‘We got to do what we love with who we love.” On “I Said I Love You First,” the collab album from fiancés @selenagomez and @bennyblanco, the duo explores themes of love, vulnerability, and their journey as a couple.The album was a way for them to let their guard down with each other, explore their love story, and create music in an entirely new way along with trusted collaborators including @Finneasofficial and @officialcharlixcx. By creating the project almost exclusively in benny’s home studio – an environment neither one had ever created a full project in - Selena and benny were able to reach a newfound level of depth, comfort, and honesty in their shared music.
In this episode of Countdown To, Selena and benny discuss their lives and their love story in benny’s home in Los Angeles, CA. The couple also cruise around the city reminiscing on their favorite dates and the early days of their relationship.
Presave I Said I Love You First on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/4hecGMYcqKj9t26Kp7CSa9?si=3bcc937912054f3f
Listen to Selena Gomez on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0C8ZW7ezQVs4URX5aX7Kqx?si=szh8xI-sRw6Bi5MC3QoHYg
Listen to Benny Blanco on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5CiGnKThu5ctn9pBxv7DGa?si=YvQaF0OtTS6758j9CRuRlg
Spotify Music Studios
Executive Producers: Isabelle Homola, Sarah Patellos
Producers: Ashley Graver, Jana Coffey, Bella Jackson, Sara Madani
Additional Editor: Stefano Sanchez
MGX Creative
Director: Karam Gill
Executive Producers: Karam Gill, Andrew Primavera
Head of Production: Blase Biello
Head of Post-Production: Harrison Kunz
Producer: Maggie Phillips
1st AD: Constantin Preda
Key Production Assistant: Andrew Jensen
Production Assistants: Kelsey Lorensen, Jake Bergman, Chris Peters
Director of Photography: Elijah Guess
Camera Operators: Steven Wetrich, Onyinyechi Ogomaka, Selena Webb
1st ACs: Aaron Seller, Carolina Rodriguez
2nd ACs: Sabrina Mendez, George Arevalo
Stills Photographer: Tracy Nguyen
DIT: Erin Teevens
Gaffer: Hiram Borges
BBE: Chris Ginnaven
Key Grip: Zane Tan
BBG: Ashley Petrie
G&E Swing: Justin Schultz
Audio Mixer: Randall Good
Editor: Emily Ventura
Post Production Coordinator: Erin Teevens
Colorist: Greyson Sawyer
Sound Design: Troy Pierce
Management
Selena Gomez Management: Aleen Keshishian & Zack Morgenroth
benny blanco Management: Andrew Luftman & Ashlyn Banner
Label
Michelle An
Ray Kurzeka
Hannah Gold
Forrest Lipton
Hair, Makeup, and Styling:
Selena Gomez Makeup: Hung Vanngo using Rare Beauty
Selena Gomez Hair: Marissa Marino
Selena Gomez Styling: Erin Walsh
benny blanco Hair and Makeup - Christine Nelli
benny blanco Styling - Chloe Badawy
In this episode of Countdown To, Selena and benny discuss their lives and their love story in benny’s home in Los Angeles, CA. The couple also cruise around the city reminiscing on their favorite dates and the early days of their relationship.
