A love story, the romantic kind, told through the music, raw and intimate, exquisitely honest. Selena Gomez and benny blanco join forces for their debut full-length collaboration, “I Said I Love You First,” an incredible 14 tracks detailing every step of their relationship. The record is an effort, thes hybrid of Gomez’s lyrical vulnerability and blanco’s genre-defying results, which make for an experience that is as captivating as it is vulnerable in content.
With contributions from an all-star team of co-writers FINNEAS, Charli XCX, Julia Michaels, Gracie Abrams, and Cashmere Cat, the album throbs with vulnerability, longing, and the kind of love that’s equal parts thrilling and petrifying. Blanco calls on a dream team of producers, including Blake Slatkin, Chrome Sparks, Tainy, and Dylan Brady, to make sure every track feels like a moment frozen in time.
At heart, “I Said I Love You First” is a love letter only painted in hues of nostalgia, passion, and doubt. Standout tracks such as “Scared Of Loving You” and “I Can’t Get Enough” capture the emotional push and pull of a love that feels inevitable, yet fragile. The title track, “I Said I Love You First,” establishes an emotional tone for an album that makes you feel every heartbeat.
With guest appearances by Gracie Abrams, The Marías, Tainy, and J Balvin, the album flits among the elegance of indie-pop, rhythms, and ghostly electronic textures. “Ojos Tristes” imbues bilingual storytelling with melancholic beauty, and “Call Me When You Break Up” channels the universal dread of love fading away. Coming in at 34 minutes and 47 seconds, ”I Said I Love You First” is an immersive, warm and intense listen that confirms Gomez and blanco are more than just a couple, they’re a creative force. Vulnerability and confidence, heartbreak and hope, all in one album, a testament to the power of love and music.
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