Hailey Bieber just reignited the internet’s favorite feud… without even naming names.
It all started earlier this month when WSJ Magazine published Hailey’s interview about her beauty brand, Rhode. During the chat, she was asked about competition in the industry and gave a now-viral answer: “I don’t feel competitive with people that I’m not inspired by.”
Fans immediately took that as a subtle dig at Selena Gomez, whose own brand, Rare Beauty, is often compared to Rhode for its similar minimalist aesthetic and glowy, skin-first vibe.
A few days later, Selena seemed to respond with an Instagram Story that read, “It’s about relevance, not intelligence.” She didn’t name anyone, but let’s be real, we knew exactly who she meant.
Hailey Bieber’s Cryptic IG Story Has Fans Talking Again
And just when we thought the drama was cooling down, Hailey has taken to IG to repost a quote from her WWD interview that says:
“What we do really well at Rhode is think about things holistically and what feels right for us as a brand. We don’t play by anybody else’s rules, and we don’t follow any strategy other than the one we invent for ourselves as a brand.”
On paper, it’s a normal brand statement. But given the timing, fans can’t help but connect the dots and see it as Hailey doubling down on her earlier comments.
Why Fans Think It’s a Dig at Selena Gomez
Let’s be real, the timing’s suspicious. After Selena’s “relevance” remark went viral, Hailey reposting that particular quote about “not following others’ rules” feels like a not-so-subtle reminder that she’s doing her own thing.
Even though it’s repeatedly been said that her WSJ comments weren’t about Selena, this new post has fans thinking otherwise. Some even believe she’s taking a shot at the ongoing “Hailey copies Rare Beauty” narrative (since people have long accused Rhode of mimicking Selena’s beauty brand).
So yeah, the internet wasted no time labeling this as Hailey’s double down moment.
Now Justin Bieber’s Being Accused of Loving the Drama
But here’s where things get even deeper. According to a source who spoke to the Daily Mail, Justin Bieber is apparently encouraging Hailey when it comes to the Selena situation.
The insider said Justin thinks the feud “shows that Hailey loves him — and he loves that.” They added, “Justin trusts Hailey to say what she wants to say and if she gets them into some drama, he’s going to ride or die with her, whether it is about Selena or not.”
Another insider claimed that the couple might even be “fanning the flames” on purpose, while Selena’s focus is on keeping things peaceful. Gomez reportedly wants to “be the mature one” and move forward with her relationship with Benny Blanco, leaving all the Jelena drama behind.
A second source also told the outlet that whatever tension remains between the two women is purely “professional,” more beauty-brand rivalry than personal beef.
Beliebers Think Selena’s Team Is Behind the Headlines
Of course, no pop culture saga is complete without conspiracy theories.
After the Daily Mail story dropped, some Beliebers started speculating that Selena’s team may have leaked it to “paint Hailey in a bad light” and reignite old tensions. On X (formerly Twitter), fans debated whether the timing was suspicious — right after Hailey’s WSJ quote went viral.
A Quick Recap of the Selena vs. Hailey Feud
This celebrity feud has been running for years, and somehow it always finds its way back to the spotlight.
It all traces back to Hailey’s marriage to Justin Bieber, Selena’s longtime ex. From social media shade to eyebrow-gate (remember the whole laminated brow fiasco?), fans have dissected every move both women make.
Despite both publicly saying they’ve moved on — and even posing for a now-iconic “peace photo” in 2022 — it seems that the internet (and maybe the stars themselves) can’t quite let it go.
READ NEXT:
Theories on Why Selena and Hailey Unfollowed Each Other on IG
