Selena Gomez doesn't want to bite the hand that feeds her, but she also doesn't want to be a tween Disney star forever. She has plans to do more "challenging" work someday.

"I love the Disney Channel, and I always want to keep that relationship because they gave me my start," she told Us Weekly. "But I'd love to someday make a transition and do roles that are really challenging for me. I'd like to do comedy, romance, anything."

The 16-year-old cited Kate Winslet's Golden Globe-winning role in "Revolutionary Road," revealing that it's her top contender for the Oscars. "That is the movie I want to take all the awards. I can't even get over it."

But for now, Gomez is perfectly happy starring on "Wizards of Waverly Place" and working on her yet-untitled debut album. "Hopefully I'll finish up in April and debut my album in July," she said. "I'm really excited that people will see a whole other side of me."

Gomez plans to tour in support of the album, and she already knows who she'd like to take on the road with her: her BFF, "Camp Rock" star Demi Lovato. "I'm so happy to be with her," she said. "We're going to have sleepovers on the bus, and we'll never actually get any sleep!"