Pop star Justin Bieber appears to have thrown subtle shade at his ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez, and her fiancé, Benny Blanco.
On April 2, 2025, the Love Yourself singer took to his Instagram Story to share a series of meme images and videos. However, one particular clip quickly grabbed attention for all the wrong reasons, with fans speculating that it was a dig at Selena’s recent engagement.
In the now-viral clip, Justin shared a scene from The Lord Of The Rings franchise featuring the iconic character Gollum clutching ‘The One Ring’ in his hands, a symbol of obsession in the film.
While the video itself didn’t explicitly reference anyone, the caption spoke volumes. Bieber wrote,
“Girls on social media when they get engaged”.
Selena Gomez Seemingly Takes Aim At Justin Bieber In New Music
Just days before Justin’s cryptic Instagram post, Selena released her latest album, I Said I Love You First, on March 22, 2025, in collaboration with her fiancé.
One track in particular, How Does It Feel to Be Forgotten, has fueled speculation that Gomez took a jab at her ex. Fans pointed to the following lyrics,
“You’re so embarrassing / Go cry when no one’s watching’ / I can’t imagine it / How does it feel to be forgotten (Ah), forgotten?”
Moreover, another song from the album, Don’t Wanna Cry, is also believed to reference Selena and Justin’s turbulent past, specifically their final breakup in 2018.
The lyrics seemingly allude to Justin moving on with Hailey Bieber less than two months after splitting from the songstress,
“Left the door wide open for the whole wide world to see you / Then you kiss her right in front of me like I’m not even there / I should cause a scene for s–t you’ve done to me”.
Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez had an on-again, off-again relationship for nearly a decade, dating from 2010 to 2018 before officially parting ways.
Since then, Justin married Hailey in September 2018, and the couple welcomed their first child, a son, in August 2024.
Meanwhile, the Wizards Of Waverly Place alum announced her engagement on Instagram. Sharing a carousel of tender moments, the centerpiece was undoubtedly her stunning oval-shaped diamond engagement ring.
Keeping the caption simple yet deeply meaningful, the songstress wrote,
“forever begins now..”
Netizens Convinced Justin’s Latest Post Is A Dig At Gomez
Fans wasted no time dissecting Justin’s latest Instagram post, with many speculating that while the Yummy singer didn’t name Selena outright, the timing and context made it clear who the post was about. Social media quickly buzzed with theories with comments that read,
“This is the first time I’ve seen a post of his and thought ‘oh that actually could be about Selena’. Normally I assume it’s fans reaching but this feels pointed…”
“Maybe between [the engagement] and the album, the reality of her being happy and getting married is hitting him hard”.
“This time it seems a bit targeted. It just feels strange since reposting these things will only cause more hate towards him”.
“Nah the ring one HAS to be about selena😭”
Whether intentional or not, Justin Bieber’s post has reignited conversations about his past with Selena Gomez. With both stars moving forward in their lives, the timing of his cryptic message continues to raise eyebrows.