Presave I Said I Love You First on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/4hecGMYcqKj9t26Kp7CSa9?si=3bcc937912054f3f
Listen to Selena Gomez on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0C8ZW7ezQVs4URX5aX7Kqx?si=szh8xI-sRw6Bi5MC3QoHYg
Listen to Benny Blanco on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5CiGnKThu5ctn9pBxv7DGa?si=YvQaF0OtTS6758j9CRuRlg
Spotify Music Studios
Executive Producers: Isabelle Homola, Sarah Patellos
Producers: Ashley Graver, Jana Coffey, Bella Jackson, Sara Madani
Additional Editor: Stefano Sanchez
MGX Creative
Director: Karam Gill
Executive Producers: Karam Gill, Andrew Primavera
Head of Production: Blase Biello
Head of Post-Production: Harrison Kunz
Producer: Maggie Phillips
1st AD: Constantin Preda
Key Production Assistant: Andrew Jensen
Production Assistants: Kelsey Lorensen, Jake Bergman, Chris Peters
Director of Photography: Elijah Guess
Camera Operators: Steven Wetrich, Onyinyechi Ogomaka, Selena Webb
1st ACs: Aaron Seller, Carolina Rodriguez
2nd ACs: Sabrina Mendez, George Arevalo
Stills Photographer: Tracy Nguyen
DIT: Erin Teevens
Gaffer: Hiram Borges
BBE: Chris Ginnaven
Key Grip: Zane Tan
BBG: Ashley Petrie
G&E Swing: Justin Schultz
Audio Mixer: Randall Good
Editor: Emily Ventura
Post Production Coordinator: Erin Teevens
Colorist: Greyson Sawyer
Sound Design: Troy Pierce
Management
Selena Gomez Management: Aleen Keshishian & Zack Morgenroth
benny blanco Management: Andrew Luftman & Ashlyn Banner
Label
Michelle An
Ray Kurzeka
Hannah Gold
Forrest Lipton
Hair, Makeup, and Styling:
Selena Gomez Makeup: Hung Vanngo using Rare Beauty
Selena Gomez Hair: Marissa Marino
Selena Gomez Styling: Erin Walsh
benny blanco Hair and Makeup - Christine Nelli
benny blanco Styling - Chloe Badawy
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00I have had the most fun experience working on an album.
00:10More so than anything else, the best part about it was just make something that I love
00:15with the person I love.
00:18Okay, so we're going to have a little chat.
00:28I guess that's your home right now.
00:31Welcome to our home.
00:33Our home.
00:34Fair enough.
00:35So I love just getting to sit here and actually talk about music with you.
00:40Our new album is called I Said I Love You First.
00:43This album didn't even feel like making an album because we filmed, we recorded 99.9%
00:52of it here.
00:53Yeah.
00:55What day exactly it was when you came up to me and said that you had the idea or an idea
01:01for I Love You First?
01:02I remember you playing me a demo.
01:04We were driving and you were playing me a demo and you got so, you were so sad.
01:11And I was like, and I was wondering why you're so sad and you actually like a tear came from
01:17your eye.
01:18Really?
01:19Yeah.
01:20Why do I have no record?
01:21And I remember you saying, you were like, I don't know if I can do music anymore.
01:26And you were like, I feel like I've said everything and done everything I want to do.
01:31And you know, you're so fortunate that you've, that you have been in it for so long and released
01:37so many different types of things.
01:38Yeah.
01:39Now I remember that.
01:40Yeah.
01:41And then I remember having a meeting with my managers and my label, like maybe like
01:45half a week after that.
01:47And I had all these songs that were awesome that I was putting out as singles for myself,
01:51but they, I felt like they didn't really represent where I was.
01:56And I was like, well, these songs, they're not like about my life.
02:01Like they're like about so many different things now because my life has changed so
02:05much.
02:06I remember having this like aha moment where I was listening to Bonnie and Clyde by Jay-Z
02:12and Beyonce.
02:13And I was like, wait.
02:14It'd be so cool if we did an album together.
02:18And I remember when I came and asked you, I was like so nervous because I, that's so
02:23funny.
02:24But I remember exactly where I was.
02:27I was on the phone with you and I was in that room.
02:30I was like, why don't we just do something together?
02:34And then you were like, really?
02:37I know.
02:38But I also was, was nervous too, equally because I mean, that's a big, um, not only do I
02:45respect you as a person, but I respect you as an artist and it's a big deal and something
02:49to take on that it's on a different level than I do.
02:54And it was, it was kind of like duh afterwards, but I was just a little nervous, I guess.
03:00I mean, is that normal?
03:02Yeah, no, I was, I definitely was nervous because I, I, I didn't want it to affect
03:10our relationship.
03:11And I remember saying it to you first off.
03:13I was like, but I think we're at the point where like, if it did, we would say something.
03:18Well, that's what we said.
03:19And I remember when we first got in and we started doing it, obviously I've worked with
03:25you so many other times, it just flowed so quickly and easily.
03:31I remember just being able to sit with you and like, you'd wake up from like a dream
03:37and then we'd talk and we'd write it all down.
03:39It would be like a journal session and it just, everything started flowing so well.
