Selena Gomez released her fourth album, “I Said I Love You First” on March 21. Gomez’s fiancé, Benny Blanco, collaborated with her on the album.   

The album begins with a rather interesting first track, “I Said I Love You First.” The first track is not a song. Rather, the track, “I Said I Love You First,” is a 45 second recording of Gomez thanking and paying tribute to those closest to her. In the recording, Gomez said, “You’ve helped me grow up and watched me grow up, and I really hope that I won’t let you down with everything else that I do. So, thank you for being a part of my life and the beginning of something I hope lasts a long time.”  

 The first song of the set list is “Younger And Hotter Than Me.” The song has a piano melody in the background and doesn’t seem to have another instrument to buttress the lyrics. The lack of other instrumental chords in the background suggests a rather melancholy, vulnerable tone in the song. Instinctively, listeners pay more attention to this song’s lyrics. The background music is not the point. Rather, the lyrics evoke a sense of grief towards getting older, especially as a woman. In the song, Gomez sings, “All of the girls at this party / Are younger and hotter than me.” Referring to a past romantic partner, Gomez regrets “…thinkin’ you were different / Wish I never loved you / We’re not getting’ any younger / But your girlfriends seem to.” By pointing out the beauty standards projected upon women, the song insinuates there is a double standard when it comes to men and women as they age.  

“Call Me When You Break Up” is another song on the track list and features Gracie Abrams. It is a peppy, light-hearted song about trying to maintain a friendship through life, especially when one friend gets into a romantic relationship that consumes their time. Highlighted in its music video, Abrams’ and Gomez’s voices bring out the bounciness of the song.  

The next song is “Ojos Tristes,” which translates to “Sad Eyes” in English. The Marías, a band, also collaborate with Gomez and Blanco in this song, which has a mellow tempo compared to “Call Me When You Break Up.” The music is soft as it describes the lingering effects of love and a breakup.  

“Sunset Boulevard,” however, produces a groovy contrast with mellow songs. The song has received attention from its retro music video. The song’s beat resembles those of 1980s music, which could be good for driving down the road with the windows down. While the beat is a fun remix of groovy music, the pre-chorus offsets the tempo of the song. The lyrics are somewhat puzzling at times, but the beat of the music can put listeners in a good mood.  

One final song to consider is the last of the album, “Scared of Loving You.” The title alludes to Gomez’s self-growth over the years. During the chorus, Gomez says, “’Cause I’m not scared of lovin’ you / I’m just scared of losin’ you.” The final song reflects the heart of the album—honesty.