Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco lastly dropped their collab album I Stated I Love Your First, and there are a whole lot of nice tracks. The couple onerous launched their relationship in December 2023 and introduced their engagement a few 12 months later.
The 2 appear happier than ever, and like so many nice musical {couples} that got here earlier than them, determined to make an album collectively. From dance hits to toned-down acoustic ballads, Gomez and Blanco’s album is stuffed with vary and completely brings their love story to life.
14
I Stated I Love You First
Written By Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco, and Finneas
The 44-second first monitor on the album is the title monitor and takes audio from a video of Selena Gomez’s final day on the set of Wizards of Waverly Place. Produced by Benny Blanco, Finneas, and Bart Schoudel, “I Stated I Love You First” encompasses a mild piano taking part in over the audio of Gomez’s goodbye speech.
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Whereas the tune could be interpreted as a message to her followers earlier than they dive into the album, it additionally looks like a message to Blanco. Gomez has been open about her struggles in love and the trauma she has from previous relationships. With Blanco, she feels protected, and the quick opening monitor expresses precisely why Gomez mentioned “I really like you” first.
13
Do You Wanna Be Excellent
Written by Gomez, Blanco, Magnus Høiberg, and Jeremy Malvin
“Do You Wanna Be Excellent” is one other quick interlude on Gomez and Blanco’s album. Nonetheless, this time, the singer is addressing the unrealistic magnificence requirements which have plagued her all through her life. A voice performs over the tune like an commercial attempting to promote a product that can make its purchaser excellent. With the success of The Substance this award season, the tune feels extremely related. It additionally looks like a follow-up to Selena Gomez’s 2011 self-love anthem “Who Says,” besides this time she’s extra assured.
Whereas in her prior single, she sang about being insecure and listening to the individuals who instructed her she wasn’t ok, this time she confidently tunes out the commercial, taking on the radio waves. “No extra of the unrealistic requirements of excellent,” Gomez proclaims, virtually laughing on the ridiculousness of the commercial. It is clear she’s come a good distance.
12
Do not Take It Personally
Written by Gomez, Blanco, Blake Slatkin, Mikky Ekko, and Justin Tranter
“Do not Take It Personally” is an acoustic tune the place Gomez sings about somebody who her companion is not near. Gomez appears to be addressing one in every of her companion’s exes, asking this particular person to not take their relationship personally. The tune will not be mean-spirited in any respect, as Gomez even hopes that this particular person finds somebody who’s proper for them too.
Just a few have speculated that the tune might be about Gomez’s ex Justin Bieber. Bieber labored with Benny Blanco a number of instances however unfollowed him on Instagram when he and Gomez introduced their engagement. Nonetheless, lyrics like “he would not need you” make it extra possible the tune is about one in every of Blanco’s earlier companions.
11
Cowboy
Written by Gomez, Blanco, Amanda Ibanez, and Jake Torrey
In “Cowboy” Gomez sings about her sexual wishes possible concerning her relationship with Benny Blanco. In the beginning of the tune, she sings about him wanting her to behave like a foul woman earlier than confessing she needs him to “journey it like a cowboy.” The tune is paying homage to the darkish pop trap-inspired music Gomez was placing out round 2016 and 2017. It has related manufacturing and vocals to Gomez’s 2015 tune “Good For You” and her 2017 single “Fetish.” Nonetheless, there is a maturity and confidence in Gomez’s voice at 32 that wasn’t there in her 20s.
10
Do not Wanna Cry
Written By Gomez, Blanco, Slatkin, Sébastien Akchoté-Bozović, Tranter, Jackson Shanks, Ekko, and Høiberg
“Do not Wanna Cry” feels very ’70s and ’80s pop-inspired. Within the tune, Gomez sings about being mistreated by an ex however not desirous to cry over him. “I do not wanna cry now” Gomez repeats on loop within the tune’s refrain. It is onerous to pinpoint who the singer could be speaking about as she would not give any specifics. Nonetheless, essentially the most thrilling half in regards to the tune is not its lyrics however its manufacturing. It is particularly good on the finish as her voice trails off and a disco-inspired beat performs because the tune’s outro.
9
You Stated You Had been Sorry
Written by Gomez, Blanco, Høiberg, Ibanez, Tranter, and John Byron
Gomez will not be shy about how completely satisfied she is with Benny Blanco and he or she expresses this in “You Stated You Had been Sorry.” Within the achingly candy, soft-spoken tune, she additionally displays on a previous relationship:
However I had a dream
You mentioned you have been sorry, mentioned you have been sorry
Sorry for every thing
That you just placed on me, that you just placed on me.