03:45And I felt like, A, it was the best music we could have made together.
03:51And B, it made me feel even closer to you, not only because we could be in the same room
03:58and play all day.
03:59Yeah, but we get to do what we love with who we love.
04:02Yeah.
04:03I could ask you anything because it's in the context of a song and you're like, well, how
04:08did you feel in this situation in your life?
04:11How did you feel?
04:13And also, it made me realize how good our communication skills are.
04:18Well, yeah, I don't feel like it was hard in any way because I understood your kind
04:24of point of view of things.
04:26And I think you're just really helpful.
04:29You're not a very, you're not extremely critical.
04:33You're able to pull out what makes my voice unique.
04:37And I don't know.
04:38I guess I just, I did trust that process.
04:41Obviously, yeah, I think our communication is great.
04:44I love you.
04:45I don't know.
04:46I wanted to make sure we were good.
04:47Yeah.
04:48It just seemed very effortless.
04:49I don't think people know how long, like if we did it in such a short, this is probably
04:55the quickest album I've ever done.
04:57It's definitely the quickest album you've ever done.
04:59Is it the same for you?
05:00Yes.
05:01Are you kidding me?
05:03Yeah.
05:04It seemed like towards the end, it was starting to get crazy that we had all this material.
05:10Most albums take like eight years.
05:13It takes me so long to do an album.
05:16Also, I felt like we had the same sensibilities.
05:19Usually when you're doing an album with someone, you're like butting heads so many different
05:23times.
05:24I felt like very rarely would we butt heads.
05:27And then if we did on something, you would have a perfect response.
05:31And I was like, fuck.
05:32All right.
05:33I guess we're not doing that song.
05:34Yeah.
05:35It just made sense.
05:36And it was easy.
05:37And it felt good.
05:38I think it was because there wasn't really an ego between us.
05:44Yeah.
05:45It was definitely a leave your-
05:46It's helpful.
05:47Leave your ego at the door.
05:51So do you know how to get us there?
05:53No.
05:54But I will.
05:57Oh, yeah.
05:58Okay.
06:06So how we became a couple, in my eyes, if I may share.
06:14Okay.
06:15It was when we were doing a song called Single Soon.
06:20When you came into the studio, I don't know, you just, you started talking and we were
06:25breaking the ice.
06:27The reason why I felt comfortable is because it wasn't just a conversation between me and
06:31you privately.
06:32It was like a group of people and I felt comfortable around those people.
06:36Yeah.
06:37And you texted me that you had a good time and I texted you back.
06:43When I went in there, I wasn't even thinking about dating you.
06:47I was literally-
06:48Well, neither was I.
06:49No, no.
06:50But I was literally trying to hook you up with my friend.
06:52I remember I was like, oh, you should so come over for dinner.
06:54I have like a lot of really good single friends.
06:57And I was explaining to you like dates I was going out on and stuff.
07:01Yeah, no.
07:02I was actually doing the same thing, but I just, I don't know, I liked you.
07:07Yeah, and I remember we started talking after and I was like, I was just, I just thought
07:12it was like a casual thing and you were like sending me selfies and I was talking to you.
07:17But, but wait, wait, in context, I wasn't just like dropping the selfies.
07:22In fairness, the reason I actually looked back on the first selfie I sent you, and it
07:27was a joke because we were talking about how, I was like, oh, I look shitty in the photo.
07:32So I sent you all the worst pictures of myself.
07:36I liked it.
07:37But what girl, what girl would send the ugliest photos of themselves to someone they like?
07:43But I liked you.
07:44The love of my life was.
07:45I know, but you were so fun and you're like, no, that one doesn't count.
07:49And then you would say, you would laugh at some and you'd be like, what were you doing?
07:54But then there was one that you'd be like, actually, that's hot.
07:57Did you look?
07:58Did you look back at all of it?
07:59I did.
08:00I have.
08:01And I did.
08:02And they were only horrible pictures.
08:05So in my defense, I wasn't being like, hey, here's the cutest picture of myself.
08:14Cowboy is my version of good for you, but now.
08:19I don't like to share it a lot, but I'm a very sensual person and I love love.
