Niall Horan Sets Record Straight On Relationship With Selena Gomez, Months After Dating Rumors Began
The rumors have swirled for years.
Instagram When Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez broke up for good in March 2018, it was only months later that Bieber was seen with now-wife Hailey Baldwin. All we could think about was how Selena was doing.
It didn't seem like their relationship stood a chance, but it was something they both seemed committed to fighting for. And now, rumors are swirling about a possible romance between Selena and a One Direction alum.
Are Selena Gomez and Niall Horan dating? Everyone is wondering what the real story is, and Horan recently put the rumors to rest. Here's what we know.
1. Social media started the rumors.
Apparently, social media is to blame. "Surprise!" said no one. Journalist Mike Wass tweeted about what he suspected was a burgeoning couple when he clocked them at a Lewis Capaldi set in April 2019.
“The @LewisCapaldi showcase was incredible,” he captioned his clip of the Scottish singer-songwriter performing in an unnamed location. “This guy’s a f***ing star! (Also, unless I’m hallucinating, Selegend & Niall were sitting at the table next to me).”
2. At the time of the initial rumors, Selena's sources said she was single.
As you can imagine, people wasted officially no time taking this news and running buck wild with it. All you had to do was turn to Twitter to see that fans of both Horan and Gomez were trying to come up with cute pet names for the duo.
Luckily, HollywoodLife reached out to Gomez and her team for comment, and boy howdy did they do their best to stop these rumors before they start!
“Selena thinks Niall is great and loves his music but they are not boyfriend and girlfriend despite some of the rumors,” said a source from Gomez's camp. “Selena is not really dating right now, even though she thinks Niall is cute and totally talented, and she appreciates some of the nice things he has said about her. But she is not in any romantic relationship. She has been spending her time with friends, hanging out, and taking care of herself. Not that she wouldn’t date Niall someday, she’s just not seeing anyone right now.”
3. Her mental health struggles may be the reason for taking a break from relationships.
Selena Gomez has been open about her mental health struggles in the past. While she's a beauty and a talent, she's also a person who works really hard to achieve a level of normalcy for herself.
A very public and messy breakup is enough to make even the most even-keeled among us lose our way. When you're struggling with mental health issues, and your breakup is chronicled by the media, we can't even begin to imagine the strain.
In September 2019, Gomez accepted the 2019 McLean Award, and revealed what the last year had been like for her:
“I think that we are better when we tell the truth and, so, this is my truth. Last year, I was suffering mentally and emotionally, and I wasn’t able to stay all that kept together. I wasn’t able to hold a smile or to keep things normal. It felt like all of my pain and my anxiety washed over me all at once and it was one of the scariest moments of my life… After a year of a lot of intense work... I am happier, I am healthier, and I am in control of my emotions and thoughts more than I’ve ever been. So, I’m very happy about that...
For me, it feels right to share that I have personally felt the effects of both depression and anxiety — but it isn’t easy. I have feared being misunderstood and judged. I know that I have been given experiences and people and opportunities that have made my life exceptionally beautiful and sweet — and yet I struggle with my own thoughts and feelings at times. But this doesn’t make me faulty. This does not make me weak. This does not make me less than. This makes me human. We need help, and we need each other.”
4. She's addressed the rumors in the past.
What makes Selena Gomez so special is just how open and honest she is with the fans — not just about her dating life, but about her own state of mind. By publicly addressing these rumors, she took back control of her story and proved that you don't need a man to complete you.
But a source for Gomez rebuffed rumors that she was dating Niall, telling HollywoodLife, “Selena and Niall are very cool with each other and are friends. They have flirted in the past but Selena and dating is just not something she is interested in right now, even someone she thinks that is so cool and nice like Niall. Selena will find love at her own pace and time, but with Niall it’s just not happening right now because she wants to be the best her before she shares herself romantically with anyone.”
That was back in April, but since then, the rumors have continued to swirl.
5. Niall has spoken sweetly about Selena.
In October 2019, Horan appeared on The Social and was asked about his first thoughts about Selena. “First time I seen was, she was on Barney. She looked cute and she’s an absolute sweetheart, too. And she’s a really good friend right now,” he revealed. Fans hearts everywhere were broken, of course, because who wouldn’t want these cuties to be together?
Horan also showed Selena some love when he gave her a shoutout on his Instagram story.
6. But now, he's revealing the truth about their relationship.
After appearing on The Social, he defended himself against continuing rumors that the two were an item. Because earlier that month, he and Selena’s mutual friend, Courteny Lopez, posted a group photo where Niall had his arm around Selena.
On Sirius XM that same month, Horan revealed that he and Selena are “just friends!” “We have the same group of friends. We hang out all the time,” he said.
But is there still hope? Fans shouldn't get too excited, because on December 3rd, Niall did an interview with Australian radio station 90.9, responding directly to the dating rumors. “Do I have a girlfriend? No, I don’t,” he said, and then admitted he’s “very much single, very much single.”
In the interview, he also discussed how difficult it can be to be friends with women while in the spotlight. “It doesn’t make a difference if I am seeing someone or they’re just a friend of mine, I’m going out with them in the media’s eyes. That’s the most annoying part, isn’t it, really? You can’t even be friends with a female,” he added.
He also revealed that, like Selena, is focused on himself and his career right now, saying, “I’m focusing on the job at the minute, but I mean, it’s not like you really ever go out of your way to properly look for it. If it comes to ya, it comes to ya, and if something falls in your way or you meet someone or whatever, then fair enough.”
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. Her work focuses on relationships, pop culture and news. For more of her work, check out her Tumblr.
Samantha Maffucci is an editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.