Selena Gomez has led a ''very sheltered'' life.

The 21-year-old singer-and-actress is close friends with Taylor Swift, 23, but says they are very different people as the 'I Knew You Were Trouble' hitmaker is such an ''old soul''.

Selena told Teen Vogue magazine: ''The difference between Taylor and me is she was 16 with the confidence of a 25 year old. Actually, I should say 80 year old, because she's such an old soul.

''I was not that way. I was very sheltered until about 18 or 19. I still live at home, and I'm 21! She does inspire me like crazy, but I wouldn't change my path, because it allowed me to figure out all that stuff and do it on my own.''

The 'Slow Down' singer - who split from Justin Bieber earlier this year - is now ready to figure out what she wants from life.

She said: ''I've entered the decade of confusion about who I am and what I want to do with my life, and that's what this entire decade's going to be [about].''

And the brunette beauty also admits she hates working out and watching what she eats, so doesn't resist her favourite ''greasy'' foods, and gets her exercise from energetic stage routines.

She said:''I eat junk. I'm from the South, so I love Mexican food, greasy pasta and fried things. I do try, every now and then, to put something in my body that will be good, but, honestly, I've never liked working out. I need to be active in some way though - that's why I kind of secretly do it for my show. We have 13 choreographed pieces, and it's a 90-minute set. I consider that my workout!''