Who Says

Selena Gomez & the Scene stepped away from their usual high-energy dance beats in early 2011 to release a track that felt more personal and raw. Who Says arrived as the lead single from their third studio album, When the Sun Goes Down, bringing an acoustic texture that surprised fans accustomed to club-ready pop. Priscilla Renea penned the lyrics alongside Emanuel Kiriakou, who handled production duties with a focus on organic instrumentation rather than synthetic synths.

Gomez has stated she wrote the song to push back against cyberbullying and haters, aiming to inspire listeners to embrace their own uniqueness despite outside criticism. Critics responded warmly to this shift in direction, praising the honest message and the band's willingness to explore a softer sound. Commercially, the track performed well, climbing into the top thirty in the US, Canada, and New Zealand while securing Platinum certification from the RIAA.

The accompanying music video captured Gomez walking through city streets without makeup and performing with her band on a beach, reinforcing the song's themes of authenticity and self-acceptance. It also topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart for the third time, marking a unique crossover success for the group. [edit]