of superstardom.
The Beginning: How Justin and Selena’s Love Story Started (2009-2011)
Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber (Image via Getty)
The foundation of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez’s relationship was laid in 2009 when Justin publicly declared Selena as his celebrity crush during a radio interview with DJ Skee. This admission set the wheels in motion for what would become one of pop culture’s most scrutinized relationships. Bieber’s manager reached out to Gomez’s mother, who was managing the Disney star at the time, to arrange a meeting between the two young performers.
Their first public appearance together came on December 31, 2009 , when Bieber serenaded Gomez with “One Less Lonely Girl” during Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. This moment sparked immediate dating rumors, though both stars initially denied any romantic involvement. Throughout 2010, the pair were spotted together multiple times, including a casual date at IHOP, but continued to maintain they were “just friends”.
The couple finally went public with their relationship at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in February 2011 . This confirmation was sent through their respective fan bases and marked the beginning of their official journey as Hollywood’s newest power couple. At the time, Bieber was 17 and Gomez was 18, making them the perfect teenage dream couple for millions of young fans worldwide.
The First Major Breakup: November 2012
After nearly two years of dating, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez broke up for the first time in November 2012 . The split came after months of speculation about trouble in paradise, with sources citing their demanding schedules and trust issues as primary factors.
“She broke up with him about a week ago,” a source told PEOPLE at the time. “With them being apart so much it got complicated. She had some trust issues. It’s not easy, but the relationship needed to end”. The couple’s conflicting work schedules had become a major strain on their relationship, with both stars at the height of their careers and constantly traveling for tours, filming, and promotional commitments.
Trust issues also played a significant role in their first breakup. Reports suggested that Gomez had discovered inappropriate text messages between Bieber and actress Chanel Celaya, who appeared in his “As Long As You Love Me” music video. The discovery of these “sexually toned” messages reportedly led to a confrontation where Bieber denied any wrongdoing, further damaging Gomez’s trust in him.
The Reconciliation and Second Breakup (2013-2014)
Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber (Image via Getty)
Despite their November 2012 split, Justin and Selena couldn’t stay away from each other . By April 2013, they were spotted together again at one of Justin’s European concerts, confirming their reconciliation. Their reunion was met with mixed reactions from fans and media, with many questioning whether they could overcome the issues that led to their initial breakup.
The couple’s second attempt at love lasted until November 2014 , when they split once again. This breakup was particularly painful for Gomez, who opened up about the relationship during an interview with Ryan Seacrest. When discussing her single “The Heart Wants What It Wants,” which was about Bieber, she revealed the emotional toll their relationship had taken on her.
“I support him. I think I always will. I’m upset when he’s upset. I’m happy when he’s happy,” Gomez told Seacrest, demonstrating the deep emotional connection that made their relationship so difficult to end. The second breakup reportedly came after Bieber was photographed with Kendall Jenner in Paris , adding fuel to existing trust issues.
The Final Chapter: 2017-2018 and the Last Goodbye
After years of being apart and dating other people, Justin and Selena reunited for the third and final time in October 2017 . They were photographed together on bike rides and seemed to be giving their relationship one last serious attempt. However, this reconciliation would prove to be their shortest and most decisive.
The couple’s final breakup occurred in March 2018 , ending their eight-year on-and-off relationship permanently. Sources close to the situation revealed that Gomez had reached a moment of clarity about their relationship’s future.
“Selena started seeing the bigger picture when it came to their relationship,” a source explained to Us Weekly. “Like what was more important: her general happiness and her family and friends’ approval, or her being together with Justin, where no one really supported their relationship”. Another insider noted that “Selena realized even though he’s made some positive improvements, they just aren’t a perfect match right now”.
The Real Reasons Behind Their Breakups
Mental Health and Personal Struggles
One of the most significant factors in why Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber broke up was their individual mental health struggles. In 2014, Gomez was diagnosed with lupus, and she later spoke openly about her battles with depression and anxiety. These health challenges affected her ability to maintain the demanding pace of their relationship while managing her career and personal well-being.
