The Playboy feature was notable for its blend of glamour and introspection. In the accompanying interview, Gomez spoke about her struggles with the pressures of fame, her passion for music, and her desire to be taken seriously as an artist. The photoshoot, while not overtly provocative, emphasized her confidence and poise as a young woman stepping into adulthood. The issue reflected her growing autonomy in defining her brand, moving away from the constraints of her Disney past.

. Reports and images suggesting she appeared on a March 2013 cover are based on fake, Photoshopped images that circulated online at that time. Rssing.com

By 2013, Gomez had already established herself as a pop culture icon through her role as Alex Russo on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place (2007–2012). Her 2013 Spring Breakers film role, in which she co-starred with James Franco and James "Jimmy" Franco, showcased a more daring and adult side, setting the stage for her appearance in Playboy . At the time, she was navigating a shift from her wholesome, family-friendly persona to a more complex public identity, both in music (with her third studio album Stars Dance released later that year) and in media.

While she did not appear in , Selena Gomez had a major media presence in 2013 with several high-profile legitimate covers:

: A raunchy photo appearing to show Gomez topless on a Playboy cover surfaced in early 2013 but was quickly debunked as a fake.

: The film featured Gomez and co-star Vanessa Hudgens in bikinis for much of the runtime, marking their departure from "Disney darling" status.

: In early 2013, a highly circulated image appearing to show Selena Gomez topless on a Playboy cover was confirmed to be totally Photoshopped . Fans and media outlets debunked the image as a fabrication.