Selena Gomez is crediting her fiancé Benny Blanco for helping her find her "sound" after years of feeling "frustrated" musically.

In a new joint interview with Rolling Stone, the couple talked about the creative process behind their upcoming collaborative album I Said I Love You First, out Friday, including how the music producer helped his fiancée reconnect with music after a years-long hiatus. Gomez hasn't released a full studio album since 2020's Rare, though she released her Revelación EP the following year and has shared a few singles like "Love On" in the meantime.

One of the reasons the Rare Beauty founder took an extended break from making new music was that she felt "very frustrated and kind of confused on where I wanted to go next musically," per People. Fortunately for her, she had Blanco on her side to assist in her journey.

"And we had been together for a while, and obviously I would confide in him. I couldn't figure out my sound," she said. "It helps that he knows a little bit about music, and it kind of happened organically to where I felt like this process was unlike any other process I'd ever been through."

Gomez shared some of the small ways her fiancé would help channel her creativity, like giving her a pen as soon as she woke up so she could "write what was on her mind" before they would use her thoughts to create a song, which Blanco called a "cathartic" feeling.

"Then we'd go into the other room and create it, and it became a song. It was such a cathartic and therapeutic experience," said Blanco.

Singles "Scared of Loving You," "Sunset Blvd" and "Call Me When You Break Up," the latter of which features Gracie Abrams, have already been released and given fans a hint of what to expect on the new album. I Said I Love You First drops March 21.

Jeff Stevens