Though it was solely a dream, Gomez mentioned the fantasy of his apology was sufficient for her to lastly forgive and transfer ahead. It appears Gomez is suggesting that she’s made peace together with her previous, which is permitting her to concentrate on her constructive relationship within the current.
8
I Cannot Get Sufficient
Written By Gomez, Blanco, Cristina Chiluiza, J Balvin, Tainy, Mike Sabath, and José Osorio
“I Cannot Get Sufficient” was a tune Selena Gomez launched in early 2019, nevertheless it did not make her 2020 album Uncommon. All these years later, Gomez and Blanco determined to incorporate the tune on their album. The tune has a reggaeton beat that fits Gomez’s voice properly. Gomez sings the primary verse and choruses whereas J Balvin additionally raps all through the tune. The monitor is fairly repetitive, however this is not essentially a foul factor.
Gomez is nice at making a dance-pop hit and that is actually a tune followers can dance to. Whereas it could have been out on this planet for six years, it is nice to lastly have it on an album, particularly because it was the early days of Gomez and Blanco attending to know one another. Who would’ve thought all these years later they’d be engaged?
7
Bluest Flame
Written By Gomez, Blanco, Charlotte Aitchison, Høiberg, and Dylan Brady
Selena Gomez expresses once more how attracted she is to her companion in “Bluest Flame.” The tune has some overly repetitive lyrics, however the manufacturing is what makes it immediately magnetic. The singer is seemingly referring to having intercourse together with her companion and calling it “hotter than the bluest flame.“
The disco dance-pop beat drowns out the lyrics, making it the proper membership anthem. With the success of Charli XCX’s Brat through the summer season of 2024, that is precisely what music followers are searching for. “Bluest Flame” might simply grow to be 2025’s tune of the summer season if Gomez selected to put it up for sale as a single. In any other case, it could keep a hidden gem, however is actually one of the crucial enjoyable songs on I Stated I Love You First.
6
How Does It Really feel To Be Forgotten
Written by Gomez, Blanco, Ekko, Tranter, and William Fly
In “How Does It Really feel To Be Forgotten” Gomez sings once more about how a lot better her present relationship is than one from her previous. In line with the tune, one in every of Gomez’s previous companions noticed her in public and went as much as discuss to her as in the event that they have been mates. Gomez calls the expertise “embarrassing” whereas telling her ex to go cry in personal earlier than asking him the way it feels to be forgotten. Whereas Gomez has expressed a whole lot of damage from previous relationships, it is clear that this time round she actually has moved on.
You walked in
Huge ass grin
Talkin’ like we’re mates
Honey, what have been you pondering?
Whereas her exes could have haunted her prior to now, they not have that maintain over her and Gomez suspects her former companion will not be completely satisfied about that. Nonetheless, the singer nonetheless needs her former companion properly, telling him “I hope at some point you heal.” Essentially the most distinctive a part of the tune is that Gomez concludes with a press release in Spanish, honoring her heritage. The Spanish phrases translate to “Now every thing is claimed and finished. Every little thing is forgotten.“
5
Scared Of Loving You
Written by Gomez, Blanco, Finneas
“Scared Of Loving You” is a particularly weak tune nevertheless it’s not as unhappy because the title makes it appear. The acoustic manufacturing sounds paying homage to an previous people tune, which appears related as Gomez is about to play folk-rock singer Linda Ronstadt in a biopic about her life. Regardless of the title, Gomez confesses that she’s not frightened of loving her companion, she’s simply frightened of shedding him. She is aware of if she lets him in and he leaves, it will be too painful for her to deal with.
She admits to loving too quick when she was youthful and questions if her companion will stick round for her unhealthy moments. Gomez additionally lists a couple of issues she’s not afraid of together with “dying younger.” This seemingly references when she had a kidney transplant and thought she wasn’t going to outlive it. The expertise made her fairly fearless on the subject of loss of life however the lack of love remains to be one thing she’s working via. Fortunately for Gomez, Blanco appears to like her as a lot as she loves him, and better of all, he accepts her even on her worst days.
4
Ojos Tristes
Written by Gomez, Blanco, Ibanez, Maria Zardoya, Ana Magdalena, Manuel Álvarez-Beigbeder Pérez, and Josh Conway
As a toddler star and pop singer, Selena Gomez was compelled into the packing containers to enchantment to the plenty. Sadly, there wasn’t a lot room for embracing her Mexican heritage, however in later years, she’s realized to specific it via music. In 2021, Gomez launched a Spanish album known as Revelación, which was nominated for a Grammy for Finest Latin Pop Album.