08:28And sometimes I put that into words and I can feel sexy.
08:33And I love that feeling.
08:36It's a sexy song.
08:38No, it's great.
08:41I feel like it's back to a sound that you kind of created.
08:47You kind of created this whole like whisper pop melancholy type of thing, which I totally
08:54respect people like or dislike.
08:57And I totally get that.
08:59And I feel like it's a cool nod back to like where you came from.
09:02Yeah.
09:03I feel like writing a song is like also being like in therapy so you can say things.
09:11I feel like it's like almost like a safe place.
09:14You can say things that you would like never tell a person, let alone like your partner.
09:19And we got it was really cool to.
09:21Yeah, that's true.
09:22Yeah.
09:23You could kind of almost say anything.
09:24It's like it's, you know, it's like saying your deepest, darkest secret, but it almost
09:30like doesn't count because it's in a song.
09:33It was really interesting getting to learn things about you that I'm not sure I'd be
09:40able to get out if we were in like a different arena.
09:43Yeah, that was such as that was so crazy that while we were doing this album, we just told
09:49each other because, mind you, the whole album isn't just about my life.
09:55You know, it's about your experiences, our experiences together.
09:59OK, so when we decided to name the album, it was actually, again, your idea.
10:06I had a few ideas that you had texted me, but that one was what stood out for me because
10:11it's sweet.
10:12Well, and because it's true.
10:13I know.
10:14Yeah.
10:15Yeah.
10:16She said, I love you first.
10:17I did.
10:18How did you name all your other albums?
10:21It actually depended on the song that I felt most connected to.
10:25But what's crazy is that I've never my mind changes so often.
10:31So it's really an in the moment kind of feeling rare.
10:35I have so much to say about those.
10:38It was the perfect depiction, I think, of where I was in my life, because I've always
10:43been vulnerable.
10:44I've always been honest, whatever, how people take that as a good thing or a bad thing.
10:50Rare to me was was actually everything I would say.
10:54Like I don't have it all, but I do know that I'm worth it and I know that I deserve to
11:00feel that feeling.
11:01Yeah.
11:02And now it became like you're everything.
11:05It's just like everything.
11:06Yeah.
11:07And it's it is such a good it's one of those things where you're like, fuck, why didn't
11:11someone say this sooner?
11:13Like it's like I hear that in a song all like and I'm like, oh, or like as an idea, you
11:18know, I will say, though, there's not a song quite like who says, I'm sorry, I'm throwing
11:25it back.
11:26But rare was a second version of that to me.
11:30And that song means so much to me.
11:32I was 16.
11:33And to this day, if anyone sings it to me, it brings me to tears because I needed that
11:39just as much as they did.
11:41So to be able to sing that with a group of however thousands of people and saying those
11:47words out loud, chanting that no one can tell or define who you are, was the coolest feeling.
11:54And that's what I got with Rare.
11:56Now what were you feeling when you did a song like who says?
11:59Were you even thinking were you even thinking like, oh, my God, I'm going to be like a big
12:04singer?
12:05No, I don't think that's what I thought.
12:07I think that I understood the gravity of the song, because I remember at the time the writer
12:14was deciding between a few artists.
12:16I didn't write that song, but I was I was 16.
12:20I heard the song and I knew the importance of it because of how I felt.
12:24So when I heard the song, I remember I kind of asked the writer, I said, this song would
12:30mean so much to my fans.
12:32That's like the first thing I thought of.
12:34And they went with, you know, I just tried it and they went with me.
12:38And I was really grateful because I had no idea that it would mean that much to other
12:43people as much as it did for me.
12:45But I was glad that it that it happened.
12:47But wait, I feel too weird.
12:49What about you?
12:50How do you name your albums?
12:51I actually have never asked you that.
12:52Well, for my own album, obviously, I've helped name a lot of albums, you know, for other
13:01people, but for myself, honestly, I came up with Friends Keep Secret is also the name
13:07of my label.
13:08Yeah, like I I was trying to think of it.
13:12I was like, well, what's like a pop punk band?
13:16And I was like, I thought like if I came up with a really good pop punk band, I remember
13:20I was going to name my label and all my albums.
