Selena Gomez has been a rising star in recent years thanks to her Disney Channel success; the actress/singer has moved to film and also stars in ad campaigns, including for her own brand of perfume. But all that success–and her long relationship with one of the biggest pop stars in the world–tends to put guys off.

“I actually talked to Katy Perry about guys who are intimidated by strong girls,” she said in a recent interview with Seventeen. “I haven’t found someone yet who could understand my lifestyle, support it, love me through it, and not be threatened by it. It’s hard.”

The 21-year old has a strong support system in her girlfriends, however, and says that although she had a falling out with childhood friend Demi Lovato, the two have reconciled. Now, she says, she can see the issues her old friend was having–an eating disorder, among other things–and can deal with them a little better.

“Demi’s very, very strong. She’s the only person that I would tell the deepest, darkest secrets to. The only person. I’ve known her since we were 7, and we did fall apart for a while,” Gomez said. “She was going through things and I was so young and it was confusing. I processed it saying, ‘OK, I don’t understand what she’s going through so I’m just going to do this.’ I don’t think it was fair, and I’m so happy that I have her back in my life now.”

Despite being seen with ex Justin Bieber recently, rumors of a rekindled romance haven’t been confirmed. Gomez hasn’t commented on Bieber’s recent legal issues or his arrest early Thursday morning in Miami for DUI, but the arrest revealed that a young model was in the car with him at the time, which is bound to get him into some trouble with his longtime flame.

Image via Wikimedia Commons