Why Selena Gomez Skipped MTV VMAs

Selena Gomez was among the celebrities who skipped tonight’s MTV Video Music Awards in New York City for good reason: She had no nominations and no real reason to fly from the West Coast to the East to attend. But Gomez did pop on Instagram during the broadcast to share another Instagram of her great summer. These are a few of Gomez’s favorite things—friends, Friends, pools—that have nothing to do with the VMAs:

Gomez later amended her caption to stress these are just highlights and not her entire life on display: “I had something I’ve thought about for a while that I want to share,” she started. “This page is my high lights and a few low lights. I post what I am willing to share with you guys. I hear people say all the time that they wish they had someone else’s life based on a few pictures.. we all do it. But this is me sharing some happy moments with you guys. Trust me, my life isn’t always this filtered and flowery… We are all on our own journey.”

Gomez said during an Instagram Live video last week though that her new album is done and coming—which means she may return to the VMAs next year depending on when she releases it. She described that new album’s music as “very honest but playful. And I felt like creatively it’s in a really great direction. I just wanted it to feel kind of what was going on in here, which was a lot.”