Selena Gomez Sounds Better Than Ever

On Wednesday evening, pop star Selena Gomez played "Revival" — the title track from her upcoming new album — for a small group of fans at a special event held in Los Angeles. Only a handful of lucky Selenators were selected to attend the private concert through a recent drawing on the singer's website. Fortunately for the rest of us, a few videos from the night have made their way online. In the footage, Gomez sits on dark stage, her silhouette illuminated by the soft glow of a purple spotlight. "Revival" opens with a spoken introduction, in which the 23-year-old artist declares she's "reborn in every moment." After a brief instrumental break, the first verse begins, "I feel like I've awakened, baby/The chains around me are finally breaking." Later, she sings, "The light inside me is bursting, shining/It's my, my, my time to butterfly."

The song's hook — which is built around the line, "This is more than just survival, this is my revival" — features a triumphant chant of "oh-whoa-oh-oh's." Unfortunately, we only get to hear it once before the snippet ends. Damn. If you ask me, Gomez sounds better than ever! Not only is she using her voice in new ways, she sounds totally and completely self-assured, as well. Check out "Revival" below.

Gomez has repeatedly said in recent interviews that her new LP focuses on the ways she's changed and evolved as both an artist and as a young woman over the past two years, and everything we've heard so far ("Good For You," "Same Old Love," and now, "Revival") totally backs her up. Let's face it, the Selena Gomez who recorded "Come & Get It" back in 2013 would never have been able to pull off a tune as emotionally mature and powerful as "Revival." Clearly, she's grown quite a bit. I can't wait to hear more of her journey when Revival drops on Oct. 9.