Celebrity Fan Web – Selena Gomez initially hinted at stepping away from music to focus on acting after her transformative experience filming Emilia Pérez. During the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 9, she admitted, “It’s going to be very hard for me to ever go back to music after this.” However, just days later, she surprised fans by announcing her new album, I Said I Love You First, a joint project with her fiancé, producer Benny Blanco.
The album is set for release on March 21, and Gomez wasted no time sharing its first single, Scared of Loving You. Taking to Instagram, she wrote, “I always trick you guys … my NEW album I Said I Love You First with my best friend @itsbennyblanco, is out on 3/21.”
Scared of Loving You Offers an Emotional Glimpse into Gomez’s Journey
The newly released single, Scared of Loving You, gives fans a heartfelt look into Gomez’s fears and vulnerabilities in relationships. With lyrics like, “If I broke your heart, would you take me back? If I broke my arm, would you sign my cast?” she reflects on her past struggles with love. The song, co-written by Gomez, Blanco, and singer-songwriter Finneas, blends emotional storytelling with a soft yet poignant melody. Blanco and Finneas also teamed up to produce the track, adding their signature touch to the introspective ballad.
This unexpected return to music has excited fans worldwide, as Gomez and Blanco prepare to unveil what promises to be a deeply personal and moving album.
A Long-Awaited Selena Gomez Album with Benny Blanco
While Selena Gomez has consistently released singles over the years—including her 2024 hit Love On, produced by Benny Blanco—her upcoming album, I Said I Love You First, marks her first full-length project in five years. In an interview with Interview Magazine, Gomez shared her excitement about the creative process, saying, “I definitely didn’t feel any sort of pressure. I was maybe just nervous with jitters in the beginning, and then slowly but surely it was happening. It sort of fell into place with a lot of hard work and love.”
Gomez’s fans have eagerly awaited a new album since Rare, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2020. Teaming up with Blanco for this project, she steps into a new era of music, combining personal storytelling with a refined sound.
From Disney Star to Music Powerhouse
Though widely recognized for her breakout role on Wizards of Waverly Place, Gomez has built an impressive music career spanning over a decade. Before going solo, she fronted the pop-rock band Selena Gomez & the Scene from 2008 to 2012, releasing three albums: Kiss & Tell (2009), A Year Without Rain (2010), and When the Sun Goes Down (2011).
Her transition to a solo career further solidified her place in the music industry, with hit albums like Stars Dance (2013), Revival (2015), and Rare (2020). Now, with I Said I Love You First, Gomez is set to embrace a new chapter, giving fans a deeply personal and emotional album.
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A New Musical Chapter for Selena Gomez
I Said I Love You First is not just Selena Gomez’s first full-length album in five years—it also marks her first collaborative album. Working alongside her fiancé and longtime producer Benny Blanco, Gomez took a more relaxed and organic approach to the creative process. Instead of structured studio sessions, the duo crafted songs in a casual, home setting, allowing the music to develop naturally.
A Creative Process Unlike Any Other
Blanco shared insights into their unconventional workflow, explaining how they wanted to keep things stress-free. “We agreed that if things ever got weird, we’d cancel it immediately,” he told Interview Magazine. Unlike traditional album recordings that take place in high-tech studios, the pair created I Said I Love You First at home. Blanco would experiment with chords, and Gomez would join in when inspiration struck. “We weren’t like, ‘Today’s the studio, we’re writing this song and that.’ It was just two hours here, two hours there. I had never worked this way with someone before,” he said.
By allowing creativity to flow naturally, Gomez and Blanco have crafted an album that feels personal, intimate, and deeply reflective of their musical connection. Fans eagerly anticipate hearing the unique sound that emerged from their spontaneous and heartfelt collaboration.
A Breakthrough Role in Emilia Pérez
In 2024, Selena Gomez starred alongside Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldaña in Netflix’s musical-thriller Emilia Pérez. Directed by Jacques Audiard, the Spanish-language film follows a Mexican cartel boss who fakes his death and transitions into living as a woman. The movie became an instant favorite after its Cannes Film Festival premiere, earning the Jury Prize and Best Actress award for its ensemble cast.
Despite Emilia Pérez’s success, controversy emerged in January 2025 when past racist and Islamophobic social media posts by Gascón resurfaced. Addressing the issue at the Santa Barbara Film Festival on Feb. 9, Gomez admitted that “some of the magic has disappeared” but remained proud of her work. “I live with no regrets, and I would do this movie over and over again if I could,” she said, emphasizing her gratitude for the trust Audiard placed in her.
Selena Gomez Rediscovering Music with I Said I Love You First
While Emilia Pérez marked a major step forward in Gomez’s acting career, her collaboration with Benny Blanco on I Said I Love You First reignited her passion for music. In past interviews, she expressed feeling “too old for the pop star life,” but working on the album seems to have changed that perspective.
The first single, “Scared of Loving You,” showcases a folk-inspired sound, signaling a shift from her previous pop hits. Although the full album’s genre remains uncertain, fans are eager to hear how Gomez’s artistic evolution unfolds. “Music isn’t going away,” she reassured fans in a November 2024 interview. “I just set it down for a second.”