Similarly, Bieber faced his own demons during this period, including legal troubles and reputation issues that put additional strain on their relationship. The combination of their individual struggles made it difficult for them to provide the support each other needed.
Different Life Goals and Maturity Levels
Justin Bieber (Image via Getty)
As both stars grew older, their different life views became more apparent. Sources indicated that Bieber enjoyed the party lifestyle and social gatherings, while Gomez sought stability and a more grounded approach to life. This fundamental difference in their priorities made it increasingly difficult to find common ground as they matured.
The Pressure of Public Scrutiny
Living their relationship under constant media attention took a tremendous toll on both stars. “It affected us, especially when we are in front of so many people,” Bieber admitted in a 2013 radio interview. “It’s such a public thing. It’s just hard for the both of us”. The relentless paparazzi coverage and social media speculation created an environment where their relationship couldn’t develop naturally.
The Aftermath and Moving Forward
Just two months after their final breakup , Justin Bieber rekindled his relationship with Hailey Baldwin and quickly got engaged in July 2018. The rapid timeline fans and added another layer of pain to an already difficult situation for Gomez. Bieber and Baldwin married in September 2018, cementing the end of any possibility of a Jelena reunion.
Selena addressed this painful timeline in her 2019 song “Lose You To Love Me,” singing “In two months, you replaced us like it was easy / Made me think I deserved it in the thick of healing”. The song served as her final statement on their relationship and her journey toward healing.
The world watched in disbelief when Colombian superstar Shakira and Spanish football legend Gerard Piqué announced their separation in June 2022, ending an 11-year relationship that had fans globally. What began as a fairy-tale romance on the set of the 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem “Waka Waka” transformed into one of the most publicized celebrity breakups in recent memory, complete with viral diss tracks, custody battles, and explosive revelations.
Their relationship had always seemed unshakeable—two global icons who had built a life together in Barcelona, raising two sons while balancing demanding careers in entertainment and professional sports. Shakira had famously relocated from her native Colombia to Spain, putting her career “in second gear” to support Piqué’s football ambitions at FC Barcelona. The couple never married, with Shakira once admitting that “marriage scares the hell out of me,” preferring the unpredictability of being seen as a girlfriend rather than a wife.
However, beneath the glamorous exterior, cracks had been forming for years. The separation wasn’t just a private matter—it became a public spectacle involving allegations of infidelity, financial disputes, and emotional betrayal that played out across social media, music releases, and international headlines. As Shakira herself revealed, she learned of Piqué’s alleged betrayal “through the press” while her father was fighting for his life in the ICU, making an already devastating situation even more traumatic.
The Beginning: A World Cup Love Story
Shakira and Gerard Piqué (Image via Getty)
Meeting on the Global Stage
Shakira and Gerard Piqué’s love story began in 2010 during the filming of “Waka Waka,” the official FIFA World Cup anthem. The Colombian pop sensation was at the height of her career, while Piqué was establishing himself as one of the world’s premier defenders for both FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Their chemistry was undeniable, and by 2011, they had gone public with their relationship.
Building a Family
The couple welcomed their first son, Milan, in January 2013, followed by their second son, Sasha, in 2014. For over a decade, they appeared to be the perfect power couple—Shakira supporting Piqué from the stands during crucial matches while he celebrated her musical achievements. Their Barcelona home became a sanctuary where they raised their children away from the public eye.
Career Sacrifices and Compromises
One of the most significant aspects of their relationship was Shakira’s career sacrifice. The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer revealed that she had put her career “in second gear” to support Piqué’s football ambitions. “One of the two had to make that effort and that sacrifice. And I did it. I put my career in second gear and I came to Spain, to support him so he could play football and win titles,” she explained in her emotional interview with Elle magazine.
The Cracks Begin to Show
Financial Disputes and Investment Disagreements
According to Roberto Garcia, Shakira’s former brother-in-law, the problems between the couple began with financial disagreements. Garcia revealed that Piqué had allegedly asked Shakira for money for investment purposes, but her family advised against it. “According to what a person very close to them has told me, there has been an economic problem between the two. Supposedly, Piqué would have asked Shakira for money for an investment issue, and the singer’s family has refused to give it to him,” Garcia disclosed.
