Bye, bestie? Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber unfollow each other amid Justin Bieber chaos

Things just got very spicy in the pop culture universe. Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber have unfollowed each other on Instagram, and fans are convinced that the drama triangle involving Justin Bieber is heating up again. On June 19, pop culture account @BuzzingPop reported the social media fallout, and within hours, the internet was ablaze with speculation. This move comes after a long and complicated history between the two women, one that’s been defined by the internet's analysis skills and a whole lot of Bieber baggage.

And now, everyone’s asking the same question: who unfollowed whom first? Who’s the one with a grudge? These are the kind of questions that only two people can answer. 

Let’s rewind for a second. Selena Gomez was in an on-again-off-again relationship with Justin Bieber for nearly eight years between 2010 and 2018. When they finally split for good in 2018, Bieber was quick to move on. Within a matter of months, he began dating Hailey Baldwin (now Bieber), and the two tied the knot later that year. The timing of it sparked a massive fan speculation, igniting a fandom war that’s never truly died down.

That said, things weren't always this bad. Back in October 2022, the two posed together for a photo at the Academy Museum Gala, which broke the internet. But cracks began to appear in 2023, when a TikTok creator named Courtney alleged that Hailey Bieber had engaged with one of their past videos—a clip in which they admitted to being “a little shady" about Gomez and her fiancé, Benny Blanco. The internet accused Hailey Bieber was throwing shade at Gomez, which the former denied. Bieber's representative cleared the air by saying, “This never happened. This entire story has been fabricated by a content creator looking to capitalise off of an old, tired narrative." Sense prevailed on both sides as Gomez came out to defend Bieber, urging her fans to stop the hate, post which both of them started following each other on Instagram. Bieber even liked Gomez’s engagement announcement post with music producer Benny Blanco in December 2023.

It seemed—for a moment—that everyone had moved on. But it's clearly not the case.

The mutual unfollow this week marks a serious shift, and it comes as rumours swirl around Justin and Hailey Bieber’s marriage. Some online chatter suggests the Biebers may be heading for a split—rumours Hailey Bieber has firmly denied. Still, her cryptic posts and Justin Bieber’s recent solo appearances have done little to silence the noise.

For fans, the unfollow is more than a digital gesture—it’s a red flag. Did something happen behind the scenes? Is Justin Bieber at the centre of yet another falling out? Or is this simply the final chapter in a years-long saga?

Whatever the reason, one thing’s clear: the fragile peace between Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber has shattered. And with the internet watching, the next move might be the most dramatic yet.

All images: Getty Images

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