Selena Gomez arrives at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theater on Sept. 15, 2024, in Los Angeles. Credit: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via TNS
Friday, actress and singer Selena Gomez, alongside her fiancé — record producer and songwriter Benny Blanco — released their joint album “I Said I Love You First.”
The collaboration marks the newly engaged couple’s debut studio album, despite having worked together for nearly a decade on various other musical projects, according to a Dec. 12, 2024 article from USA Today.
“The best part about it was just making something I love with the person I love,” Blanco said in an interview hosted by Spotify Thursday, during which the couple had an open conversation about their album.
“I Said I Love You First” consists of 14 tracks, encompassing the couple’s past relationships and their own self-growth. During the same Spotify interview, Blanco described the album as a declaration of the love and passion he and Gomez hold for one another, which is undoubtedly showcased with songs of affection and closure.
The album begins with an interlude featuring the last speech Gomez gave on the set of “Wizards of Waverly Place” — the Disney Channel show she starred in from 2007-12 as lead character Alex Russo.
Themes of seeking validation from and being truly heard by previous partners are present throughout the album, especially in the second track, titled “Younger and Hotter Than Me,” which describes a great deal of insecurity in past relationships.
Alongside somber and vulnerable tracks, the record is also full of fun, upbeat and dance-worthy songs. “Call Me When You Break Up,” featuring Gracie Abrams, and “Ojos Tristes,” featuring María Zardoya — from indie-pop band The Marías — touch on feelings that correspond with falling in love.
“The man with the sad eyes; He’s finally found a reason; To make his gaze laugh; With my kisses and great love,” Zardoya sings.
Though “Don’t Wanna Cry” involves Gomez blaming herself for her heartbreak in a past relationship due to self-sabotage, “Sunset Blvd” has a more positive outlook on the present, showcasing the differing themes across the album.
In “Sunset Blvd,” Gomez expresses being vulnerable and open in her new relationship, emphasizing the safety and security she finds in it.
“Bluest Flame” is arguably the most electro-pop song on the album, in part due to Charli XCX’s role in creating the record.
“To me, this whole song is Charli. I just feel like Charli has this way of having a hypnotic kind of really, like, crazy cool feeling, and that’s what I feel like this song was,” Gomez said in the Spotify interview Thursday. “It’s like a fever dream.”
Other notable songs from the album which also contribute to its overarching themes of self-love and healthy relationships include “How Does It Feel To Be Forgotten,” “Do You Wanna Be Perfect” and “Scared Of Losing You.”
Overall, this is the perfect album for Gomez to release after a four-year hiatus, providing a great deal of closure for fans. With that being said, it is nothing that hasn’t been done or said before. The record isn’t groundbreaking by any means, but it remains a true recollection of a couple and their devotion to one another.
The production and lyricism in “I Said I Love You First,” make this album a phenomenal piece of art. Whether fans are simply more invested in the pop genre or wish to hone in on deeper lyrical interpretations, there is truly something for everyone.