Early Warning Signs in Music
Before their official separation, Shakira had already begun expressing her relationship struggles through her music. In May 2022, she released “Te Felicito,” which fans speculated was about Piqué due to lyrics about a “double-faced man” and various clues in the music video.
The Betrayal: How Everything Fell Apart
Shakira and Gerard Piqué Shakira and Gerard Piqué (Image via Getty)
The Devastating Discovery
The most heartbreaking aspect of their breakup was how Shakira discovered the alleged infidelity. In June 2023, she revealed to People en Español that she learned of Piqué’s betrayal while dealing with her father’s critical condition in the hospital. “Everything happened at once. My home was falling apart. I was finding out through the press that I had been betrayed while my dad was in the ICU,” she shared.
The Clara Chia Marti Connection
Spanish media outlets reported that Piqué had been having an affair with Clara Chia Marti, a 23-year-old who had worked as a waitress at a Barcelona bar before Piqué hired her at his company. The relationship became public in January 2023, with photos of the couple kissing at the Summerfest Cerdanya festival in Catalonia. The 12-year age gap between Piqué and Marti became a focal point of public discussion and later inspired some of Shakira’s most pointed lyrics.
Living Separately
By mid-2022, Spanish newspaper El Periodico reported that Piqué was no longer living with Shakira and their children. The couple maintained a facade of normalcy for several weeks before finally announcing their separation through a joint statement requesting privacy for their children’s well-being.
The Musical Response: Shakira’s Artistic Revenge
“Monotonía” – The First Musical Statement
In October 2022, Shakira released “Monotonía,” her first song widely interpreted as addressing the relationship’s end. The Spanish lyrics translated to: “It wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t my fault / It was monotony’s fault / I never said anything but it hurt / I knew this would happen.” The accompanying music video showed Shakira with a literal hole in her chest, symbolizing her heartbreak.
“BZRP Music Session #53” – The Viral Diss Track
Shakira’s collaboration with Argentine producer Bizarrap in January 2023 became a global phenomenon. The song contained multiple references to Piqué and Clara Chia Marti, including wordplay with their names and pointed comparisons. “I’m worth two 22-year-olds / You traded in a Ferrari for a Twingo / You traded in a Rolex for a Casio,” she sang, referencing the age difference and perceived downgrade.
The Aftermath: Custody, Healing, and New Beginnings
Shakira and Gerard Piqué Shakira and Gerard Piqué (Image via Getty)
Custody Agreement and Relocation
In November 2022, Shakira and Piqué reached a custody agreement for Milan and Sasha. The arrangement allowed Shakira to relocate to Miami with the children, closer to her family support system, while ensuring Piqué maintained access to his sons.
Piqué’s Response and New Relationship
Gerard Piqué has largely remained silent about the specifics of their breakup, though he hinted in a 2024 CNN interview that “the truth or what happens or occurs is not told in the way it was.” He confirmed his relationship with Clara Chia Marti and expressed that he feels “very happy” in his current situation.
Shakira’s Journey of Self-Discovery
Despite the pain, Shakira has emerged stronger from the experience. At the 2025 Grammy Awards, she acknowledged that “life hasn’t always been kind” but emphasized her resilience. She’s spoken about feeling “complete” and more self-reliant than ever, channeling her experiences into her music and personal growth.
The Legacy of Their Split
The Shakira-Piqué breakup represents more than just another celebrity separation—it highlights the complexities of high-profile relationships, the sacrifices made for love, and the public nature of modern heartbreak. Their story serves as a reminder that even the most seemingly perfect relationships can harbor deep-seated issues, and that healing often requires both time and the courage to rebuild one’s life from the ground up.
As Shakira continues to focus on her music career and raising her sons in Miami, while Piqué builds his new life with Clara Chia Marti, their 11-year relationship remains a cautionary tale about love, betrayal, and the price of fame in the digital age.
