Selena Gomez Reveals She Was Planning to Adopt Kids as a Single Mom Before Falling for Benny Blanco

One way or another, Selena Gomez is going to be a mom someday. The 31-year-old singer-actress revealed in her Wednesday (May 29) TIME100 cover story that before she began dating Benny Blanco, she had plans in place to adopt kids as a single mother within the next few years.  

Speaking to the publication — which is honoring her billion-dollar Rare Beauty business this month — Gomez said that she “got really used to” being single after not dating for five years. “A lot of people are afraid of being alone and I probably tortured myself in my head for like two years being alone,” she continued. “Then I kind of accepted it.” 

“Then I came up with my plan, which was I was going to adopt at 35 if I had not met anyone,” she added. 

That was before she fell in love with Blanco, of course. Now, the pair is actively talking about starting their family, with the producer revealing in a recent interview with Howard Stern that having kids with Gomez is “a topic of conversation to me every day.” 

“That’s my next goal, to check the box,” he added on the topic of becoming a father. “I take everything a day at a time and I just know that when I look at her, I just say, ‘I don’t know a world where it could be better than this.’ That’s what I always say to her.” 

Reacting to her partner’s candid response on Stern’s show, Gomez joked to the magazine, “He can’t lie to save his life … If he’s asked a question, he’ll answer it.”  

The Only Murders in the Building star also revealed more details in her cover story about how she and Blanco — who were longtime musical collaborators before getting involved romantically — first started dating back in summer 2023. Thinking of him only as a friend at first, Gomez had even asked the “Eastside” musician if he knew anyone he could set her up with.  

It wasn’t until he brought her to meet one of his pals at a birthday party that she realized she actually liked Blanco. “It just happens when you least expect it,” she said. “I just cherish every moment with him. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that he’s not going anywhere any time soon.” 

See Gomez’s TIME cover below.