Benny Blanco talks Selena Gomez engagement, wedding plans, OCD, and Billie Eilish origins
Record producer and chart-topping songwriter Benny Blanco offered rare personal insight during a new episode of Therapuss, the hit podcast hosted by Jake Shane. Speaking openly about his relationship with Selena Gomez, his mental health journey, and his early work with Billie Eilish, Blanco revealed sides of himself that often remain outside the spotlight.
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco attend the 97th annual Oscars at Ovation Hollywood on March 2, 2025 in Hollywood, California.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
In the wide-ranging interview released this week on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, Blanco discussed his recent engagement to global pop star and actress Selena Gomez. Although the couple has yet to begin planning the details of their wedding, Blanco conveyed that both he and Gomez are enjoying a period of calm before the bustle begins.
“I’ve been working nonstop,” Blanco said. “Right now, I just want to relax. Being with Selena makes that easy—we spend days just in bed, watching shows, eating, enjoying time together.”
The couple aims to begin planning their celebration later this summer. When host Jake Shane joked that the event would be a major party, Blanco countered with a laugh: “It’ll be chill.”
The conversation then shifted to Blanco’s lifelong experience with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Speaking with vulnerability, the multi-platinum producer recalled the compulsive rituals he developed in childhood as a way to manage intrusive thoughts. One of those included a vocal tic—“mmph”—which he believed kept his loved ones safe.
Now in adulthood, Blanco continues to navigate his compulsions, which still manifest in subtle ways throughout the day. “I make fake coughs or touch parts of my face. It happens hundreds of times daily, completely involuntarily,” he explained. Over time, he's learned to limit the behaviors that might impact others while embracing certain harmless habits. “I still make sure everything in my shower faces forward. That’s just who I am.”
Music fans were particularly struck by a surprising connection Blanco made during the podcast. He revealed that Wizards of Waverly Place, the Disney Channel series that catapulted Selena Gomez to fame, served as creative inspiration for Billie Eilish’s breakout hit Bad Guy.
“I know the theme song from Wizards, and it actually inspired ‘Bad Guy,’” Blanco said. He then recounted meeting a 14-year-old Eilish and her brother FINNEAS before she had ever performed live. “They didn’t need my help. They’ve always created magic together. It’s incredible.”
Blanco’s candid appearance on Therapuss adds to a lineup of previous guests that includes music industry names like Tate McRae, Renee Rapp, Charli XCX, Joe Jonas, and Lorde.
