Selena Gomez opens up during American Music Awards win

Selena Gomez accepts the award for favorite female artist pop/rock at the American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Nov. 20 in Los Angeles. AP

LOS ANGELES—Selena Gomez told the American Music Awards audience that even though she had everything, “I was absolutely broken.”

Gomez made the remarks Sunday as she accepted the award for favorite pop/rock female artist.

In her first public appearance since taking time off to treat depression and anxiety, the 24-year-old singer acknowledged that the public knows “a lot of my life, whether I like it or not.”

“And I had to stop, because I had everything, and I was absolutely broken,” she said. “I kept it all together enough so I would never let you down, but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down.”

Gomez announced in August that she was taking a break to deal with anxiety, panic attacks and depression stemming from her battle with lupus.

The experience apparently changed what she seeks on social media.

“I don’t want to see your bodies on Instagram. I want to see what’s in here,” she said, touching her heart. “I’m not trying to get validation, nor do I need any. All I can say from the bottom of my heart is I’m so grateful that I have the opportunity to be able to share what I love every single day with people who I love.”

She thanked her fans for their loyalty and reminded them that “if you are broken, you do not have to stay broken.”

“And if that’s anything, whether you respect me or not, that’s something you should know about me,” she said. “I care about people.”