Whereas the primary verse of “Ojos Tristes” is in English, Gomez sings the refrain and the second verse in Spanish. The phrase “Ojos Tristes” interprets to unhappy eyes, as Gomez is singing about her companion being unhappy that she is leaving. The singer as soon as admitted she thinks her voice sounds higher when she’s singing in Spanish than when she sings in English and “Ojos Tristes” could also be proof of this.
3
Youthful And Hotter Than Me
Written by Gomez, Blanco, Finneas
Selena Gomez revisits a few of her insecurities in “Youthful And Hotter Than Me.” Plenty of singers have expressed their fears of getting older and the way they really feel like they’re being pushed out of the music business merely for getting older. Society tends to deal with getting older like it’s a curse, one thing to be feared. As somebody who grew up within the highlight and was as soon as a younger ingénue, Gomez feels this further onerous.
The singer expresses nervousness over getting older, together with not needing an X on her hand on the membership to sign she’s below 21 and not needing a pretend ID if she does need to drink. “We’re not getting any youthful however your girlfriends appear to,” Gomez sings, both referring to a former companion or the various males in Hollywood who recurrently exchange their girlfriends with youthful ones. Within the tune’s music video, Gomez walks round a Hollywood set, and essentially the most highly effective second comes as she watches a bunch of youngsters filming in a highschool hallway.
The scene appears to characterize Gomez’s time on Disney Channel whereas the singer acknowledges that she’s not the younger, Disney darling the world fell in love with. It is a deeply emotional tune and whereas most individuals would contemplate Gomez younger at solely 32 years previous, the world has a manner of creating everybody really feel geriatric as soon as they’re previous 25.
2
Name Me When You Break Up
Written by Gomez, Blanco, Gracie Abrams, Tranter, Julia Michaels, Høiberg, Brady, Mattias Larsson, and Robin Fredriksson
Selena Gomez launched her Gracie Abrams duet “Name Me When You Break Up” previous to the album’s launch. The tune is extra pop-rock-inspired than the rest on the album and has a 2000s really feel to it. Gomez and Gracies even embraced 2000s trend of their video and promo shoot for the tune. “Name Me When You Break Up” hears Gomez and Abrams eager for an ex to name them when their present relationship ends. It is an immediate pop traditional and one of the crucial enjoyable songs on I Stated I Love You First.
The singers’ voices work very well collectively as Gomez’s tender tone expresses unhappiness and longing and Abrams’s expresses somewhat extra angst and frustration. Whereas Gomez reminisces about speaking in regards to the future together with her companion, Abrams admits she’s “emotionally bankrupt” and would not know find out how to deal with not being together with her ex anymore. The tune’s rhyme scheme additionally works properly and its catchy beat makes the tune electrical.
Name me if you break up
I am battling the dearth of us I’ve appeared for remedy
Tried each apparent substitute
In bars and strangers’ beds till my religion was within the basement.
Each Gomez and Abrams are presently in completely satisfied relationships to allow them to’t truly relate to the tune, making it spectacular how convincing they’re. The tune additionally has a candy ending with Gomez surrendering, and letting her former companion know that if he needs to quiet down with the particular person he is presently with, she’ll nonetheless be supportive regardless of wanting him again.
1
Sundown Blvd
Written by Gomez, Blanco, Slatkin, Tranter, Høiberg, Michael Pollack, Ibanez, and Malvin
“Sundown Blvd” is Gomez’s most ’80s-inspired tune on the album, and primarily based on the music video, this was intentional. The singer as soon as once more expresses her attraction to her companion even hiding some innuendos within the tune. The obvious is the lyric “I am unable to wait to carry it to carry that massive massive onerous coronary heart.” Gomez confesses within the tune that she needs to carry her companion whereas he is bare in public and he or she would not care what anybody thinks.
She even admits she’s not afraid of the police catching them or any of the implications they are going to face. Gomez’s voice echoes all through the tune, which works properly with its manufacturing. Nonetheless, the tune additionally appears to reference Gomez’s large fame. Within the tune she sings “making you well-known everybody’s watching” figuring out that by relationship her, her companion goes to grow to be extra well-known than he is ever been.
Nonetheless, as an alternative of Selena Gomez permitting this concept to scare her, she embraces and romanticizes it. Blanco did an unbelievable job on its manufacturing, making it an unforgettable and defining monitor of I Stated I Love You First.
