This article delves deep into the relationship between Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco, exploring who Blanco really is beyond public perception, why this connection differs fundamentally from Gomez’s previous high-profile relationships, and how their impending marriage represents a new chapter of personal fulfillment rather than professional calculation.
Who is Benny Blanco? The Man Behind the Music
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Benjamin Joseph Levin, known professionally as Benny Blanco, was born on March 8, 1988, in Reston, Virginia, to Sandra and Andrew Levin. Raised in a Jewish household with his older brother, Benny’s childhood was shaped by his cultural heritage and early passion for music. He attended Jewish summer camp Camp Airy in Thurmont, Maryland, where he hosted a radio show called “Ebba Ebba”—an early indication of his future in the music industry. Blanco’s stage name was inspired by John Leguizamo’s character in the 1993 film “Carlito’s Way,” a nod to his early aspirations as a white rapper.
Blanco’s breakthrough came through his mentorship under producer Dr. Luke, which led to collaborations on major hits like Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” Kesha’s “TiK ToK,” and Britney Spears’ “Circus”. His career trajectory shifted from aspiring rapper to prolific producer when he concluded that “no one cares what a chubby Jewish kid from Virginia thinks” and decided to focus on making beats instead.
Accolades and Artistic Recognition
Despite his relatively low public profile compared to his famous fiancée, Blanco has achieved remarkable success in the music industry. With 11 Grammy nominations, five BMI Songwriter of the Year Awards, and the 2013 Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Blanco has established himself as one of the most influential behind-the-scenes figures in contemporary music. He has worked with an impressive array of artists including Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Halsey, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Rihanna, and The Weeknd, contributing to albums and singles that have sold a cumulative 500 million album-equivalent units.
Beyond Music: Culinary Ventures and Personal Passions
Blanco has also made a name for himself in the food industry, publishing a cookbook titled “Open Wide: A Cookbook for Friends” in 2024. The book shares traditional recipes and childhood memories, such as visiting Jewish delis with his father. In discussing his culinary project, Blanco highlighted how Jewish cuisine has served as “such a lubricant bringing my friends and family together in a way that is pretty magical”. This passion for food and bringing people together reflects Blanco’s grounded nature despite his professional success.
The Foundation of a Relationship: What Selena Sees in Benny
Providing Stability After Turmoil
According to insiders close to the couple, Blanco embodies something Gomez has coveted above all else: stability. Gomez’s life has been anything but predictable since childhood. Born to a 16-year-old mother and thrust into child stardom at just , Gomez never experienced a normal childhood. Her very public, on-and-off relationship with Justin Bieber dominated headlines for years, followed by serious health challenges including a lupus diagnosis that ultimately required a kidney transplant in 2017, and later a bipolar disorder diagnosis in 2020 after suffering a breakdown and spending time in a mental health facility.
A source close to Gomez explained: “Yes, they are both aware that Selena is worth so much more than Benny” (with Gomez’s net worth estimated at $1.3 billion compared to Blanco’s reported $50 million), but it was precisely Blanco’s lack of ulterior motive that warmed Gomez to the music producer. The insider noted that Blanco has already signed a prenuptial agreement to “show [Gomez] that he wants nothing more from her than her love”.
Emotional Compatibility and Shared Values
Those wondering what Gomez sees in Blanco need only look at her own descriptions of their relationship. In a birthday tribute to Blanco, Gomez wrote: “Your emotional endurance, positive disposition, unbelievable talent (that blows me away), undeniable humor and loving, kind heart absolutely kill me”. This description speaks to the emotional foundation of their relationship—one built on mutual respect, admiration, and emotional support.
The couple also shares complementary values, particularly when it comes to family and heritage. Gomez has happily embraced Blanco’s Jewish traditions, joining him and his friends for Passover seder in 2024. While Gomez (who was raised Catholic) won’t be converting to Judaism, Blanco has revealed that they want their future children “to have both of our values” and “both of our morals” to “mix them up in a pot”.
