Barely two hours after confirming her relationship with record producer Benny Blanco, Selena Gomez was on the defensive, arguing with fans on Instagram who questioned whether Blanco, 35, was a good match for the 31-year-old.
“Then why is he the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Gomez replied after a fan shared their disapproval. “He’s still better than anyone I’ve been with,” she added, seeming to shade all of her exes.
How did we get here? Good question. Read on for a complete timeline of Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s relationship, in reverse chronological order, including how they first met, where they are now—and why some fans were so up in arms about the whole thing.
January 8, 2024: Despite not taking home the award for best performance by a female actor in a television musical or comedy at the Golden Globes on January 7, the Only Murders in the Building star still feels victorious.
“I won,” she captions a behind-the-scenes kissing photo with Blanco from the event. And though her date did not join her on the red carpet, he must have been around there somewhere as he is photographed in a suit jacket.
We are not the only ones with questions about the location of this kiss. “It looks like they’re in a closet of some sort, doesn’t it? What are those boxes?” Hoda Kotb asks on Today With Hoda & Jenna.
Jenna Bush Hager agrees, saying the moment was “definitely backstage or, like, at a FedEx store.”
There was lots of PDA at the #GoldenGlobes last night, with stars like Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco, Ali Wong and Bill Hader, and Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner sharing smooches! We're talking about it 💋 pic.twitter.com/sdhaUsYiUx
— TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (@HodaAndJenna) January 8, 2024
If the photo was taken in a closet, then we just have to ask: Who was in there with them?!
January 3, 2023: Gomez and Blanco step out for their first public outing at a Lakers game. However, their date night was not without controversy, as Blanco was later dragged online for taking off his shoes. And no, he wasn’t wearing socks.
December 21, 2023: Gomez discusses her ideal partner in an interview with Vogue México y Latinoamérica, though it seems to have been conducted prior to her relationship with Blanco going public. According to writer Alejandra Campoverdi, Gomez revealed she’s looking for a connection that “allows for self-respect and holds space for the feelings of others.”
“Honestly, I have to start being attracted to the right kind of people, because it’s a bit of both,” Gomez told the publication, per People. “It’s very hard to find someone who can listen to you and care about you, but I know when it happens, it will be great and you will want it to be healthy.”
December 15, 2023: Gomez and Blanco pack on the PDA on Instagram Stories with first kissing photo.
Blanco also appears in an Instagram roundup of Gomez’s “favourite moments” from her recent trip to New York City.
A source tells Entertainment Tonight that Gomez recently decided to open up to fans about her relationship because she “finally felt comfortable enough” with Blanco to go public.
“She feels so safe and secure with him, so she felt like it was a good time to share how happy she is with her fans,” the source says. “Benny is a great communicator, is honest and open with Selena, and listens to her. He’s respectful, isn’t a player, and not in it for the attention or fame. He doesn’t care about any of that and Selena sees that and really trusts him.”
According to the source, Gomez feels like she can be “her most authentic self with Benny without doubting his potential motives,” though it took “a lot” for her to “let someone in.”
“Benny has proven himself to her and she appreciates his ideals and morals,” the source says. “She feels like she can give him a part of her heart that she hasn’t been able to, or willing to, offer in a relationship in a very long time. Selena feels like she has finally found one of the good guys and it’s been very refreshing for her. Their feelings for each other are very mutual and they are looking forward to growing their relationship and special bond.”
December 9, 2023: Gomez posts her first grid pic since confirming her relationship with Blanco. Despite limiting the comments on the photo dump, which appears to tease a new Rare Beauty project, Blanco was able to respond with a heart-eye emoji. This appears to be his first acknowledgement of their relationship since the news went public.
“To more moments like these…☁️,” she captions the photos. “Can’t wait to show you guys what we’ve been working on!”
December 8, 2023: Gomez shares a photo of her left hand in which she’s wearing a blinged out “B” ring on her ring finger. There is no caption.
She later put the “B” ring on display in another Instagram story, despite previously announcing that she’s “leaving Insta for a while.”
December 7, 2023: Selena Gomez comments, “Facts,” on a post from the Instagram account @popfactions, which shared the headline, “Selena Gomez Seemingly Confirms Relationship With Benny Blanco.”
