Selena Gomez has found a solution to her chronic heartbreak, and it isn’t another Hollywood cookie cutter 

Ever since Gomez stepped out with Blanco, the internet has been abuzz, debating the curious pairing. While beauty is subjective, let’s just say Blanco doesn’t fit Hollywood’s cookie-cutter “leading man” aesthetic. But it seems Gomez couldn’t care less about public opinion — and she’s even contemplating a long-term future with him.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gomez opened up about why she’s decided to go public with her romance after keeping previous relationships more private. When asked about her decision, she candidly replied, “I see a future with this person.”

For Gomez, this relationship isn’t about meeting anyone’s expectations but her own. “I guess this is the safest I’ve ever felt in one,” she shared, suggesting how prioritizing her well-being has shifted her perspective. She also explained that being open about their love has helped ease some of the constant speculation about her personal life.

“And when you put a little bit out there, people are not as hungry to hunt you down. Like, if they hear something, they’re going to, but if you’re like, ‘I did it,’ they’re like, ‘Oh, well there’s you, just going to Sushi Park.’ But there’s so much of my relationship people don’t see, that’s just mine.”

While Gomez is happily leaning into her new romance, not everyone in her fanbase is thrilled. Some have been vocal about their hope that she’ll reconsider and walk away from him while others speculate she’s flaunting the relationship just to stir up reactions.

Looking back, Gomez’s Justin Bieber. But the “Who Says” hitmaker seems uninterested in reliving past chapters, as she’s standing firm in her choice to be with Blanco.

When critics chimed in with negative comments about her beau last year, Gomez didn’t hold back. In response to one particularly harsh remark about her boyfriend, she said, “Oh, sweetheart. I’ve been in therapy since I was 18. I know what’s best for me and I will fight till I get what I deserve. … I’m not going to be with a f***boy ever again. Sorry to disappoint.”

Despite her unapologetic stance, some fans remain fixated on Blanco’s unconventional appeal. It’s not just about whether “beautiful people deserve beautiful people” — it’s the shock that someone outside the traditional mold of attractiveness is dating one of the world’s most beautiful women.

The buzz only intensified last week when Blanco appeared in People’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive issue. Many suspected that his inclusion was more about his high-profile relationship with Gomez than anything else, but the magazine actually praised his confidence, wit, and charm as key ingredients of his “sexy gentleman” appeal.

So whether fans love or loathe the pairing, one thing is clear: Gomez is steering her own ship away from the conventionally attractive men of Tinseltown and beyond, and she’s not looking back now that she has found true love in Blanco.