Although Selena Gomez is known for upbeat dance-pop hits like “Come & Get It” and “Love You Like a Love Song,” the 22-year-old slowed down the tempo of the 2014 American Music Awards with her personal new single “The Heart Wants What It Wants.” The performance was part of a star-packed ceremony on Sunday night (Nov. 23) from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles.
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For the live debut of her new single, Gomez started out in total darkness, as images of storm clouds and barbed wire against skin served as a backdrop to the heartfelt performance. Gomez appeared to be on the verge of tears as she intoned, “The bed’s getting cold, and you’re not here,” and declared that there were “no happy endings” while bestowing the 2014 AMAs with one of its few performances without any backing dancers or bright lights.
“More than anything, I’m just excited that people everywhere, who are feeling what I feel and feel that will get to see that,” Gomez declared in an Instagram teaser prior to the performance. “And I just want people to be able to relate to that.”
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“The Heart Wants What It Wants” comes from Gomez’s greatest hits compilation For You, due out on Nov. 24. The song debuted at No. 25 on the Hot 100 chart earlier this month, and comes in at No. 26 on the current tally.
Watch the official music video for “The Heart Wants What It Wants,” which has 37.7 million views on YouTube: