Selena Gomez hits back at Hailey Bieber's 'annoying' comment: 'She can say whatever...'

Selena Gomez appears to be speaking out, subtly, in the wake of Hailey Bieber’s recent comments about their long-rumoured rivalry.

In a cover interview for WSJ. Magazine’s Innovators Issue, 28-year-old Hailey Bieber, founder of Rhode Beauty, sidestepped direct comparisons between her brand and Gomez’s Rare Beauty, though she later admitted to the publication that it’s “annoying” to be constantly pitted against others. “It’s always annoying being pitted against other people. I didn’t ask for that,” Bieber told WSJ. “When people want to see you a certain way and they’ve made up a story about you in their minds, it’s not up to you to change that.”

Just days later, Gomez, 33, seemingly fired back in a subtle but pointed Instagram Stories post on October 17, which has since been deleted. Against a plain background, the singer wrote, “Just leave the girl alone.She can say whatever she wants. Doesn't affect [my] life whatsoever. It's just about relevance not intelligence. Be kind. All brands inspire me. There is room for everyone,” Gomez continued. She concluded with a clear message: “And hopefully we can all stop.”

The timing of Bieber’s interview, published October 14, coincided with the launch of Rhode Beauty at Sephora, where Rare Beauty is also sold — fueling speculation about a branding clash.

The exchange adds another chapter to the ongoing rumours of tension between the two beauty moguls, which trace back to Gomez’s past relationship with Hailey’s now-husband, Justin Bieber. Despite years of speculation, both stars have occasionally made public gestures toward reconciliation, including a joint photo at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ annual gala in 2022.