Music producer Benny Blanco recently revealed that his mother, Sandra Levin, encouraged him to marry Selena Gomez years before the couple ever started dating. The surprising admission came during a recent episode of the "Friends Keep Secrets" podcast .

Blanco recalled a 2019 video shoot with Gomez when his mother offered some unexpected advice. At the time, the producer was in a relationship with someone else. His mother, who was present on set, suggested he should marry the actress and singer .

"I'm dating someone else, OK? My mom's on the video shoot, and she says, she's just sitting there, she's like, 'Hon, you should marry Selena'," Blanco shared on the podcast .

The 38-year-old record producer admitted he was initially taken aback by the comment. He said his mother responded by telling him he should be with someone like Gomez .

Blanco said he and Gomez were friendly at the time but not especially close. However, he remembered being struck by her personality after working together. He recalled a couple of instances where he left a session with her thinking she was "really cool" .

An ex-girlfriend later reminded Blanco that he had spoken positively about Gomez even while they were together in past relationships. She reached out to congratulate the couple after they tied the knot .

The 12-time Grammy nominee confirmed that his mother planted the seed for their relationship. He described Gomez as "sweet" and said she "has her head on her shoulders" .

"Everyone says you always marry your best friend. That's how it works. And she's my f****** best friend," Blanco said .

The couple began dating in mid-2023, with Gomez confirming their relationship that December . They announced their engagement in December 2024 and were married in September 2025 .