13:25Everybody gets a trophy like like when you're in like soccer.
13:29But I was just trying to think of stuff.
13:32And it doesn't even really go with my motto because I'm not like a secrets type of guy.
13:37But really not.
13:38But I think it's honest all the time.
13:41Yeah.
13:42I think it's like a if you know, you know, type of thing.
13:46I also like things where it's like I like naming songs where it's like not the song
13:51title isn't even in the song or like the album title isn't even a song on the album.
13:57Yeah.
13:58Yeah.
13:59Like Friends Keep Secrets is not a song on any of my albums or it's like not in any lyrics.
14:04And I always like I don't know.
14:05I'm always weird like that.
14:06I also like don't love videos when like music videos, when they're lip syncing like I'm
14:11on.
14:12I like it.
14:13I mean, I like it better when it's not lit.
14:15Like if you look like 90% of my music videos have no lip sync in them.
14:19I guess you're right.
14:20You know, one of our first songs, we we did a little video for it at Disneyland because
14:24we love Disneyland so much.
14:26It's actually one of Selena's like favorite places on Earth.
14:29It makes me incredibly happy.
14:31I'm a huge roller coaster fan, not a big teacups fan.
14:38You know, you put me on the roller coaster, flip me, dip me, do whatever you want to me.
14:43You put me on the teacups and I'm a shell of a human being.
14:47It was really fun to torture you in that way for a second.
14:51She loves to torture me.
14:52I do not.
14:53And she won't leave Disneyland without one of two things.
14:57It either has to, actually three, it has to either be a pickle, a corn dog, a huge leg
15:05of turkey or all three combined.
15:07Yeah.
15:08I mean, I'm trying to do the three at the same time.
15:14What was our first party we ever went to?
15:21I don't know if this was the first, but it was actually really funny.
15:25As a couple, we went to Taylor's party after some award show.
15:31I don't know.
15:32It was kind of cute, but I was mortified.
15:35Apparently cool people don't show up to parties on time.
15:38We're the first people at every single party when I go with you.
15:41Did you show up when my mother shows up to a party?
15:44No, I thought you were going to talk about the fact that nobody knew we were dating and
15:50we were hiding the fact that we were dating.
15:52So we didn't even touch each other or really look at each other because you were like,
15:59if a girl came up to me or something, you were like, hmm.
16:06Okay.
16:08Definitely our best date ever.
16:11There's a lot of things competing, but what I think our best day ever is when we were
16:14first dating and we were still keeping it super secret.
16:17I remember I was like, let's go to the Santa Monica pier.
16:21And you were like, we can't go to the Santa Monica pier.
16:24And I was like, well, what if we dress up in disguises?
16:26Which usually never works.
16:27No, but we did full, because we were so scared of people finding out about us.
16:32I remember feeling like having so much fun being with you because we could just fully
16:37let go and not worry about anything else.
16:40And we like rode the Ferris wheel and we got like corn dogs and cotton candy and it
16:46was so...
16:47I'm not going to lie, sometimes the disguise thing is so stupid, but in this case it actually
16:54worked, which was crazy, but I really didn't care.
16:58I was like so happy.
16:59I was in a state of ecstasy.
17:00It was amazing.
17:01It was so fun.
17:05When I first thought we were on a date, I'm not even kidding.
17:09It was like you were sitting right there and I thought it was a date.
17:14So I had dressed up and you were here and we kept our, whatever it was, relationship
17:22or getting to know each other secret for, not secret.
17:26We just kept it in privacy.
17:29And this is kind of where we first started connecting.
17:32This is where we had our first kiss, it's where we made the album.
17:37I think it's special because we have a little studio set up.
17:41It's like so humble, nothing for real.
17:44And we go in there and then we get to go back into our cocoon of our bedroom, think about
17:49what we did.
17:50Like, it's like, oh, we're in here making a thing and then it's like, oh, I guess I'll
17:54go cook some food.
17:55Oh, I guess you're in bed.
17:57Oh, I guess you're back.
17:58Like it was one of those things where...
18:01I guess I've never, I can say I've never made an album that way.
18:05Yeah.
18:06But it was interesting because, you know, sometimes we record vocals late.
