When Lizeth Selene made the move from her small beach town to Mexico City, it changed the trajectory of her life. The singer, actress and burgeoning fashion icon has become one of the country’s biggest “it girls,” nabbing a YSL Beauty campaign alongside the likes of Hailey Bieber, Bianca Jagger and Precious Lee.

Much of Selene’s creativity is tied to what she wants to represent in the world and across media. As a woman with dark hair, indigenous features and brown skin, she’s made it possible for more women to see themselves in beauty campaigns and television shows. “It’s because I have a face that represents us in Latin America,” she tells PAPER. “The skin color, the tattoos, an image we weren’t used to seeing in the media. It’s really beautiful that there’s representation that looks like you.”

Her role in the show Rebelde as a young queer woman was a turning point for her acting career. “I think what happened with the character of Andi was magical,” she says. “I had no acting experience, so I just tried to make her as true to myself as possible but with her own features. We had a lot in common — like being into girls, being rebellious, tough. A lot of women followed the character, and it’s really nice to see how she inspired them to be freer, to be themselves.”

Now, recording as Selene, she’s poised to connect globally as a songwriter. “The songs I write are like an open heart,” she says. “It’s like I’m giving you permission to enter my soul and see everything that’s going on inside me. But now that I’ve reconnected with that part of myself, I realize it still scares me, but maybe a lot of people will relate to it.”

Below, Lizeth Selene talks to PAPER about early crushes, being “shipped” with Billie Eilish, creating vulnerable art and what she wants to share with the world next.

How are you?

I’m good, calm.

Are you happy?

Yeah, mostly just peaceful. There are birds singing at my window.

For those who don’t know you, who is Selene?

I’d say Selene is the most vulnerable part of me. I always try to pour all my emotions into my projects, let myself get carried away by how I’m feeling, and it feels like my soul stays in it because I’m being completely open, sharing a piece of my heart. I think Selene really loves to connect, whether it’s through a character or a song. I want people to identify with it.

Right, you put yourself in a vulnerable spot, which must be tough, especially for someone like you who’s really sensitive.

Yeah, I’m like a channel for emotions. I think it’s fun. I love it when people feel what I’m feeling and react to it. With fashion, for example, I have so much fun. I like expressing myself through clothes. I dress depending on how I feel, what I want to say. Overall, I love expressing myself.

Yes, because you act, sing and started modeling in Mexico City. What’s been your favorite part of starting your career from scratch on your own?

The experiences, definitely. At the beginning, I had a tough time. It was hard, but I’m grateful for all the good and bad experiences because they gave me the perspective to find my place.

Would you say you’re someone who’s always searching for things, looking for opportunities?

Yeah, I think it’s about searching, not settling for the first opportunity that comes your way. It’s important to feel comfortable and confident with the decisions you make. I’m very much about feeling things out, so I just keep looking for opportunities until I find the one where I feel comfortable being Selene.

You’ve gained a lot of experience, both professionally and personally, thanks to that drive to find opportunities. You’ve carved your own path, and now you’re the face of YSL Beauty alongside big global pop culture icons like Dua Lipa and Hailey Bieber.

I started modeling six years ago, and this moment didn’t happen by accident or by luck. It’s all been hard work and the universe rewards you for it. I’ve been working nonstop since I started, constantly searching for opportunities and for the right place where I can be Selene.

And how do you feel about that?

Honestly, I still can’t believe it. It feels like a dream.

Talking about searching for spaces and opportunities, has it ever scared you to say no to things?

Definitely, but I think knowing yourself helps you make those decisions. Sometimes, even if it hurts or doesn’t seem like the best move, I have to stay true to myself and say no. It’s happened in a lot of castings where I don’t feel connected to the character, or if the message isn’t right — even if they’re big productions — but I’d rather say no if I don’t think it represents who I am or what I stand for. Saying no is hard, but I know myself and I know what I want.

It takes guts to say no.

It takes a lot of guts.

At the end of the day, you’re very true to yourself and your style, which is why you’re considered one of Mexico’s it-girls. You really bring something unique to the scene.

I’ve felt lost at times too, but I think the key is always coming back to yourself. I give myself days to just be with me, to reconnect. This industry is dangerous and it’s easy to lose yourself. Growing up, I admired so many celebrities and I liked connecting with the real, human side of them, not just the image. Today, I really enjoy hearing from people who identify with me. I get messages saying, “Today someone told me I look like you.” It’s because I have a face that represents us in Latin America — the skin color, the tattoos, an image we weren’t used to seeing in the media. It’s really beautiful that there’s representation that looks like you.

