Just 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.
Curious how we got 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.
December 9, 2023: Selena 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 captioned 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.”
Instagram/@selenagomez
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.