Selena Gomez and Karol G Bond Over a Classic Latina Superstition — and It Says So Much About Our Culture
We’ve seen Selena Gomez and Karol G drop hits, break records, and dominate the stage. But in a recent GOAT Talk episode for Complex, the two pop powerhouses reminded us that beyond the glam, they’re still very much like us — Latinas raised on superstition, gratitude, and a few too many warnings about putting your purse on the floor.
It started with hoops, slang, and French toast
The GOAT Talk video — a series where celebrities trade their Greatest of All Time picks on random categories — gave us a fun, chaotic peek into Selena Gomez and Karol G’s shared brain. From debating the best bad b*tch anthem (Karol went with Ciara’s “Like a Boy,” Selena said Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills”) to shouting out reggaetón OGs like Tego Calderón and Ivy Queen, the vibes were immaculate.
They talked about everything from their favorite breakfast (Karol: “French toast, eggs, bacon, and roasted potatoes. With flowers!”) to the GOAT gifts they’ve received (Karol: socks and underwear), but the conversation took a turn when they got into a subject all too familiar for most Latinas — superstitions.
Selena Gomez and Karol G know all about that don’t put your purse on the floor life
When asked about their “GOAT superstition,” Karol G didn’t hesitate. She rattled off a list that sounded straight out of any tía’s guide to keeping bad energy away: black butterflies, salt, broken mirrors, don’t walk under ladders… and of course: “You don’t put your bag on the floor. Never.”
Selena immediately chimed in with her own version of the superstition. “If you think you’re the GOAT and you don’t have gratitude… I think it will backfire. Like karma.”
That last part hit different.
Why gratitude — and guilt — are baked into our identity
For many Latinas, the idea that gratitude is essential to good fortune is more than just a superstition. It’s something we’re taught early and often: be thankful, or the universe will humble you. Gratitude isn’t just encouraged — it’s expected. And as Selena hinted, failing to show it can feel like asking for bad karma.
This taps into a deeper cultural conversation around what it means to succeed as a Latina — and how often we’re made to feel guilty for wanting more. As writer Arivee Vargas previously explored on FIERCE, many high-achieving Latinas feel pressure to stay grateful even when a dream no longer fits. “I realized I was using gratitude against myself,” she wrote. “I was grateful for the opportunities I had, but I wasn’t being true to my evolving desires.”
That guilt — whether it shows up in careers, family, or personal boundaries — often gets disguised as humility. It’s the same guilt that makes us say yes to things we don’t want to do, or shrink ourselves so we don’t appear “ungrateful.”
Selena Gomez and Karol G sharing this hits close to home
When Selena followed with “spiritually, I think it will backfire,” it wasn’t just funny. It was a moment that felt oddly profound.
These two women are at the top of their game. But even then, they still carry the lessons of their culture — the tiny, inherited beliefs meant to protect us. Beliefs that, over time, shape the way we move through the world.