Yeah, it’s so important for people to identify with you, to look at you and think, Wow, there’s someone like me there, I can do this too. That’s what happened with you in Rebelde. People in Latin America saw themselves in you, and with a platform that big, you really blew up.

Yeah, I think what happened with the character of Andi was magical. I had no acting experience, so I just tried to make her as true to myself as possible but with her own features. We had a lot in common — like being into girls, being rebellious, tough. A lot of women followed the character, and it’s really nice to see how she inspired them to be freer, to be themselves.

Do you feel like you’re a figure for the Lesbian community?

I don’t know if I’m a figure, but I feel like the character helped a lot of teens realize it’s okay to like women. And I, as Selene, really identified with that, and I keep sending the message that we’re all the same. We can be who we want to be, and love who we want to love.

How did you discover that about yourself?

Growing up, I would look at girls and think, She’s pretty, but I didn’t think much of it. As I got older and learned more, I decided at 16 to experiment, to see if what I felt was what I thought it was. I feel free, I don’t question things much, I just went for it. That’s when I realized I could love whoever I want. It’s so beautiful to know that and I’m happy.

That’s such a powerful message. It may sound selfish, but I think it’s so important to prioritize yourself.

Yeah, I don’t think it’s selfish. You have to prioritize yourself. When you’re ok with you, everything else falls into place.

Who was your celebrity crush growing up?

Justin Bieber.

And girls?

And as for girls, it was Danna [laughs]. But now we’re friends.

Online, the internet has “shipped” you with a few other girls, like Billie Eilish.

Yeah, the internet is fun. Fans love to create relationships between queer people or women they think have something in common. With Billie, it was a bit different. Fans saw us liking each other’s posts, and once she shared a video of me dancing to one of her songs and they ran with it. We’re actually internet friends. We don’t talk much, but she’s one of my favorite artists, and I admire and respect her a lot.

Back to finding yourself and expressing who you are, how did you find your voice in fashion?

I grew up seeing people who didn’t look like me on TV, in ads and in the media. Being part of that world was something I always wanted, so when I moved to Mexico City, I decided to take the leap. Around that time, there was a strong movement in the Mexican fashion industry that grew alongside BLM. In most productions, I was the only Brown-skinned model, surrounded by white models. There were 10 foreign models, and just me — but that didn’t matter. I was the change, I was the shift. And that’s how it went — claiming spaces and making your own place in the industry.

Yeah, thankfully, the industry has changed a lot in recent years.

It feels great to be representing Mexico abroad. Last year, I got to go to Milan for Ferragamo’s show as a guest, and in September, we were at NY Fashion Week. I attended a couple of shows from emerging designers, like Kim Shui, Bad Binch Tongtong and Willy Chavarria — ¡Viva Mexico!

You should definitely work with Willy.

I’d love to. I started as a model in the independent scene in Mexico, and emerging projects will always have a special place in my heart because I know what it’s like to come from zero. Plus, he’s a genius.

How’s music going for you?

I really love writing, and I’ve been doing it for a while now, but I used to be scared. Like I said, Selene is the most vulnerable side of me, and the songs I write are like an open heart. It’s like I’m giving you permission to enter my soul and see everything that’s going on inside me. But now that I’ve reconnected with that part of myself, I realize it still scares me, but maybe a lot of people will relate to it. I’ve been writing in my room, playing with sounds and rediscovering that connection. I’m hoping to drop some new music early next year.

I can see you’re excited.

Yeah, I’m super excited. I had a bit of a falling out with music, not with the music itself, but with the environment. But I realized I can make my own music and just put it out there for whoever is meant to hear it. I just want to express myself. For example, when I’m sad, I’ll play the exact song I know will make me feel exactly how I want to feel. Music helps you get even sadder or happier, depending on what you need. That’s what I love about it, pushing my emotions to the limit.

What would you say is the biggest difference between Selene five years ago and Selene today?

I think there’s been a lot of growth, not just professionally but personally too. I feel like before I was in a more vulnerable place in every sense — constantly searching for opportunities — and now, I’m way more confident in who I am, in my career, and I’ve got my feet firmly planted on the ground.

I think it’s the result of your adventurous spirit, even in love and just living through experiences.

Yeah, I throw myself into everything, experiment and even if I end up feeling sad in love, it’s okay. Sometimes we just go through short experiences, and that’s fine.

Photography: Joaquin Castillo
Styling: César Alvarez
Makeup: Christyna Kay
Hair: Sol Rodríguez
Nails: Viviane Lee Hsu
Retouching: Victor Trani
Styling assistant: Saint Varsity