18:10She would record vocals, then like go to sleep.
18:12Then I'd be working on them.
18:13Then I'd come wake her up.
18:14She'd come back into the room and record them again.
18:17And it was, there was some sort of, there was like a comfort to doing it this way.
18:23Yeah.
18:24And I feel like we weren't, while, like at the same time, we weren't down each other's
18:29throat about anything.
18:30It was like, we were talking about everything.
18:33So if I had an issue in the studio or I don't know, I needed your advice or your direction
18:38on something.
18:39It was so nice to be able to just text you and you'd be there.
18:42But I felt really comfortable, probably too comfortable making this album at a house.
18:49I just feel like your guard is down when you're in a house.
18:51It's different.
18:52Not like in a studio and they're like, hey, let me take your order.
18:54Like you're in a house, your guard's down.
18:57We had our friends come over to make the album.
18:59We weren't thinking like, oh my God, like this album is, I didn't even know anyone was
19:03going to hear this at first.
19:04I just thought it was a good idea and exercise to try to do.
19:07And you don't typically like people in the room while you're doing your stuff.
19:11No.
19:12So I will be honest.
19:13The first time, I don't like Benny in the room until like I started getting more comfortable
19:19towards him.
19:20But that's only because it's so weird.
19:22It's such a weird thing to be, it's almost really vulnerable.
19:27I don't know.
19:28It's the most vulnerable.
19:29Yeah.
19:30Then it, then it was nothing.
19:31Then it was great.
19:32But yes, we'd get up in the morning, we'd have conversation, but our conversation was
19:36never led going, what are we going to write in the album?
19:40It was very like, this is on my mind.
19:42It's like, what does that, how does that make you feel kind of thing?
19:46Yeah.
19:47I felt like your personal journal.
19:48I was just constantly like, well, you are.
19:50I was constantly just writing whatever you said, wherever we were.
19:56Sometimes you'd be saying something like really important.
19:57And I would like, I didn't know if you even realized, but I would like always open my
20:02phone.
20:03I'd be like, fuck, that's such a good line for a song.
20:04I did notice, but I also was very like, you know me, I can just like sit there and talk.
20:10So it didn't bother me if that's what you're asking.
20:15You know, I want to talk about Bluest Flame.
20:18It's one of those songs where like, you immediately feel like you're in a basement, the walls
20:24are sweating.
20:25It's 4.30 in the morning.
20:27Somehow you're kind of sad, but you're happy.
20:30It's euphoric.
20:32We got to work with Charlie on this song and she has such an amazing way of putting you
20:36just like in an immediate zone.
20:38And it's cool because we, you know, one of our first songs, like probably like 11 years
20:42ago or 10 years ago was Same Old Love.
20:45And we did that with Charlie too.
20:46And yeah, to me, this whole song is Charlie.
20:51I just feel like Charlie has this way of having a hypnotic kind of like really like crazy
20:57cool feeling.
20:59And that's what I feel like this song was.
21:01It's like a fever dream.
21:04Yeah, it's, you know, we wanted to have the first half of it be like this sweet, euphoric,
21:11like almost melancholy tone.
21:14And then all of a sudden it switches and you're like, oh, where's my drink?
21:18I'm in the fucking club.
21:21Mind you, I don't remember the last time I stayed up till 4.30.
21:26That's true.
21:27That's when I wake up.
21:28That's when she wakes up.
21:29More so than anything else in the world, this isn't like an album where I had any expectation
21:34because it's something we got to do together that was for us.
21:38And as a byproduct of who we both are, other people get to listen to this album.
21:43And that's like really cool.
21:45And I hope it inspires people to feel a certain way about themselves or their partners.
21:51But like all in all, the best part about it was just being able to spend time and make
21:54something that I love with the person I love.
21:57Yeah.
21:58It's very sweet, babe.
22:00Sunset Boulevard was interesting because it's like one of my favorite songs on the album.
22:04You know, you take a song like Scared of Loving You.
22:06That's like you're giving yourself to someone.
22:10You're fucking petrified because now you're finally in the place where you're going to
22:16be with them.
22:17And you're like, fuck, I don't want to fully lose myself in this because I'm scared I'm
22:23going to get hurt again.
