Working with your significant other can be hard — but newly-engaged Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco believe working on their joint album I Said I Love You First together might have brought them closer than ever before.
The project, which released on March 21, is a 14-track collab that prioritizes simplicity, vulnerability, and intimacy, exploring some of the most heartwarming — and heartbreaking — experiences that shape our visions of love: self and romantic.
Gomez and Blanco recently sat down with Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul to discuss the album, with Gomez calling the recording process “the most intimate [she's] ever been in a studio.”
“I hadn’t seen her excited about music for a long time. And I remember she was like, ‘I have to pull over the car because I’m so happy,’” Blanco told the outlet. “And then I knew at that moment. I was like, ‘Well, if it’s making both of us happy, then hopefully it makes a few other people happy.’”
Going into the album, Gomez said she was “very frustrated and kind of confused” about the next step in her musical direction, but uses words like “comfortable," “confiding,” and “organic” to describe the experience of making music with her significant other. “This whole project embodies his stories combined with my stories,” she said. “They have meanings that are really just personal to both of us.”
I Said I Love You First marks a new chapter for Gomez as a musician; for the latest edition of Teen Vogue Group Chat, five Teen Vogue editors sat down to listen through I Said I Love You First in all of its experimental, confessional, and intimate glory — and analyze and unpack where it misses its lover girl mark.
Kaitlyn McNab, Culture Editor: how do we feel about Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco musically, both independently and in this new era of making music together?
Aiyana Ishmael, Associate Editor: I cannot lie before he started his “internet beef” with Charlie Puth and doing the constant “I made this song” videos on TikTok I had no idea who Benny Blanco was. So he only really became a character in my mind in the last few years. I have been a Selena fan since she guest starred on Suite Life of Zack and Cody, then had her recurring role in Hannah Montana, and of course her time on Wizards of Waverly Place. There will always be a soft spot for her and her music because she was such a big part of my childhood.
Bea Oyster, Associate Visuals Editor: Selena Gomez has some of the biggest tracks of our time and she deserves her flowers. I mean, literally every college party, played one of her songs. That’s impact!!!
Jennifer Nguyen, Weekend Social Editor: Transparently, I haven’t listened to Selena since high school (almost a decade ago, really showing my age here lol) but I am a lover girl through and through so I am rooting for her, this album, and Benny, despite not being a full on Selenator.
Claire Dodson, Associate Culture Director: I felt pretty neutral about Benny as a songwriter/producer going into this album — he's been part of some of the biggest pop hits of the past decade or so, and I liked his past work with Selena, but he also kind of slips into that pop music middle class where there's just so many perfectly fine, if unmemorable, tunes out there.
I'm similarly always rooting for Selena... we're about the same age and it feels like I've always grown up alongside her (shoutout to Barney era Sel). Musically I've thought she's always been most impactful as a singles artist, I loved the “Bad Liar” era, and the “Lose You to Love Me/Look at Her Now” double drop. Sometimes the albums can get a bit muddled/feel heavy on filler... don't come for me Selenators
As a couple... I didn't have a strong opinion of them other than finding their Taco Bell bit pretty cute, but I enjoyed the pre-album singles a lot!
Kaitlyn: i have not been the biggest Selena Gomez music fan post-The Scene era (lol) BUT I am really excited to see how collaborating with her Big Love brings out a different kind of musicality or honesty from her
Especially when your Big Love is one of the best producers in the game. I am a Benny Blanco truther
Aiyana: They just be making up anything these days because what is a Benny Blanco truther
Kaitlyn: Don’t do that, you know people underestimate him because of the *sent in invisible ink* unibrow
Aiyana: I personally find him very attractive and charismatic so I never understood all the internet hoopla
Jennifer: Breaking: he got rid of the uni brow
Kaitlyn: WHAT?
Jennifer:
TikTok content
Kaitlyn: oh my GOD……….. okay i have to emotionally process this, I was kind of attached to it? idk. Let's begin!
