Five Years Alone – And a String of Dates That Went Nowhere
After her ultimate separation from Bieber and the subsequent mental health challenges, Selena entered what she would later describe as five years of essential solitude. Though rumors circulated, linking her to figures like Zayn Malik and The Chainsmokers' Drew Taggart, none of these connections ever solidified. She engaged in dates that proved fruitless, gradually reconstructing herself away from the public eye of a relationship. Selena herself confessed to having experienced merely a handful of poor dates over half a decade. By the time Benny Blanco appeared, she had almost abandoned the idea of finding someone who could genuinely manage the multifaceted difficulties inherent in being Selena Gomez.