Following her confirmation, Gomez goes to bat for her new boyfriend in the comments of multiple fan accounts, defending Blanco to followers who question whether or not he’s a good match for the singer.
“That man was shading you years ago,” one follower quipped, to which Gomez replied, “Lol yeah and he’s still better than anyone I’ve ever been with.”
One fan quotes Gomez’s own words back at her after she comes for followers who disapprove of Blanco: “If you can’t handle the hate, then stop posting pictures of your boyfriend lol- It should be special between you two only. Don’t be mad at your fans. They love you and supported you before any one ever did.” Gomez had first written those words on a photo of her ex Justin Bieber and his then girlfriend Sofia Richie back in 2016.
Gomez replies to the quote, “Not mad. It’s been 6 months bb. I will always defend my friends family and fans till the day I die.”
Two hours after first writing “Facts,” Gomez posts a selfie in which she’s cuddling with a man who appears to be Blanco. Shortly after that, she shares another story with a pointed message to fans: “Just a reminder of how much I appreciate and love each and every one of you,” she writes.
November 2023: Selena Gomez fan accounts begin speculating that the multihyphenate is dating record producer Benny Blanco.
Gomez comments, “Finally,” after Blanco shares on Instagram that he is releasing his cookbook, Open Wide: A Cookbook for Friends, with Jess Damuck. She also shares the post to her own Instagram Stories, writing, “One of my favs is releasing a cookbook.”
Fans also notice that her mom, Mandy Teefey, follows Blanco on Instagram. The pair have also “liked” a significant number of each other’s posts over the past few months.
Fall 2023: Benny Blanco shares a handwritten note that his “gf” left on his pillow to his Instagram Stories. A woman can be seen sleeping in the background, out of focus, in the photo of the note, which reads, “I am so bloated please do not squeeze/hold onto my waist tonight or I’ll fart a hole through the sheets. Love you.” Gomez’s fans believe both the humor and the candor of the note align with her self-deprecating style. It is unclear if Gomez is the woman in the background of the photo.
August 2023: Selena Gomez releases “Single Soon,” which was produced by Benny Blanco.
July 2023: Benny Blanco attends Selena Gomez’s 31st birthday. She later shares a photo to her Instagram in which the two are standing close to each other, as she reaches back to hold him. She also wraps an arm around Paris Hilton in the photo.
June 2023: Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco begin dating, according to a comment in December 2023 stating that they had been together for six months.
October 26, 2020: Benny Blanco promotes his collaboration with Justin Bieber, “Lonely,” on the Zach Sang Show. During his interview Blanco says, “Justin is not one of those, like, cookie-cutter pop artists; you know they’re, like, ‘This is my new single and here’s my makeup line.’”
Many of Gomez’s fans believe the comment to be a swipe at the pop star, who founded her cosmetics line, Rare Beauty, the year prior in 2019.
October 16, 2020: Blanco collaborates with Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez’s ex, on the song “Lonely.” Bieber garners praise for the emotional lyrics about the pitfalls of fame at an early age.
March 2019: Selena Gomez works with Benny Blanco (whose real name is Benjamin Levin) on his song “I Can’t Get Enough,” also featuring J Balvin and Tainy. The singer stars in the music video alongside her collaborators, and shares a cute scene with Blanco, who wears a teddy bear costume.
September 2018: Justin Bieber weds Hailey Baldwin Bieber.
2017: Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber break up for good following a short-lived reconciliation. Their seven-year on-and-off relationship, which began when they were teenagers, is officially over.
2016: Justin Bieber begins dating Sofia Richie after a breakup with Selena Gomez. After he shares a selfie with Richie to Instagram, Gomez’s fans swarm his comments, criticizing the relationship. After Bieber asks for kindness, Gomez herself responds, “If you can’t handle the hate, then stop posting pictures of your girlfriend lol- It should be special between you two only. Don’t be mad at your fans. They love you and supported you before any one ever did.”
Bieber deletes his Instagram shortly after, and Gomez later apologizes for her comments via Snapchat: “What I said was selfish and pointless.”
