By Staff Reporter (media@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Sep 17, 2015 06:54 AM EDT

In the latest issue of Elle magazine, Selena Gomez said that she is taking control of her life but admits that she still hangs out with ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber.

Gomez is gearing up to relaunch her career - a move marked by success with a comeback sultry song, titled "Good For You." Now, the young Latina singer graces the cover of Elle magazine for their October issue. 

The 23-year-old smolders on the front cover with her hair slicked back. She is pictured wearing a faux leather top. The caption for the singer read, "Selena: On the Pressure to be Perfect and What Her Heart Wants Now." Apart from the magazine cover, the songstress is also working hard on her newest album, "Revival."

In past interviews, Gomez admitted that most of the songs in her new album were about her journey through heartbreaks and life. These included her past relationship with Bieber. In the interview, Gomez emphasized that this time she wants to call her own shots and take control of her own life. 

"I wanted to be my own person. I wanted to test myself. I wanted to see if I could really do it," Gomez said. 

One of Gomez's closest friends, Taylor Swift, has also shown her support for the "The Heart Wants What It Wants" singer. 

"Observing Selena take ownership of her life and her creative decisions in a new way has been a really beautiful thing to watch," Swift said. She added, "It isn't easy for her to put herself out there, knowing that a lot of the media will try and twist her lyrics into a headline about her ex-boyfriend. She doesn't care anymore. Now she knows that good music rises above and outlasts the weekly cycle of ridiculous headlines."

When she talked about Bieber, however, Gomez confessed that she and her famous ex-boyfriend are "genuinely" friends.

In an article by US magazine, Gomez said that she acknowledges the fact that they grew up together and admits that she respects Bieber, adding that she feels he respects her too. In one occasion, the two were spotted together in a video with friends and were also seen at a hotel in Beverly Hills. 

Gomez and Bieber had a much publicized relationship starting in 2011 until they officially broke up in 2014. When asked if she thinks they could get back together, the singer responded laughing and said, "I don't know!"