Fans have long hoped to see Selena Gomez find lasting love, especially after her high-profile and tumultuous relationship with Justin Bieber, which ended in 2018.
The heartbreak that followed was widely covered, leaving many rooting for the singer-actress to find happiness in the years since.
In 2023, Gomez found herself the subject of numerous dating rumours, with connections to Zayn Malik and Drew Taggart of The Chainsmokers making headlines. However, she quickly set the record straight on social media, joking about her single status. But everything changed when Benny Blanco entered the picture.
Blanco, a talented music producer behind hits for artists like Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, and even Bieber, was already familiar to Gomez from their past collaborations. He had worked on tracks for the likes of Halsey and Kesha, and their creative partnership soon blossomed into something more.
The two quietly began dating in mid-2023, keeping their relationship low-key before eventually going public with their love.
Since then, the couple has been open about their affection for one another as they revealed their engagement on Tuesday with a heartfelt announcement.
Here’s a look at the timeline of Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s relationship from friends to fiancé:
March 2019: They release ‘I Can’t Get Enough’ together
YouTube/Selena Gomez
Long before their romance blossomed, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco worked together on the song, I Can’t Get Enough, which also featured Tainy and J Balvin.
In the music video, Gomez wore cozy pajamas while Blanco appeared dressed as an oversized white teddy bear, sharing a playful scene together.
The pair reunited professionally in 2023 when Blanco collaborated on Gomez’s single, Single Soon, released in August 2023.
December 2023: Gomez confirms she’s dating Blanco
After rumours about their romance swirled, Gomez confirmed her relationship with Blanco through a series of comments on Instagram.
“He is my absolute everything in my heart,” she wrote on a now-deleted post from a fan account. She continued responding to other comments, saying: “I don’t understand. If you actually care about me. This is my happiest. If you don’t, feel free to say whatever you want.
“But I will never allow your words to guide my life. Ever. I’m done. If you can’t accept me at my happiest then don’t be in [my] life at all.”
At the time, she also revealed that she and Blanco had already been dating for six months, telling one fan, “It’s been 6 months bb.”
Following her confirmation, Gomez offered fans an intimate look into her romance with the music producer.
On her Instagram Story, she shared a tender photo of Blanco cuddling her while she hugged him, opting not to include a caption. In a recap post of her “favorite moments” from her time in New York City that week, Gomez included a sweet black-and-white snap of herself lying on Blanco’s lap as they embraced, with Blanco leaning over to kiss her.
She also shared a series of photos of Blanco on her Instagram Story, including a close-up of a ring featuring the letter “B” — seemingly a nod to her new man’s initials.
December 2023: Gomez speaks about their ‘special connection’
Just days after confirming her romance with Blanco, Gomez’s cover story with Vogue México y Latinoamérica was published. In the interview, she shared that she values a “special connection” with a partner 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,” she said. “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.”
January 2024: The music producer goes Instagram official with Gomez
The couple started the new year on a sweet note, with Blanco sharing a photo of Gomez smiling at the camera on his Instagram Story. He followed it with another snap of her grinning and playfully covering her face.
After the social media post, they made their first official public appearance as a couple at a Los Angeles Lakers game against the Miami Heat in January. Sitting courtside, Gomez rested her head on Blanco’s shoulder, and at another point, they were seen holding hands as they watched the action unfold.
January 2024: They attend their first red carpet event together
Although they skipped walking the red carpet together, Gomez shared intimate moments with Blanco on her Instagram Story during the Golden Globes. One photo captured the couple sharing a tender kiss backstage, while another showed Blanco hugging Gomez and kissing her neck.
Instagram/Selena Gomez
Their love took center stage later at the 2023 Emmy Awards, where they posed together in their seats.
In a sweet snapshot, Gomez leaned on Blanco’s shoulder as he held her hand, both smiling warmly for the camera.
February 2024: Gomez says Blanco makes her feel ‘safe’
During an appearance on New Music Daily with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 to promote her single Love On, Gomez opened up about their relationship.
She explained: “Without getting into too much detail, I think it’s just really important to meet someone that respects you.
“And I think it’s really nice to also lean on someone who understands the world that I live in. But I’d have to say overall it’s the safest that I feel and it’s been really lovely and I’ve only grown through it, so it’s awesome.”’
May 2024: Blanco reveals he sees marriage in their future
During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Blanco shared that marriage is in his and Gomez’s future, though he admitted he hasn’t bought a ring yet.
“When I look at her … I’m always just like, I don’t know a world where it could be better than this,” he admitted, later adding, “People always said this to me, when you know you meet your best friend, she truly is my best friend.”
Blanco was forthright about his longterm plans with the Golden Globe nominee in the same interview and revealed they want to have kids. “That’s my next goal, to check the box,” the producer said of becoming a father. “It’s always a topic of conversation to me every day.”
But it wasn’t only Blanco who had family planning on the brain but also Gomez, who opened up about her desire to become a mother that same month in her TIME100 cover story.
Instagram/Selena Gomez
She first made light of Blanco’s honesty during his appearance on The Howard Stern Show, and said: “He can’t lie to save his life… If he’s asked a question, he’ll answer it.”
The Only Murders in the Building star also shared that even if she hadn’t started dating Blanco, she would have pursued motherhood on her own. “I was alone for five years, and I got really used to it,” she explained. “I probably tortured myself in my head for like two years being alone, and then I kind of accepted it. Then I came up with my plan, which was I was going to adopt at 35 if I hadn’t met anyone.”
July 2024: Gomez calls Blanco the ‘love of my life’
For her 32nd birthday, Gomez celebrated by the beach with Blanco and friends, sharing a glimpse of her letter ‘B’ charm necklace on social media. Blanco also posted a heartfelt message, reflecting on one of their first collaborations, I Can’t Get Enough, with Tainy and J Balvin, where he had dressed as a white teddy bear.
He wrote: “I used to play a teddy bear in your music video and now I get to be yours in real life… Happy birthday, bb! I love you!” Later, Gomez shared a photo on her Story of him kissing her forehead, captioning it: “Love of my life.”
August 2024: Spark engagement speculation
Instagram/Selena Gomez
Engagement rumours first surfaced in August 2024 when Gomez shared a bathroom selfie with Blanco, using a heart emoji to cover her ring finger, leading many to speculate that she was hiding an engagement ring.
The post came shortly after gossip account Deuxmoi shared a ‘blind item’ suggesting that a famous couple had gotten engaged over the Fourth of July weekend after a year of dating. Gomez appeared to put the rumours to rest by posting another bathroom selfie with Blanco soon after, this time clearly showing her hand without a ring.
December 2024: They announce their engagement
Gomez announced their engagement in a heartfelt Instagram post on Tuesday (December 12). The Who Says singer posted close-up photos of her stunning marquise-cut diamond ring as well as a sweet video ringing a loved one to share the joyous news.
Captioning the post, she wrote: “Forever begins now…” while Blanco added his own excitement in the comments, writing: “Hey wait… that’s my wife.” The Grammy-nominated producer appeared to propose during a cosy nighttime picnic, complete with Taco Bell as part of the romantic setup.
The happy news sparked a flood of well wishes from her followers, which include a host of Hollywood stars.
Singer and model Suki Waterhouse posted: “Congratulations beauty!”
While Jennifer Aniston chimed in and said: “HONEY!! Congratulations sweet mama!”
Cardi B followed suit: “Waiiiitttt hold on”
Lily Collins said: “Ahhhhhhhh yes yes yes!! Best news ever. Couldn’t be more happy for you both”