Selena Gomez has admitted she was "absolutely broken inside" before going to rehab earlier this year to take a break from the music industry.

The singer made an emotional return to the stage at the American Music Awards on Sunday (November 20) to collect the pop/rock female artist prize and she took the chance to reflect on her recent battles.

Struggling to hold back her tears, the US star said she had "kept it together" earlier this year before it was all too much, prompting her visit to rehab for depression.

Gomez said on stage: "In 2014, this stage was actually the first time that I was authentically 100 percent honest with all of you. I think it's safe to say that most of you know a lot of my life whether I liked it or not. And I had to stop. Because I had everything, and I was absolutely broken inside. And I kept it all together enough to where I would never let you down, but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down.

"I don't want to see your bodies on Instagram. I want to see what's in here. I'm not trying to get validation nor do I need it anymore. All I can say from the bottom of my heart is I am so grateful that I have to opportunity to be able to share what I love every single day with people that I love and I have to say thank you so much to my fans because you guys are so damn loyal and I don't know what I did to deserve you.

"But if you are broken, you do not have to stay broken. And if that's anything whether you respect me or not that's one thing you need to know about me is that I care about people. And thank you so much for this. This is for you, thank you."

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