Selena Gomez says vaping changed her voice

The key facts

Selena Gomez, 34, said nicotine vaping changed her voice
She said she recently quit nicotine and hopes to stay off it
The singer previously attributed voice changes to lupus; some fans criticize her for nicotine use after her kidney transplant

Instagram confession

Actress and singer Selena Gomez has said that consuming nicotine via vaping changed the sound of her voice. In a video posted on Sunday on Instagram, the 34-year-old star of Only Murders in the Building said: 'I can't change my voice. I vaped a lot of nicotine.' According to her, nicotine is very hard to quit, and she wanted to warn others: 'If you're going through this or even thinking about trying a vape — it's just not worth it. It's so silly, and it changed my voice.' She added with a laugh that if listeners don't like her voice, 'that's totally understandable.'

Quitting nicotine

Gomez noted that she recently weaned herself off nicotine: 'I'm so glad because I quit, and I'm just hoping I can hold on. It's really hard, but I know if you're going through something like this, you can get through it too. It sucks.'

Lupus and voice

Gomez has been diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disease — lupus. She previously linked voice changes to the condition: in December, answering questions on Instagram, she said her 'throat sometimes swells from the inside.' Lupus flare-ups can cause inflammation around the larynx, making the voice hoarse and strained — similar to cold symptoms. The singer's voice has also deepened with age, which is not unusual, though some fans post YouTube compilations of the evolution of her speaking style.

Fan reaction

After the confession, some social media users criticized the singer for using nicotine given the possible impact on her kidneys: 'Francia really gave this girl her kidney and she kept smoking... wow,' one user wrote. Another added that 'having someone generous enough to donate a kidney and then getting yourself addicted to nicotine is absolutely wild.' However, most fans supported the star for being open about her addiction: 'Selena Gomez's honesty about nicotine addiction is a reminder that some habits are harder to quit than people think,' user MaxB wrote on X.

Health context

Gomez first spoke about her lupus diagnosis in a Billboard interview in 2015, after cutting short a tour and entering rehab in 2013. 'I was diagnosed with lupus, and I went through chemotherapy. I could have had a stroke,' she said at the time. In 2017, the singer underwent a kidney transplant from her friend Francia Raisa, which put the disease into remission for a time, although in the 2022 documentary 'Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me' she reported a flare-up in 2020.

About vaping

According to the BBC, data on some side effects of vaping is becoming clearer, although long-term consequences remain unknown. A recent report by doctors linked vaping with breathing problems, coughing, dental issues, poor sleep, mental health problems and even eye symptoms. The NHS notes that vaping is not harmless — nicotine is highly addictive, so children and non-smokers should not start — but it has proven effective as a way to quit smoking. Last month, singer Lola Young also said that because of vaping her 'breathing feels like hard work.'