"Boyfriend" is a song by American singerSelena Gomez, included on the deluxe edition of her thirdstudio albumRare (2020). The song was released as the album's third and final single overall on April 9, 2020.

Gomez wrote "Boyfriend" after having a text message conversation with co-writerJulia Michaels. "I want a boyfriend" was the original title of the song.^[3] Gomez first revealed the song in an interview onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on January 14, 2020, where she said it was an unreleased song fromRare.^[4] She later announced the song would appear on the deluxe edition ofRare on April 6, 2020.^[5] The next day she teased the song's lyrics "There's a difference between a want and a need. Some nights I just want more than me" on social media.^[6] She wrote about the song's background saying:

Many of you know how excited I have been to release a song called 'Boyfriend.' It's a lighthearted song about falling down and getting back up time and time again in love, but also knowing that you don't need anyone other than yourself to be happy. We wrote it long before our current crisis, but in the context of today, I want to be clear that a boyfriend is nowhere near the top of my list of priorities. Just like the rest of the world, I'm praying for safety, unity and recovery during thispandemic.^[7]

The song features ahouse beat^[8] and anelectropop pre-chorus.^[9] In terms ofmusic notation, "Boyfriend" was composed using⁴
₄ common time, with atempo of 92beats per minute.^[10] Gomez's vocal range spans from the low note of G♯₃ to the high note of E₅.^[10]

The official music video premiered onYouTube on April 10, 2020. It features Gomez meeting boys in choosing who will be her new lover, but she realizes the boys are not sincere. Hence, Gomez uses magic perfume that transforms the boys into frogs and then puts them into a small cage and takes the boys who are turned into frogs with her to the car.^[11] It was directed by Matty Peacock.^[12] The video was nominated forBest Art Direction at the2020 MTV Video Music Awards.^[13]Billboard named it one of the best music videos of 2020.^[14]

A doll music video for the song, directed by a fan, was released on April 29, 2020.^[15]

Credits adapted fromTidal.^[16]

• 2020 singles
• 2020 songs
• Selena Gomez songs
• Songs written by Selena Gomez
• Songs written by Julia Michaels
• Songs written by Justin Tranter
• Song recordings produced by the Roommates
• Electropop songs

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