Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez: A Timeline of Their On-Off Relationship

Credit: Picture Perfect/Shutterstock

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez: A Timeline of Their On-Off Relationship

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez had their fair share of ups and downs over the years amid an on-and-off romance.

The “Baby” singer and the Only Murders in the Building star were first linked in 2011 after previously claiming their connection was purely platonic. The twosome made their official red carpet debut at the Vanity Fair Oscars party that February, continuing to date on and off for several years.

“I think a lot of my inspiration comes from [Selena],” Bieber told Ryan Seacrest during an April 2015 radio interview. “It was a long relationship that created heartbreak and created happiness and a lot of different emotions that I wanted to write about.”

During one of the pair’s splits in 2015, the Canada native was spotted making out with his now-wife, Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin).

“What if Hailey ends up being the girl I’m gonna marry, right? If I rush into anything, if I damage her, then it’s always gonna be damaged,” Justin admitted to GQ in March 2016. “It’s really hard to fix wounds like that. It’s so hard. … I just don’t want to hurt her.”

Despite getting closer to the model, Justin reconciled with the Disney Channel alum in November 2017 before splitting for good nearly one year later.

“I was, you know, obviously going through a really tough breakup, and then I was left with the question of my career and where am I gonna go and what’s gonna happen?” Gomez told The Hollywood Reporter in a June 2022 interview about navigating their public split. “And then my medical stuff kind of kicked in, but being on the other side of it, I have to be honest, it’s actually been really good for me.”

She added: “[Our breakup] allowed me to develop a character where I don’t tolerate any sort of nonsense or disrespect. It was necessary for me to walk through those things, I had a lot of soul searching to do. By all means, I don’t have life figured out, but I do know that during that time I was learning so much about myself.”

Less than one year after Gomez and the Grammy winner split for good, he married Hailey in September 2018. Despite the “Yummy” singer and the Guess model's wedded bliss, Jelena fans still criticized Hailey for allegedly getting in between the now-exes.

“It’s hard for me to talk about this because I don’t want to talk on either one of their behalf because it was their relationship,” the Rhode founder said during a September 2022 appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. “I honestly respect that very deeply, but I just know what was going on when we got back together. And I know what had to happen for that to come back together in a healthy way, and I think it was the most healthy, mature decision that he could have made and I respect that.”

Gomez, for her part, has since been linked to The Weeknd, Zedd, Niall Horan and Charlie Puth following her split from Justin.

Scroll through to look back on their relationship:

Credit: Shutterstock ; MEGA

December 31, 2009

Justin serenaded his friend and fellow performer Gomez to his hit "One Less Lonely Girl" during Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve at Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Credit: SplashNews.com ; Shutterstock

March 27, 2010

The "Baby" singer posed with pal Gomez backstage at Nickelodeon's 23rd annual Kid's Choice Awards at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. "He's little. He's like my little brother," Gomez told Ellen DeGeneres in March 2011 when asked if she was dating Justin.

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

February 27, 2011

Making their red carpet debut as a couple, Gomez and Justin arrived at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood looking stunning in Dolce & Gabbana.

Credit: Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock

May 22, 2011

The twosome posed together at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas.

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

May 23, 2011

Justin made out with his girlfriend in Maui, Hawaii while enjoying a romantic vacation at the Hyatt Regency Ka'anapali. "I don't think you should have sex with anyone unless you love them . . . I think you should just wait for the person you're . . . in love with," he told Rolling Stone in February 2011.

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

July 13, 2011

Justin and Gomez attended the 2011 ESPY Awards held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

August 7, 2011

The teen stars attended the 2011 Teen Choice Awards in Universal City, Calif. and got playful backstage while posing for photographers. 

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

August 28, 2011

Justin held Gomez tight at the 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. "She makes me laugh and she puts up with my practical jokes," the crooner told New! magazine of Gomez in October 2011. "She has really strong family values as well."

Credit: Courtesy Justin Bieber/Twitter

September 22, 2011

"Brangelina 2.0," Justin tweeted with a photo of him and Gomez sitting on a picnic blanket with six adorable babies. The couple joked they were the next Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who have six children together.