1. “I Said I Love You First”
Claire: The Wizards speech 💔
Aiyana: She did this opening for the Wizards stans
Kaitlyn: my favorite thing about Selena is how often she cries. because same
Claire: I do love a tearful Selena monologue... a la what the heart wants
2. “Younger and Hotter Than Me”
Claire: "I used to feel like an angel/now I'm a dog on your leash" brutal
Kaitlyn: i need to see the credits for this album
the writing on this feels confessional in a way that aligns with her bestie but still feels like her
Claire: Selena ballads are just always her at her best
Aiyana: "Wish I never loved you" same, Selena
Jennifer: the music video is also emo if any wants to be in their feels
Bea: This is giving lose you to love me ❤️🩹❤️🩹
Claire: this is a Finneas co-write btw
Aiyana: I respect the honesty and vulnerability of this song. It isn't always easy to admit. It's a gift to age but also hard to watch someone you love move on with someone that is younger and hotter than you
I respect game and can clock when someone is objectively hotter than me but to admit it? Baby... I am not that strong
Claire: a very intense opening song
Kaitlyn: Lmfaooooooo Aiyana
Aiyana: I also think it was an interesting choice to open the album with that song
Claire: "Wish I never loved you" is pretty devastating especially when a lot of time has passed
like it's not just a knee jerk reaction to pain, it's sustained
3. “Call Me When You Break Up” (with Gracie Abrams)
Claire: I think their voices work well together here
Aiyana: This song sound so 2014.. so familiar, like I've heard it a million times over but I'm not necessarily tired of getting songs like this so I do like to dance in my bedroom to this one
Claire: two whispery vocal girls, united
Kaitlyn: the length of these songs is aggressive
Claire: very speedy album so far
4. “Ojos Tristes” (with The Marías)
Aiyana: ME GENTE LATINO
I love the vibe of this song so much
Sad Eyes 💔 I love when she does the spanish/english mashup (shout out “Taki Taki”) (Not Emilia Pérez)
Jennifer: this song does make me feel like I'm levitating tbh, this is selena at her breathy best
Claire: for the context: So this is the rework of the Spanish classic “Muchacho de Los Ojos Tristes," and she's teamed up with The Marías here, who are awesome
Aiyana: We love The Marías in this house
Claire: yeah I love selena's voice here
Aiyana: “Con mis besos y mi gran amor,” with my kisses and my great love
Claire: she tends to pair well with other singers in the studio, feels like she's good at matching vibes and not overpowering someone else
Bea: Heard from TikTok that this song is meant to honor her late paternal grandmother who passed last year 🥹
Aiyana: This is such a dreamy and beautiful song tbh! Dancing mid-Wedding vibes (can I please be invited, Selena)
5. “Don’t Wanna Cry”
Claire: whispers.... this is the other pov of save your tears
back to the point about feeling like you've heard a song before — I feel that way about this one and a lot on this album, but not in a bad way, it's all familiar pieces but she and benny have put them together well
Kaitlyn: I love the idea of making a song that production wise sounds exactly like something your ex would make, but… the melody is there, but I wish the lyrics were more cutting
Claire: Cue: dear john. yeah agree re lyrics
Aiyana: I want to like this song, but nothing is pulling me in. Like Kaitlyn said: it has the ingredients, but the final product ain't getting a good Keith Lee review, you know?
Claire: I do feel like there's some fear on her side about getting too specific
when what we learn from taylor is you have to lean in
Kaitlyn: i think she needs to say it with her chest. they’re gonna hate her if she says it outright and they’re gonna hate her if she hints at it
so might as well say f*ck it and own your own narrative
Claire: totally
6. “Sunset Blvd”
Claire: Sunset Blvd is a fun one, I like when she gets a little silly
Aiyana: Sorry to the stans… this one is skippable too
Kaitlyn: I think this is a ridiculous choice as a single LMFAO
Bea: This song feels like a late night drive
Claire: wow making me sound like a stan
Aiyana: You are by association, Claire Bear
Your level of Swiftie makes you automatically a semi-Selena stan
Claire: true true
Kaitlyn: I feel like I’m shopping in H&M
Bea: I fear I may have to put this on repeat, Aiyana
Back to the whispers!!!!!
Aiyana: This could be an Olivia Rodrigo song and I fear I might like it more with her doing it
The sing-songy yelling and talking felt very Olivia to me. Like that last 30 seconds I was immediately thinking of Miss Rodriguez
Bea: selena is not going after a grammy...she's going for girlypop music and it gives exactly what her fans want
So many times, she said she questioned whether to quit music and it's the selenators that bring her back. this album seems to be much more healing for her and I'm here for it
Claire: I feel like this music is all quite enjoyable, but this is kind of what you get with selena — a bit vague, some nice hooks, but the vibe as a whole is more than the sum of its parts
Aiyana: I agree with what you said earlier, Claire. She does singles really well
Claire: except arguably on this album hahaha
Aiyana: I unfortunately stand alone in loving “Single Soon”
Bea: “Calm Down,” “I Want You to Know,” “We Don't Talk Anymore,” “It Ain't Me”... she DEVOURS a collab
Claire: “Single Soon” is funny because it's obviously not good but it has a campy sort of appeal now
Aiyana: I want to dance in the club to “Single Soon” so bad
Like 2014 NYC Baby Journalist First Big Girl Job Rom Com
Jennifer: no “Love On” stans in the house… justice for “Love On”....
