Selena Gomez is head over heels for Benny Blanco—and she’s not shy about showing it. On their new album, I Said I Love You First (out Friday), Gomez dives deep into their nearly two-year love story, shedding her former Disney image in favor of more mature, passionate themes. She was also mortified at a Taylor Swift party.
The album starts with a heartfelt spoken-word intro thanking her loved ones before launching into Young and Hotter Than Me, a Lana Del Rey-style ballad about a cheating ex she regrets ever loving—seemingly a nod to Justin Bieber.
She briefly revisits an old flame on Ojos Tristes (“Sad Eyes”), a mesmerizing Spanish-language track about a final reunion before fully moving on. But soon after, she embraces her love for Blanco on Don’t Wanna Cry, an upbeat anthem that could be a contender for song of the summer.
Gomez and Blanco’s romance heats up fast. Sunset Blvd cheekily recalls their first date, filled with suggestive lyrics that play with suspense. And things only intensify on Cowboy and Bluest Flame, where she gets even bolder about their chemistry.
She also takes a dig at her past, singing about how easy it was to forget an “embarrassing” ex on the slow-burning How Does It Feel to Be Forgotten. By the time I Can’t Get Enough rolls around, the couple is lost in their love, oblivious to the world around them.
The album ends on a vulnerable note with Scared of Loving You, where Gomez confesses that losing Blanco would break her heart.
With I Said I Love You First, Gomez reclaims her place as a pop star, while Blanco sticks to producing. The project swings between impressive and chaotic, but one thing is clear—these two are all in.
