JUST IN: Selena Gomez Reflects on Her Whirlwind Engagement to Benny Blanco, During a Lively Jimmy Fallon ‘The Tonight Show’ Appearance Promoting Their New Album ‘I said I love you first’ Describing It as ‘The Scariest Week of My Life,’

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco Celebrate Album Release on The Tonight Show, Reflect on “Scariest Week” of Engagement

On Thursday, March 20, 2025, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco brought their love story to the stage of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, celebrating the midnight release of their highly anticipated collaborative album, I Said I Love You First. The couple, who announced their engagement in December 2024, sat down with Fallon to share the highs and lows of their journey—from crafting music together in their cozy Los Angeles home to the nerve-wracking moment Blanco popped the question. For Gomez, that proposal marked what she called “the scariest week of my life,” a sentiment Blanco echoed with a laugh as they recounted the chaos and joy of their evolving relationship.

The episode was a blend of musical promotion and personal revelation, with Gomez and Blanco radiating the kind of chemistry that’s fueled both their romance and their creative partnership. I Said I Love You First, a 14-track album featuring collaborations with artists like Gracie Abrams, The Marias, GloRilla, J Balvin, and Tainy, is a sonic love letter that traces their story—past, present, and future. “These songs represent everything we’ve been through,” Gomez said during the interview, her voice softening as she looked at Blanco. “It’s like a timeline of us, and I can’t wait to keep building that with him.”

The album’s release comes after months of anticipation, sparked by their first joint interview in February for Interview Magazine, where they teased the project’s intimate origins. Recorded in an upstairs bedroom at Blanco’s 1930s LA residence, the process was anything but conventional. “I’d be lying in bed with a thousand blankets, or just sitting there casually,” Gomez shared, laughing. “It felt so easy because it was us.” Blanco, a prolific producer known for hits with Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Katy Perry, nodded in agreement. “We kept it low-pressure. If it ever got weird, we said we’d scrap it—but it never did.”

Their Tonight Show appearance wasn’t just about the music, though. Fallon, ever the curious host, couldn’t resist diving into their engagement story. Blanco, 37, grinned as he recalled the lead-up to the proposal, which famously involved a Taco Bell picnic on what appeared to be a soundstage. “It was the scariest week of my life,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair. “I had this whole surprise planned, and I’m lying to her left and right to keep it under wraps. She’s asking, ‘Why aren’t you home?’ and I’m sweating bullets.” Gomez chimed in, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “I almost ruined it! I was tired and grumpy that day and told him I’d rather hang out with my friends instead of doing the ‘shoot’ he’d set up. I had no idea.”

Despite the near-miss, Blanco pulled it off, and Gomez said yes—to both the ring and the quirky, heartfelt gesture that’s since gone viral. The marquise-cut diamond, a nod to Gomez’s long-held dream from her Revival days, glimmered on her finger as she recounted the moment. “It was sweet, and the right things were said,” she told Fallon, keeping the details private with a shy smile. “That’s for our kids someday.”

The couple’s appearance underscored their current focus: savoring the moment. With the album dropping at midnight, wedding plans are on hold—for now. “We’re not planning it exactly at this moment,” Gomez explained. “I want to make sure the music’s good, and I’m letting him take the lead on that.” Blanco, ever the doting fiancé, added, “We’re still not over the engagement. It feels like it was yesterday and 20 years ago at the same time. I’ve known her since she was 18, so it’s like we’ve already lived a lifetime together.”

Their history stretches back to 2015, when Blanco produced tracks like “Same Old Love” and “Kill ‘Em With Kindness” for Gomez’s Revival album. Years of friendship and sporadic collaborations—like 2019’s “I Can’t Get Enough” and 2023’s “Single Soon”—laid the groundwork for their romance, which blossomed in mid-2023. Since going public, they’ve been unapologetically open, from PDA-filled Instagram posts to Blanco’s declaration on The Howard Stern Show that Gomez is “my best friend.”

On The Tonight Show, that friendship shone through. Whether bantering about Blanco’s cooking (he’s been known to whip up Gomez’s late-night queso cravings) or reflecting on their shared creative process, the couple exuded a grounded authenticity. “I was lost with my music before this,” Gomez admitted at one point, crediting Blanco with helping her find her sound again after a five-year gap since her last solo album, Rare. “He’s patient, and he gets me in a way no one else does.”

As the interview wrapped, Fallon couldn’t resist a playful jab: “So, Taylor Swift’s already called dibs on flower girl, right?” Gomez laughed, referencing her best friend’s enthusiastic Instagram comment from December. “Yeah, she’s ready!” Blanco quipped, “I’m just hoping she doesn’t outshine us.”

With I Said I Love You First now out in the world, Gomez and Blanco are riding a wave of personal and professional highs. The album’s lead single, “Sunset Blvd,” a sultry nod to their first date, has already sparked buzz, and fans are eager to dive into the rest of the tracks. For now, though, the couple seems content to take it one day at a time—ring-gazing, music-making, and all.