In the Dark (Selena Gomez song)

Last updated

"In the Dark"
Selena Gomez - In the Dark.png
Single by Selena Gomez
from the album Nobody Wants This (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series)
ReleasedNovember 5, 2025 (2025-11-05)
Genre Dance
Length3:05
Label SMG Music LLC
Songwriters
Producers
Selena Gomez singles chronology
"Sunset Blvd"
(2025)
"In the Dark"
(2025)
Music video
"In the Dark" on YouTube

"In the Dark" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Selena Gomez. It was released along with an accompanying music video on November 5, 2025 through SMG Music. The song coincided with the premiere of the second season of the Netflix series Nobody Wants This , in which Gomez appeared. While tied to the series' release, the song was not written specifically for it. Instead, the track is believed to have originated from an unreleased project from the 2010s. It will be sent to Italian radio on November 14, 2025.

Contents

"In the Dark" is an upbeat dance song exploring themes of devotion and emotional vulnerability. Its music video, directed by Luke Orlando, features minimalist visuals and retro-inspired imagery reminiscent of Gomez's Revival era.

Background

In November 2025, Gomez released the single "In the Dark" alongside its music video to accompany the second season the Netflix series Nobody Wants This . [1] Although initially associated with Nobody Wants This, "In the Dark" was not written for the show. Fans speculated that it originated from a scrapped 2010s album they referred to as Seven Heavens, which eventually evolved into her 2020 album Rare . [2] Ahead of the release, Gomez shared behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot, saying, "I'm not sure if anyone has heard of this really cool, popular show, Nobody Wants This, on Netflix. I'm shooting a music video for my little part. I'm proud and happy, and we're bringing a vibe." In the clip, she is seen filming inside a photo studio, posing in multiple outfits and in front of colorful backdrops as a high-tech camera follows her. "We're making it really fun, edgy, and cool, which is what I envision the song to feel like", she added, calling it "probably the shortest video I've ever done." [3]

Series creator and executive producer Craig Foster told Rolling Stone that "In the Dark" captured "the universal feeling of fighting for your relationship even when everything feels uncertain", and explained that the song underscored a pivotal scene in the season finale. Simon Tikhman, CEO and co-founder of the Core Entertainment, added that Gomez had planned to release the track earlier but decided to reserve it for the series because of its personal significance. [3] Following its release, Gomez posted a snippet of the track on Instagram with the caption, "'In The Dark' is out now. This is just a little nostalgia droplet and I hope you love it. 🖤". [4] On her Instagram Stories, she shared several screenshots from the music video, [5] noting that she "thought it would be fun to add a little Revival to it", referencing her 2015 album of the same name. [1]

Composition

"In the Dark" is an upbeat dance song, [6] exploring themes of devotion and emotional vulnerability. It was released alongside a music video featuring a subdued, atmospheric visual concept. [2] "In the Dark" opens the final episode of the season and incorporates elements reminiscent of early 2010s electronic pop, drawing comparisons to the darker, synth-driven sound that characterized much of that era's mainstream music. [6]

Music video

Gomez in a scene from the "In the Dark" music video, which later circulated online following its release. Selena Gomez - In the Dark (Music Video).png
Gomez in a scene from the "In the Dark" music video, which later circulated online following its release.

The music video for "In the Dark," directed by Luke Orlando, features Gomez performing in a series of minimalist and atmospheric settings. [1] It opens with the singer wearing a black leotard while sitting on a white chaise, before transitioning to darker scenes that show her in a two-piece outfit and a glossy leather jacket surrounded by smoke. [7] Throughout the visual, Gomez performs the lyrics, "I'll be there when you lose yourself / To remind you of who you are / And I'll be there like nobody else / You're so beautiful in the dark". [1] It also incorporates retro-inspired imagery and subdued lighting to match the song's themes of devotion and self-acceptance. Following its release, viewers noted stylistic similarities to Gomez's Revival-era visuals. [7]

After the video's release, Canadian singer Grimes publicly defended Gomez after a series of stills from the video went viral and sparked online criticism of Gomez's appearance. Grimes described the comments as "high school level bullying", calling the viral images "misrepresentative" and stating that Gomez "looks extremely beautiful" in the full video. [8] [9]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "In the Dark"
Chart (2025)Peak
position
Croatia International Airplay (Top lista) [10] 93
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [11] 36

Release history

Release dates and formats for "In the Dark"
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
VariousNovember 5, 2025
[12]
ItalyNovember 14, 2025 Radio airplay EMI [13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Avila, Daniela (October 23, 2025). "Selena Gomez Pays Tribute to Revival Era with 'In the Dark' Music Video for Nobody Wants This Season 2 — Watch!". People . Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Bailey, Alyssa (October 24, 2025). "Selena Gomez's 'In the Dark' Lyrics Capture What Unconditional Love Really Means". Elle . Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Mier, Tomás (October 29, 2025). "Selena Gomez Gives Us a 'Fun, Edgy' Look at Her Video for 'Nobody Wants This' Season Two Song" . Rolling Stone . Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  4. Magliola, Anna Sky (October 23, 2025). "Selena Gomez releases 'In The Dark' from the Nobody Wants This soundtrack". Rayo . Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  5. Lutkin, Aimeé (October 18, 2025). "Selena Gomez Shares Sultry Leather Look From Set of New Music Video". Elle . Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  6. 1 2 P. Frank, Jason (October 23, 2025). "Nobody Wants This Put Selena Gomez in the Scene". Vulture . Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  7. 1 2 Madarang, Charisma (October 23, 2025). "Selena Gomez Brings Eighties Luxe and Love to 'In the Dark' Video" . Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on October 23, 2025. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  8. Cara Lynn Shultz (October 29, 2025). "Grimes Slams 'High School Bullying' of Selena Gomez on X, Calls for Suspension of Body Shaming Accounts". People . Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  9. Evans, Olivia (October 27, 2025). "Grimes Defends Selena Gomez Against "Disturbing" Online Comments About Her Appearance". E! . Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  10. "Airplay Radio Chart Top100 – 3.studenoga. 2025" [Airplay Radio Chart Top100 – 3 November 2025] (in Croatian). Top lista. November 3, 2025. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  11. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. October 31, 2025. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  12. "In the Dark". Spotify . March 14, 2025. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  13. Vitali, Giacomo (November 10, 2025). "Selena Gomez - In the Dark (Radio Date: 14-11-2025)" (Press release) (in Italian). EarOne. Retrieved November 11, 2025.