22:24I'm scared I'm going to and I'm scared like this person's going to leave me at some point.
22:28And all your insecurities pop out.
22:30And then with Sunset Boulevard, it's like, fuck, I'm letting go.
22:35I'm free falling.
22:36It's like that moment when you start to free fall into love and you're just like, it's
22:41the best feeling in the world.
22:43You feel like you're about to get like kind of hit by a car.
22:45So you get that like feeling in your chest and you're and it's just like bliss and like
22:50nothing can take you out.
22:52Nothing can stop you.
22:54Our first date was on Sunset Boulevard at a place called Jit Lada.
22:58If you haven't been, you should go.
23:00It's delicious.
23:01Yeah, I think that was it's one of my favorites because of that.
23:05Yeah.
23:06And it's just like kind of feels like you're just like spinning around and it's really
23:11one of those songs where it's just like you're in like the best phase of puppy love.
23:19You know what's insane to me?
23:22Is that you love me?
23:23I do.
23:24Love you.
23:25No, we're both such terrible drivers and our first date was actually, then I have a question
23:33for you.
23:34Speaking of our first date, that wasn't a date.
23:38Why would you decide to take me in this car?
23:40No, I just love this car and I don't get to drive it enough.
23:43And I was like, oh wow, we can just say, I totally misinterpreted that.
23:48I thought you were like, look how cool this is.
23:50It is cool.
23:52It is cool.
23:53Didn't you think it was cool?
23:54Yes.
23:55You literally texted me right after what I didn't know was our first date and you said.
23:59Because it was hilarious.
24:00You said, I've had the best time I've had in years.
24:03I can't even remember having a time this good.
24:07You're like blowing up my spot.
24:10Were you excited the first date?
24:11Yeah.
24:12You were?
24:13What was going through your head?
24:15Oh my God, I can't believe I get to sit next to this hunk.
24:20Even the first one though?
24:22Yeah.
24:23That's crazy.
24:24I thought you were so fun.
24:26I knew right after we kissed, I was like, oh wow, I'm probably going to marry this person.
24:31That, you're so sweet.
24:33Well, I didn't say marry, but I was like, I'm probably going to have a baby with this
24:36person.
24:37That's so cute.
24:38Well, I guess we'll release this album, let the world hear our little baby.
24:49I don't know.
24:50I want to spend the rest of my life with you, babe.
24:53You do?
24:54Yeah, I do.
24:55I just almost crashed the car.
24:57Oh, you still don't believe it?
25:00Yeah, I'm excited.
25:01I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
25:08Okay, wait.
25:09Let's switch things up.
25:10Younger and Hotter than Me.
25:12Younger and Hotter is a song, kind of beginning of the whole process.
25:19I fell in love with a line, all of the girls at these parties are younger and hotter than
25:25me and I hate what I wore.
25:27That, to me, was just a genius line.
25:30I'm giving Finn and you credit for that.
25:33And from there, I loved how it expanded into, there's always something shinier, there's
25:40always something newer, there's always going to be someone younger.
25:44It's just more of a, like there's a transition that happens in your life.
25:51I think the video explains a lot of what I'm talking about.
25:54I can be stuck in a season of my life and feel so weird that it's changing, but at
26:01the same time, it's like I've lost myself in so many different things and it just goes
26:08back to feeling vulnerable.
26:10I don't feel that way, necessarily.
26:13I'm going to talk about you for a second.
26:16You take a song like Younger and Hotter than Me and you've had such a unique life.
26:25One in a billion people have.
26:29You started your career at seven years old.
26:33At the beginning, when you're on TV and you're this kid star that everyone wants a piece
26:41of, you're this shiny new toy.
26:44Then a few years later, a new person comes along and they're like, oh, this is our
26:48toy, and then a new person.
26:50And then you finish your series, you finish shows, and you're kind of left in this spot
26:56where you're like, okay, well now I'm about to be an adult, so where do I go from here?
27:02Yeah, where do I fit in?
27:03Yeah, where do you fit in?
27:05And you're so confident.
27:08Sometimes.
27:09Yeah, but at the end of the day, you're a human.
27:13And I think that's what makes you so relatable.
