Selena Gomez: 'Taylor Swift is inspirational, good-hearted'

Selena Gomez has described her close friend Taylor Swift as "inspirational" and "good-hearted".

Gomez publicly paid tribute to Swift at a recent UNICEF benefit concert by singing 'I Knew You Were Trouble' and calling the singer her "best friend in the entire world".

She later spoke to reporters about how she looks up to Swift, who she met prior to the country music star releasing her breakthrough album in 2008.

"Taylor's one of the most inspirational, positive, good-hearted people that I know," Gomez told Life & Style.

The actress continued: "I met her when she was 18, and this was before Fearless came out.

InStyle And Warner Bros. Golden Globe After Party at The Beverly Hilton Hotel - Arrivals Featuring: Selena Gomez Where: Beverly Hills, California, United States When: 13 Jan 2013

WENN / Daniel Tanner/WENN.com

"It is absolutely incredible to see somebody so successful and so humble, and I think she's been a big part of me kind of staying in line."

Gomez also recently suggested that Swift and Spring Breakers co-star Vanessa Hudgens are among the few female friends she can trust.

The 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards, out and about, Los Angeles, America - 13 Jan 2013
[Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens]

"It's helped [me] having Taylor and Vanessa both be older than me," Gomez said. "They've kind of experienced a little bit more, and at the same time we're experiencing the exact same things together."

Spring Breakers opens on March 22 in the US. A UK release has not yet been announced.

Watch a trailer for Spring Breakers below: