Who Is Selena Gomez's Best Friend, Raquelle Stevens?

"My Mind & Me" put a spotlight on the struggles Selena Gomez's inordinate fame invited into her life. Spanning six years, the documentary covered Gomez's experiences with mental health, body image, and the physical side effects of her Lupus diagnosis (via Billboard). 

Since its November 2022 release, social media has lauded Gomez for responsibly using her platform to initiate conversations about mental health and other serious issues. However, many internet users also fixated on Gomez's relationship with her friend Raquelle Stevens, whose disposition didn't go over well with some viewers. Simply put, some fans felt that Stevens wasn't supportive enough of Gomez. "Just because Raquelle has been through everything with Selena, it doesn't take away that she can be so toxic, dismissive, controlling, and passive-aggressive towards Selena," tweeted one fan. "Also, Raquelle is getting on my last d*** nerve. Can you be supportive towards your 'best friend,' please? She's so insensitive to Selena's situation, & is so rude. Honestly, I hope this was a bad representation of her bc it doesn't seem like she's a good influence," tweeted another.

Roughly one month later, Gomez featured Stevens in a TikTok skit where she jokingly told Stevens to get out of the video, suggesting that they're aware of the internet's opinions about their friendship. And while it's clear that Gomez knows Stevens way better than the general public, there's still plenty more that we can learn about her.

While Selena Gomez has high-profile friendships with Jennifer Aniston and Taylor Swift, she's also kept a trio of regular friends close to her heart, who, in addition to Raquelle Stevens, includes Ashley Cook and Courtney Lopez. While it's difficult to pinpoint where Gomez and Stevens first crossed paths, it appears that the women have known each other since they were young adults. Stevens referenced their long-lasting bond on Gomez's 30th birthday. "Decade of life together, so grateful! Happy 30th, Selly. We love you so much," she captioned the Instagram post.

In August 2022, Gomez appeared with Cook on Steven's "Giving Back Generation" podcast and dished about what makes their friendship special. "I just needed people in my life that were going to look at me and unconditionally say, 'Hey, you may not have made the right choice, but we love you, and we don't think any less of you. We don't think you're a bad person," shared Gomez (via Elle). "'We just care, and this is kind of where you are.' And that has been the biggest gift of my friendship from you, including Courtney [Lopez], who's one of our best friends." And while that level of honesty and transparency likely did help cement their friendship, their frequent social engagements — such as the 2019 birthday party Gomez threw for Stevens, per E! — probably hasn't hurt.

Selena Gomez's hardcore fans were familiar with Raquelle Stevens before the premiere of "My Mind & Me." The 30-year-old frequently appeared on Gomez's HBO Max show, "Selena + Chef." Around the premiere date, Raquelle promoted the cooking show (along with her involvement) via her Instagram. "All 10 episodes of 'Selena + Chef' Season 4 are out now. We had so much fun! Will always be grateful for these memories. Thanks to all of the amazing chefs and the best team ever," wrote Stevens.

In addition to Steven's aforementioned podcast, she's also an up-and-coming author. Stevens' debut book, "The Sunshine Mind," which she co-wrote with Tanya Rad, is slated for a January 2023 release. "I am so excited to announce I have a book coming out with my amazing friend @tanyarad!!" she posted. "This past year, we have put so much love and thought into our writing, and I'm so grateful to see it all come to life. We hope The Sunshine Mind becomes a best friend for you."

According to the book's website, Gomez authored the foreword.