Table: Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco – Key Relationship Milestones
| Date | Milestone | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Late 2023 | Relationship Begins | First confirmed as couple |
| December 2024 | Engagement Announced | Gomez shares photos with enormous diamond ring |
| January 2025 | First Red Carpet | Appearance at Golden Globes where Nikki Glaser roasted them |
| March 2025 | Joint Interview | Feature in Interview Magazine’s March issue |
| March 2025 | Collaborative Album | Release of “I Said I Love You First” |
| August 2025 | Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties | Separate celebrations in Las Vegas and Cabo |
The Public Journey: From Private Romance to Red Carpet Appearances
Initial Announcement and Fan Reactions
When Gomez first confirmed her relationship with Blanco in December 2024, she did so with a series of at-home shots showcasing her enormous diamond engagement ring. The announcement was met with mixed reactions from fans, with some expressing confusion about the pairing. Social media responses ranged from “I don’t get what she sees in him” to “She can do so much better,” with some even going as far as to call him her future “ugly husband”.
Handling Public Scrutiny with Humor
The couple has faced public teasing about their relationship, most notably at the 2025 Golden Globes when host Nikki Glaser roasted them: “Selena Gomez is here with Benny Blanco, her new fiancé, and Benny Blanco is here because of the genie who granted him that wish”. Rather than taking offense, the couple was shown laughing awkwardly in the audience, demonstrating their ability to handle public scrutiny with grace and humor.
During the same event, Gomez’s “Only Murders in the Building” co-star Martin Short famously examined her engagement ring on camera, a moment that went viral and showcased how her colleagues have embraced the relationship. Gomez has since confirmed that she expects Short to deliver a speech at their wedding, joking that “Steve [Martin] will probably pull out his banjo” but “Marty would have an epic speech” .
Collaborative Projects and Creative Partnership
Beyond their personal relationship, Gomez and Blanco have developed a professional partnership as well. In February 2025, they announced their collaborative album “I Said I Love You First,” which was released on March 21, 2025. The project represents a deep creative synergy between them, with Gomez noting: “I genuinely feel like this is such a special time that we get to apply it to this album and really just pour our heart into it, and completely translate what we feel and bring it to the world”.
Wedding Plans: What We Know So Far
Delay in Planning Due to Busy Schedules
Despite their engagement in December 2024, the couple has been surprisingly slow to plan their actual wedding. Both have attributed this delay to their hectic professional schedules. Blanco detailed their busy timelines on the “Therapuss” podcast: “We got engaged, and then we were filming music videos for our album…Then it’s holidays. Then right after the holidays, we had to start all the promo for our stuff…Then she left to film her show Only Murders [in the Building] and then I met her, then we hung out for a week, and then right after that, it’s promo. And then I’m writing another book…”.
Gomez confirmed this assessment, adding: “It’s just there’s so much kind of happening in the moment with [him] working on some projects that he has to wrap up. And we just have things we want to finish in our own personal endeavors before we get into all the nitty-gritty”.
Vision for a “Chill” Celebration
When they do eventually marry, Blanco has indicated that the wedding will be “chill” but “amazing”. This aligns with their low-key approach to their relationship thus far, which has focused more on private moments of connection than public displays. Blanco shared insight into their dynamic: “I just want to lay in bed and forget what day it is. We’ve been in bed just watching stuff…but with Selena, I can do it all day. She makes me want to hang out and cuddle, just watch things, just eat food, and have piles of food around us and have the best time ever”.
Guest List and Special Roles
While details remain scarce, reports suggest the nuptials will be intimate, attended only by the couple’s close friends and family. invitations have apparently already been mailed, including to Gomez’s longtime friend Taylor Swift and her boyfriend Travis Kelce. Guests have been asked “to bring overnight bags to stay for the weekend,” suggesting a multi-day celebration.
Gomez has specifically indicated that she expects Martin Short to deliver a speech at the wedding, telling Drew Barrymore: “Marty is due to give a speech…I told him he must”. She also joked about the possibility of Steve Martin performing with his banjo during the celebration.