Bea: Justice. WAIT TO TURN MY LOVE ON
Claire: a ridiculous song. steak tartare goes crazy though
7. “Cowboy”
Claire: lana vibes here
Kaitlyn: i hate this song
Aiyana: I love this song, I'm sorry
My culture is not your costume (cowboys)
Claire: people were comparing this to “Good For You” and that's wildly insulting to a great pop song
Jennifer: an uncomfortably horny song, horny for the sake of it and not for the culture (à la Sabrina)
Kaitlyn: this song is this emoji: 
Aiyana: ????
Kaitlyn: GloRilla was probably so excited to do this
Claire: GloRilla poetry outro is just such a choice
8. “Bluest Flame”
Claire: Charliiiiii baby
Bea: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS IMMEDIATE BOP
Claire: and an obligatory shoutout to “Same Old Love,” a great selena/charli song
Aiyana: Wait was “Cowboy” about.... Benny Blanco lol
Claire: well yes
Bea: who else would she be rid—
Aiyana: And is Bluest Flame about him too then? My girl is down bad
Kaitlyn: isn’t that the dream??? being down bad for the person you’re marrying??
this album is all over the place guys
Jennifer: whiplash at 9:50 in the morning with this album
Claire: she loves to dip into like 5-7 genres per album
Bea: people are saying this is Charli reheating her nachos
Jennifer: pls
Kaitlyn: *deep sigh*
9. “How Does It Feel To Be Forgotten”
Claire: another lana situation musically
also fun little play on “Look at you now/Look At Her Now”
Aiyana: ^That combo got me through a lot so I truly will always love Selena
Claire: no me too
Aiyana: I cried so much on the Red Coach bus from Tallahassee to Miami listening to Lose you to love me my senior year of college like
As someone who doesn't actively listen to Lana like that I love this song for her
Claire: the last little spanish lyric being "now everything is said and done/everything is forgotten" is beautiful and also simply not true lmao
Aiyana: This also is where she sounds the best vocally
Bea: Agreed 100000000%
Aiyana: This is allegedly about her younger self
Kaitlyn: These songs are moving too fast I can’t even process my—
Claire: I like “How Does It Feel to Be Forgotten” a lot, for the record
10. “Do You Wanna Be Perfect”
Claire: Okay tbh I'm over the infomercial thing, and this feels clumsy
Bea: WHAT IS THIS
Claire: she did a better version of this whole idea of imperfection in “Who Says.” “Who Says” is iconic
Bea: CUE WHO SAYSSS 
Kaitlyn: “Who Says” was my sh*t
11. “You Said You Were Sorry”
Aiyana: Thus far..... only song that's truly stuck out to me is “How Does It Feel to Be Forgotten.” Everything else could lowkey be....forgotten
Kaitlyn: Track 2 and 3 I really enjoyed
Aiyana: I didn't hate “Younger and Hotter Than Me” but I don't see myself listening over and over again
12. “I Can’t Get Enough” (benny blanco, Selena Gomez, J Blavin, Tainy)
Kaitlyn: Taki Taki's cousin
Bea: YES
Aiyana: Third cousin......
Jennifer: once removed
Kaitlyn: by marriage! I love when she works with Tainy and Balvin though
Jennifer: this album feels like shes reheating all of her old hits
Kaitlyn: 😬
Claire: which is exactly how Rare felt with Revival
Aiyana: She is at her best on songs like this, I just don't think its stronger than what already exists of her
13. “Don’t Take It Personally”
Kaitlyn: okay ouch. this one is hurting me….. actively lmfao……. OW
Aiyana: I love this song
Claire: yeah this is one of the best
Aiyana: I love the spookiness of the melody and her voice. Like a haunting lullaby
Bea: "I know you're gonna find somebody perfect"
Kaitlyn: see, i wish the rest of the album was like this. so i actually think THIS is her strongest vocal register, not the whispering
Jennifer: and its her most honest!
Bea: It feels like a warm hug 
Kaitlyn: she has such clarity in her voice, it just needs the right melody
Claire: A note on this — Selena said that this one is written from the perspective of like, things someone said to her
Aiyana: The theory that this song is actually something that was said to Selena from the POV of her ex's new girl arguably makes the song even more interesting (and I already liked it before I heard that angle)
Kaitlyn: What do we think about the politics of the fact that she doesn’t want to get too specific about her love life but then will make an entire song using real words (allegedly) another woman has said to her
That kind of bothers me?
Claire: yes it is one of selena's inherent contradictions
Kaitlyn: Where is the smoke and specificity for the MEN?
