Selena Gomez Confirms Taylor Swift’s Song “Dorothea” Is About Her
Taylor Swift painted Selena Gomez more than just a dreamscape.
In fact, the “Fate of Ophelia” singer created a unique artwork for her longtime friend, gifting the masterpiece to the Only Murders in the Building star for her 30th birthday in 2022.
“She painted a beautiful lake,” Selena, now 33, shared on the March 3 episode of her husband Benny Blanco‘s Friends Keep Secrets podcast. “It was at night and the moon was there. In the stars, she painted our exact star signs.”
And Taylor, 36, made sure not to leave a blank space. As Selena put it, the Grammy winner also handstitched a message on the painting’s canvas, reading, “Here’s to the next 30 years.”
“She did it on an actual cloth,” the actress continued. “She sewed every letter.”
Selena added, “It was the sweetest gift.”
Likewise, Benny—who tied the knot with Selena last year at a wedding attended by Taylor—was blown away by the custom-made piece when he first laid eyes on it.
“It’s like one of the best paintings I’ve ever seen,” the 37-year-old raved, explaining how he initially thought it was a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting. “She’s better at art.”
And painting isn’t the only way Taylor has shared her artistic talents with Selena. The Disney Channel alum also revealed that Taylor managed to perfectly encapsulate their life experiences in the lyrics of the Evermore track “Dorothea.”
“‘Dorothea’ is about me,” the Rare Beauty founder explained. “I feel like a lot of huge moments that were self-defining, from relationships to family to love to hate, all of it in between—we were figuring it out because I was 15 and she was 18.”
Broadimage/Shutterstock
She continued, “When I listen to it, I’m so impressed by how it’s eloquently put.”
Selena added that there’s an unreleased song “Taylor wrote about us and it was called ‘Family.'”
“It is basically saying, ‘You have these amazing dreams. You want to be in a movie, in every crowd I see you,'” she recalled of the track. “Then her part was, ‘You believe in my stupid dreams, like playing stadiums.'”
“Now, when I listen to those songs, both of those things have happened for us,” Selena marveled. “And that’s really sweet because back then, she was just like, ‘I wrote this song about us and it was just our story.'”
For a closer look at Selena and Taylor’s friendship in pictures, keep reading…
Selena Gomez/Instagram
Wedding Bliss
Selena Gomez received a hug from Taylor Swift during her 2025 wedding to Benny Blanco.
Todd Williamson/CBS via Getty Images
Golden Moment
The longtime friends made the whole place shimmer at the 2024 Golden Globes.
Instagram / Selena Gomez
Summer Selfie
Selena shared this pic with her BFF days after they reunited at the 2023 MTV VMAs.
Instagram / Selena Gomez
Kisses
Taylor gave her bestie a sweet kiss in their selfie.
Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images
VMAs Reunion
The two reunited at the 2023 event.
Instagram / Taylor Swift
Fourth of July 2023
The pair celebrated Independence Day together with friends at Taylor’s party.
Instagram / Taylor Swift
Independence Day Selfie
The two posed for a pic at Taylor’s 2023 party.
Instagram / Selena Gomez
Selena Turns 30
Selena celebrated her 30th birthday with Taylor, writing on Instagram in 2022, “30, nerdy and worthy.”
Instagram / Selena Gomez
Selena’s 30th Birthday
Selena later revealed that Taylor gave her a painting she had made to mark the milestone.
“She painted a beautiful lake,” the actress shared on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast in 2026. “It was at night and the moon was there. In the stars, she painted our exact star signs.”
According to Selena, Tayloralso handstitched a message on the painting’s canvas, reading, “Here’s to the next 30 years.”
Christopher Polk/TAS18/Getty Images
reputation Duet
Reuniting for the “Look What You Made Me Do” singer’s Rose Bowl concert in 2018, the longtime besties serenaded the crowd with Selena’s hit “Hands to Myself.”
Christopher Polk/TAS18/Getty Images
Sharing the Stage
They shared a sweet moment onstage.
Selfie Sisters
“I’m grateful for those I surround myself with,” Selena captioned this photo the day after the concert. “And this woman right here happens to be one of my favorites. Love our tradition and I love you.”
Jason Merritt/Getty Images for NARAS
Grammys Dates
The two arrived in style at the 2016 Grammy Awards.
Jason Merritt/Getty Images for NARAS
Hugs!
The BFFs hugged it out on the red carpet.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartRadio / Turner
Power of Three
During the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Awards, the iconic pair posed with “Starlight” singer Serayah.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images for iHeartRadio / Turner
So Many Hugs!
The two embraced during the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartRadio / Turner
iHeartRadio BFFs
The “Bad Liar” singer gave her bestie a tight hug backstage of the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Awards. That night, Taylor won four awards—Female Artist, Tour, Meme-able Moment and Album—and Selena won Triple Threat.
Christopher Polk/TAS/Getty Images for TAS
1989 Tour Fun
The two performed onstage during Swift’s 1989 tour show in Los Angeles on Aug. 26, 2015.
Steve Granitz/WireImage
VMAs Dates
They also hit up the 2015 MTV VMAs.
Girl Group
“Happy birthday my nugget. #girlsnighttothefullest,” wrote the “Wolves” singer on Instagram for Camila Cabello‘s special day.
Birthday Bash
In celebration of Camila ‘s 18th birthday in 2015, the “Havana” singer surrounded herself with famous friends, including the “Delicate” pop star, the “Back to You” singer, Jaime King, Hailee Steinfeld, Sarah Hyland, Joey King, Hayley Williams and the Haim sisters.
Christopher Polk/AMA2014/Getty Images for DCP
More AMAs Love
Selena and Taylor hung out at the 2014 American Music Awards.
Mermaid Style
They know they both got it.
Met Gala Besties
The two hung out at the 2014 Met Gala, as seen in this Instagram video.
Jeff Kravitz/AMA2011/FilmMagic
Back in the Day…
Taylena joined Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry at the 2011 American Music Awards.
Out of the Woods
Are they out of the woods yet? In a funny Instagram post, the besties posed in major greenery and joke about Taylor’s 2016 hit.
Kevin Winter/AMA2011/Getty Images for AMA
Goofy Gals
At the 2011 American Music Awards, the stars had some fun and made their 3D glasses and neon sticks look glamorous.
Christopher Polk/AMA2011
AMAs Love
The singers hung out at the 2011 American Music Awards.
Todd Williamson/WireImage
Cinderella Story
Taylena looked adorable at the premiere of Another Cinderella Story in 2008.
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