Bachelor and Bachelorette celebrations
Evidence suggests the couple may have already celebrated their bachelor and bachelorette parties in August 2025. Gomez was spotted with friends on a luxury yacht in Cabo San Lucas, while Blanco apparently celebrated in Las Vegas with a relaxing spa day that he described as “the most healing place on earth”. True to his foodie reputation, Blanco documented celebratory meals including caviar and bagels from Sadelle’s, tagging Resorts World Las Vegas with the caption: “I’ll never forget this weekend”.
Why Benny Blanco Differs From Previous Partners
Moving Beyond the “Jelena” Era
Gomez’s relationship with Blanco stands in stark contrast to her highly publicized romance with Justin Bieber, which dominated celebrity news cycles for nearly a decade. The relationship with Bieber was characterized by public drama, breakups, and reconciliations that played out in front of millions. With Blanco, Gomez has found a relationship that exists largely away from the spotlight, focused on domestic contentment rather than public admiration.
Emotional Maturity and Compatibility
At 36, Blanco is slightly older than Gomez’s previous partners, bringing a level of emotional maturity and career stability that aligns with Gomez’s current life stage. While Gomez achieved fame as a teenager, Blanco’s career didn’t take off until he was well into adulthood, allowing him to experience a more normal upbringing and develop outside the bubble of child stardom. This difference in experience has likely contributed to his grounded perspective and ability to provide the stability Gomez craves.
Mutual Respect for Each Other’s Careers
Unlike some celebrity relationships where one partner’s career overshadows the other’s, Gomez and Blanco have demonstrated mutual respect for each other’s professional accomplishments. They’ve chosen to collaborate musically rather than compete, creating art together that reflects their personal connection. Gomez, despite her significantly greater fame and wealth, has never diminished Blanco’s accomplishments, instead praising his “unbelievable talent (that blows me away)”.
Looking Toward the Future: Marriage, Family, and Continued Collaboration
Balancing Personal and Professional Lives
As they move toward marriage, Gomez and Blanco seem committed to maintaining both their personal connection and creative partnership. Their collaborative album suggests they’ve found a way to merge their professional lives without sacrificing their relationship—a challenge for many celebrity couples. Blanco’s establishment of a prenuptial agreement demonstrates a practical approach to their financial disparity while affirming that his intentions are focused on their emotional connection rather than material gains.
Plans for Family and Cultural Traditions
The couple has already discussed how they plan to raise their future children, with Blanco revealing they want their children to have “both of our values” and “both of our morals” to “mix them up in a pot”. This approach reflects a blending of traditions—Gomez’s Mexican-American Catholic background with Blanco’s Jewish heritage—creating a multicultural environment for their future family.
Navigating Health Challenges Together
Gomez’s ongoing health challenges related to lupus and bipolar disorder will likely require continued support and understanding from Blanco. Based on his behavior thus far—standing by her through hospitalizations and mental health treatments—Blanco appears committed to providing the stable partnership Gomez needs to manage these challenges. His apparent devotion during difficult times suggests a depth of character that may not be immediately apparent to those judging their relationship from the outside.
Conclusion: A Relationship Redefining Hollywood Love Stories
The relationship between Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco represents a new paradigm for Hollywood partnerships—one based on emotional compatibility rather than physical perfection, on private connection rather than public perception, and on mutual support rather than transactional benefits. While their pairing may have initially confused fans accustomed to more visually symmetrical celebrity couples, time has revealed the depth of their connection and the genuine love they share.
As they prepare to marry, Gomez and Blanco are crafting a relationship that defies superficial expectations and instead prioritizes the elements that truly sustain partnerships: emotional support, shared values, mutual respect, and genuine affection. Their story serves as a reminder that love often appears in unexpected packages, and that the best relationships are those that provide comfort, stability, and acceptance rather than perfect Instagram photos.
In Blanco, Gomez has found not a fairy tale prince charming, but something ultimately more valuable: a real-life partner who loves her for herself rather than her celebrity, who supports her through health challenges, and who provides the stability she has always craved. Their upcoming marriage represents not just the union of two people, but the convergence of two seemingly different worlds that have found unexpected harmony. As Gomez herself declared when announcing their engagement: “Forever begins now…”