27:16And this song just embodies that and how hard it is to be not only in your position, but
27:22a woman in general and nitpicked by so many different people.
27:27I think it's just like a display of who you are, where you've been, where you're going
27:33and everything all in one to show that you aren't this perfect person, but that's what
27:38makes you perfect in a way, at least to me.
27:41Well, I appreciate that.
27:43I think anytime I release anything, the interpretation is going to be up to the audience.
27:50However, I would like to say most of this album has nothing to do with what everyone
27:57may go to.
27:58And I think it's important for me to say that because I've evolved so much and I have
28:04experienced life with new people.
28:07I've had to go through transitions with friends and lose people in my life and gain
28:12new people.
28:13And I've had a whole new life for ever.
28:17So it's up for whatever people want.
28:21But to me, it was about both of our past and our history and also just inspired by
28:28friends and relationships.
28:31Like some songs were actually meant about friendships in my life.
28:35And I think that's what, to me, the album was about.
28:38And I just wanted to get that out there because that was very important to me.
28:42I think the best part about music is a song that you may have written in a moment
28:49about something is completely perceived as something else to everybody who's listening
28:54to it.
28:55I mean, I still get the feeling when I'm listening to songs and I look out the
28:58window and I act like I'm in the music video.
29:01And you listen to it at a certain time in your life.
29:04So it holds different meaning.
29:06And I think that's the best part about music is how it can move people in such
29:10different directions.
29:12With this album, it's about past, future, present.
29:17And it's cool to see the evolution throughout the album because the album
29:24opens up and it was actually the last speech Selena ever gave on the set of
29:30Wizards of Waverly Place.
29:32And she's talking about how she hopes she makes everyone proud and it's very
29:35emotional.
29:36And then it goes right into Younger and Hotter Than Me, which kind of like
29:40undresses that whole situation and shows you what's really happening.
29:46And then it moves all the way around to songs like Scared of Loving You, but
29:52also songs like Don't Wanna Cry, where you're in a moment in time and sometimes
30:00you feel frozen, you feel stuck.
30:02And then in other moments in the album, you get that release of Bluest Flame
30:09where you're just like, oh, now I can party in my life.
30:13And it's kind of like there's a little mania going throughout it because it's
30:18going through all the different shades of a human and the range of motion.
30:24And it all meets together at the end where it's just like love is the thing
30:28that's going to be the glue and bring us back together.
30:30Yeah.
30:31I was 17 when I ended, about 18 when I ended Wizards of Waverly Place.
30:36And that was the most emotional, one of the most emotional days of my life
30:41because that's where I started.
30:43Those are my people and I love them.
30:47But it was an end of a very interesting chapter in my life for sure.
30:52And that's weird to let that go.
30:54And I feel like this started as like the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
31:00The biggest challenge so far on my end has been what's happened
31:06while the album is ending.
31:08It has been so stressful for me personally.
31:11It's one of those feelings where I feel like I'm holding on
31:15and then I'm holding on really tight and it's about to be released.
31:19And I'm like, wait, I don't know if I'm ready for it to be out.
31:22Yeah, I feel that.
31:23It's like you make a whole thing and it's a very unique situation
31:29being an artist or producer.
31:31You have this whole thing that nobody knows about or even hears.
31:37And then all of a sudden the whole world gets to hear it at the same time.
31:41And it's like you're letting all your little babies go into the world.
31:45And I think the biggest challenge for me
31:49was the temperature you like to keep the studio.
31:53Wow, I was ready for some real deep answer.
31:58It was so unbelievably hot in the studio.
32:01Yeah, why do you think I'm in the sun right now?
32:03Yeah, unbelievably hot.
32:04This feels incredible.
32:05I recorded this thing in a sauna.
32:07I'm sorry, I love the heat.
32:09Biggest challenge?
32:10Well, at this point, maybe you have heard it.
32:12Maybe you're about to hear it.
32:14We had a great time making it.
32:16Hopefully you like it.
32:17If you don't, you can play something else.
32:21If you do like it, thank you.
32:24Thank you for having us.
32:26Yeah, thanks for coming to our house.
32:28Get the fuck out.
32:40I love you.