Claire: she has the capacity, like all of us, for vengeance — and she often seems to have the urge and then just won't do it
Aiyana: I think in her case she honestly has to. She was vague as heck and still the discourse about all of these singles (every single one) being about them is insane. That relationship ended so long ago and yet no one will let any of the people involved forget that it happened. I think it was just too big of a relationship to ever die in any real way, so no matter what she does people will talk about it
Kaitlyn: I agree, so that’s why I want her to jump into the deep end. Just own the sh*t
I just want the lyrics to hold more weight across the board
Aiyana: Since it was so public, being specific only serves the person that harmed you. Letting the art be vague gives you more room to breathe, but that's my personal opinion
Claire: but for example Aiyana, “Lose You to Love Me” is full of more specific details and that's a lot of why it resonates
Aiyana: very very true!!
Claire: I like this song and I thought the clarification was interesting because it does feel like an obvious attempt to offset the initial reading, which is that this is Selena herself talking to someone who used to date her current partner… Selena does not ever want to be the bad guy, which, relatable
Aiyana: Which unfort she needs to get out of! But I also get it
Claire: totally, I think it would make the music have a stronger point of view
Kaitlyn: I want Selena Gomez to have had a villain era because she DESERVES IT
this is all coming from a place of love because I do respect her as a woman lmao
Claire: Agree! it would make her more dynamic
Aiyana: Sometimes its safer to play on the safe side when you've always been the target
Claire: this one, “Younger and Hotter Than Me,” and “How Does It Feel to Be Forgotten” — three strongest
it's interesting that “Don't Take It Personally” comes so late in the album
14. “Scared of Loving You”
Aiyana: “I hope I don't repeat my past,” so very honest and true
Claire: she is very concerned with her past, all the time, in all of her work
Kaitlyn: i like this one too
Aiyana: From "I had to lose you to love me" to “I'm not scared of loving you, I'm just scared of losing you”… The growth I dream about
Claire: Is that growth?
The Final Take
Kaitlyn: So what do we feel like this album is saying and what did it say to YOU, final Q
Claire: Okay as a concept, I do like the idea of two musicians in love making art together about their love and dwelling on the past makes sense here because it's like, two people recounting their trauma and history to each other, all their experiences with love
but I think crucially it's also not that deep, they're clearly having fun making stuff together and not taking it too too seriously
Aiyana: I feel like it was a collection of crumbled diary entries and scrapped love notes. And I say that in a very neutral direction. I think its beautiful they were able to share their art, create together as a couple, and heal as they head into marriage. I think this album was more for them than it was for an audience and I am okay with that. There were standout songs, but the album as a whole to me wasn't a standout. Which again, I think its okay that it wasn't a hit for me as long as it served something for them. I create art all the time that resonates with no one else but it healed me in many ways
It wasn't a great album front to back but there were fun moments sprinkled throughout. I'd be interested to see them work together on another album and find some cohesion in what sound works best for Selena. (If they ever make art again. I think Selena can just be an actress and that be totally fine. She doesn't need to be a pop star anymore she already once was!)
Claire: I pretty much agree with that Aiyana! ultimately, I always like hearing new Selena music and there's stuff on here I'll be adding to my current song rotation — especially the saddest ones. I wish there was something that went a little further here
Bea: This album feels like an exploration of Selena’s past sounds and hones in on what she does well – whisper-y ballads reflective of her past relationships mixed in with some more dancey pop songs. She seems to be having fun making this music and I’m glad she’s in a comfortable place with Benny to share this with us. As I mentioned, I think she’s purely making music for fun. She’s not a vocalist and not a songwriter nor is she trying to be (which I fully respect from Selena) but her identity and devoted connection to her fans as we have grown up with her, keep us coming back for more
Kaitlyn: I Said I Love You First to me feels like a tribute to the loves and losses that built them as people to be able to love each other presently — it didn’t say exactly what i was hoping it would say to me, as i really yearned for a deeper, more honest emotional connection to Selena in this safe space of collaboration, but i think this brought her a level of fulfillment that i think she might not have achieved in past full-length projects
Jennifer: I’ve got a soft spot for Selena and appreciate how this album nods to her previous hits. While I loved the nostalgia and how it made me feel, there was a stagnant energy to the album, despite the fast-paced track list and honestly, it gave me whiplash. The opportunity to reminisce on the past overshadowed the album itself for me, and as someone who’s not living in like 2015 anymore, idk if it serves me
Claire: I think this one is better than her previous two albums, just to note
Kaitlyn: i’ve struggled in the past to get through her other full length projects — this one does feel the most her in a long time
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco's I Said I Love You First is now available on all digital streaming platforms.