Credit: Chris Pizzello/AP/Shutterstock

November 20, 2011

Justin helped Gomez walk the red carpet in a gorgeous gold gown at the 2011 American Music Awards in Los Angeles. In September 2011, he told Women's Wear Daily, "Well, by 25 or 26, I want to see myself, like, married or start looking for a family."

Credit: Shutterstock ; MEGA

April 17, 2012

The couple shared an intimate smooch while watching the Los Angeles Lakers play the San Antonio Spurs at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. "I make sure to do the little things," Justin told Rolling Stone in July 2012 about how he's a romantic. "Like noticing when they get their hair done, or when they change their nail color. Also saying things all the time -- like, 'You're very pretty,' 'You're gorgeous,' things like that."

Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

July 22, 2012

The "Boyfriend" and "Who Says" singers got cozy at the 2012 Teen Choice Awards in Universal City, Calif. In an interview for the September 2012 issue of Teen Vogue, Gomez said, "Marriage and all that other stuff I think will happen once I feel accomplished in every other aspect of my life." The couple split in November 2012.

Credit: Courtesy Justin Bieber/Instagram

April 26, 2013

Seemingly confirming they had gotten back together, the "Peaches" artist posted a photo to his Instagram account in which he sits shirtless as Gomez snuggles up behind him. "'You've been makin music for too long babe come cuddle' – her," Justin captioned the black-and-white shot.

Credit: Courtesy Justin Bieber/Instagram

July 5, 2013

Justin posted a photo with Gomez to his Instagram account after celebrating the Fourth of July with her. He captioned the photo: “#Heartbreaker,” which was the title of his just-released single at the time. An insider confirmed too that the duo were "in a great mood" while celebrating the holiday together. "They arrived holding hands," the insider revealed.

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

April 13, 2014

The duo were spotted getting cozy at Coachella, where Justin was a performer. Before he took the stage, the pair held hands while walking through an all-access area where "they both had on sunglasses and had their heads down like they didn't want to be noticed," an eyewitness told Us at the time. "Justin took the lead and was escorting Selena through the all-access area."

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

June 18, 2014

The pair attended bible study together, where they were openly affectionate, sources told Us at the time. "They were very lovey-dovey and cute," said one source, adding that they "sat next to each other” and were "smitten with each other."

Credit: The Mega Agency ; Shutterstock

November 20, 2015

Although they had reportedly parted ways once again, the singers had a night out in Beverly Hills during which Justin serenaded Gomez with a performance of “My Girl” at a piano in the bar of the Montage Beverly Hills hotel.

Credit: Courtesy Justin Bieber/Instagram

March 23, 2016

Gomez attended the Los Angeles show of her then-beau's Purpose tour. Just four days earlier, Justin sent a not-so-subtle message to his former girlfriend in the form of a throwback photograph of them kissing, with the caption "Feels."

Credit: The Mega Agency ; Shutterstock

August 15, 2016

After a war of words with Gomez over his relationship with Sofia Richie, Justin deleted his Instagram account. He warned his followers at the time that he would make his Instagram page private if haters didn’t stop bad-mouthing his new girlfriend.

Gomez chimed in: "If you can’t handle the hate then stop posting pictures of your girlfriend lol – it should be special between you two only. Don’t be mad at your fans. They love you.” Things quickly turned ugly as Justin spat: “It's funny to see people that used me for attention and still trying to point the finger this way. Sad. All love. I'm not one for anyone receiving hate,” to which Gomez hit back: "Funny how the ones that cheated multiple times, are pointing the finger at the ones that were forgiving and supportive, no wonder fans are mad. Sad. All love."

Credit: INSTAR Images

November 1, 2017

After her split from The Weeknd, her boyfriend of 10 months, Gomez was seen bike-riding with Justin in Los Angeles. The outing was one of many for the exes in just a week, as they ate breakfast and went to church together days prior.

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

November 15, 2017

Justin and Gomez kissed at his hockey game in Los Angeles, marking the first time they were spotted showing PDA since reigniting their romance. “Selena and Justin are back together,” a source told Us earlier in the month. “Selena and The Weeknd just fizzled and ended amicably — it wasn’t dramatic and it wasn’t about Justin. But Selena always had feelings for Justin.”

Credit: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock

February 14, 2018

The pair enjoyed a romantic night out for Valentine’s Day — and it was totally filled with PDA. The couple attended a church service together then headed the Montage Beverly Hills hotel for dinner, where they were spotted kissing during their meal. 

Credit: SplashNews.com

February 19, 2018

Gomez joined Justin as his date for his dad Jeremy Bieber’s wedding in Jamaica. A source told Us Weekly that the pair were “very sweet” with each other during the celebration. “They were having a great time, it was very relaxed,” the source told Us. “The guests along with Justin and Selena enjoyed the entire day. They were very sweet, very affectionate.”

Credit: Courtesy of Selena Gomez/Instagram

March 1, 2018

Gomez made her latest reunion with the musician Instagram official by wishing her “super cool” boyfriend a happy 24th birthday with a sweet post. “March 1, 1994 someone I know that happens to be super cool was born,” the actress captioned a photo of herself laying down with a Polaroid picture on her forehead. “Boom.” 

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

March 21, 2018

After rekindling their romance, Justinand Gomez decided to put their relationship on pause. A source confirmed to Us on March 11 that the duo were on a “break” and revealed the decision had something to do with Gomez’s family: “Selena has tried to convince her family that Justin has changed … but her family just isn’t budging right now.” On March 21, he stepped out with model Baskin Champion, whose sister Abby Champion is dating Justin’s BFF Patrick Schwarzenegger. Gomez, meanwhile, headed to Australia post-split and showed off her bikini bod.

Credit: Shutterstock ; SplashNews.com

May 9, 2018

In March 2018, the pair decide to take a break. Two months later, Gomez called it quits. “Selena started seeing the bigger picture when it came to their relationship,” a source exclusively told Us, noting that the songstress “chose happiness” over her relationship with Justin, which “no one really supported.”

In the weeks that followed, the Drew House founder moved on with Hailey.

Credit: Shutterstock ; SplashNews.com

March 26, 2019

Justin addressed a fan's claims that he only married wife Hailey Baldwin to spite Gomez, and in doing so, shared his adoration for the Wizards of Waverly Place alum. “Why would I dedicate my whole life to someone in marriage to get back at my ex,” he responded to a troll in a screenshot shared on his Instagram Stories. “I absolutely loved and love Selena she will always hold a place in my heart. But I am head over heals [sic] in love with my wife and she is absolutely the BEST THING that has ever happened to me period.”

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

October 23, 2019

Gomez and Justin’s retired romance made headlines once again when Gomez dropped a new single, “Lose You to Love Me.” The song’s lyrics had fans speculating that the former Disney star was shading her ex. “Set fire to my purpose and I let it burn,” she sang on the track, seemingly in reference to Justin’s 2015 album, Purpose. She hinted at their failed relationship again with the lyrics: “In two months, you replaced us / Like it was easy.”

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

November 2022

In her documentary, My Mind & Me, Gomez addressed her high-profile split from the "Peaches" singer following the musician's wedding to Hailey.

“I feel haunted by a past relationship that no one wanted to let go of, but then I just moved past it. And I wasn’t afraid anymore,” the Rare Beauty founder explained during a scene from the film that was shot in 2019. “I feel like I had to go through the worst possible heartbreak ever, and then, just forgetting everything at the drop of a hand, it was really confusing. But I just think that needed to happen. And ultimately, it was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Credit: Shutterstock (3)

March 2023

Amid Gomez's drama with Hailey — the Only Murders in the Building star defended Taylor Swift in the comments section of a February 2023 TikTok that showed a throwback clip of the model gagging at the mention of Swift's name — the "Stay" singer seemingly threw shade at his ex, according to fan theories.

In celebration of his 29th birthday in March 2023, Justin handed out lighters at his party that were engraved with the quote, “I’m so thankful that I didn’t end up with what I thought I wanted." Some fans interpreted the message to be a dig at Gomez.

A source exclusively told Us at the time that Justin had Hailey's back amid the scandal. "He knows how happy Hailey felt after she and Selena made amends and thought they had put this all behind them," the source said. "She's been leaning on Justin and knows he has her back no matter what. Their marriage is stronger than ever and it's challenging times like this that only strengthen their bond."