Everything Cher Has Said About Her Relationship (and Dating Younger Men!) as She Turns 78

No stranger to dating younger guys, the pop superstar has been open about her age-gap romance with beau Alexander "AE" Edwards

Cher just turned 78 — and she is as unapologetically herself as ever!

As she marked the milestone on May 20, the singer and actress is likely celebrating with her beau, music executive and rapper Alexander "AE" Edwards, 38, whose age turned heads when the couple was photographed holding hands in November 2022.

Since their public debut, the pair have made headlines after headline and inspired commentary about their 40-year age gap.

It was not the first time that Cher — who was famously married to Sonny Bono and later Gregg Allman — has dated a man decades her junior. In the 1980s, the "Believe" singer dated several men who fit that bill, including Val Kilmer, Tom Cruise and Rob Camilletti.

Reflecting on her romance with Kilmer in 2021, the music icon told PEOPLE that if she “hadn't gone out with younger men, I would have never had a date.” “Younger men weren't intimidated by older women,” she said at the time. “But older men in my age category, they weren't having it."

Related: Cher's Dating History: From Sonny Bono to Alexander Edwards

So, when confronted with concern and critiques of her relationship with Edwards, the pop superstar was — in true Cher fashion — unbothered.

Still going strong after a year and a half, here is everything Cher has said about the relationship — and dating younger men in general! — in recent years.

Cher Confirms Her Relationship with Edwards on Social Media

In the days after she and Edwards were first romantically linked, the “DJ Play a Christmas Song” singer did not shy away from the light, confirming her relationship with the music exec on X (formerly Twitter).

On Nov. 6, 2022, the star shared a cropped-in photo of Edwards, which she captioned, "Alexander ❤️." And, when asked if he was the performer’s "new man," she responded with a simple "🥰" emoji.

She also revealed that the pair met during Paris Fashion Week in September 2022.

Cher Says 'Love Doesn't Know Math'

Among the same posts, Cher, who was 76 at the time, further addressed the couple’s four-decade age gap in a now-deleted message, which read: "LOVE DOESN'T KNOW MATH, IT SEES ❤️ ❤️."

The “If I Could Turn Back Time” singer also went on to refer to a lesson she learned from Sogyal Rinpoche, a late Tibetan Buddhist teacher and author, saying that he told her, “Some people meet, others recognize.”

Related: Cher and Alexander 'AE' Edwards Bring Their Love to the Balmain Front Row in Coordinating Outfits

Elsewhere in her initial posts about Edwards, Cher told a fan that the rapper and music exec has been treating her like a "queen," and said that "everyone in my family has" met him.

Cher Brushes Off Concerns About Edwards' Intentions: 'Haters Are Gonna Hate'

After learning that Cher was dating Edwards, fans also delved into his last relationship with model Amber Rose — with whom he shares a son, Slash — learning that the three-year romance ended in August 2021 with Rose appearing to accuse Edwards of cheating on her with at least 12 different people. He later admitted to infidelity in an Instagram Live.

So, after a fan replied to Cher’s hard launch with concern about the music exec’s “intentions,” the singer clapped back, writing that she “WASN'T BORN YESTERDAY.” “What I know for sure, there are no guarantees,” she wrote in a now-deleted post. “Anytime you make a choice, you take a chance. I've always taken chances ... it's who I am."

In another now-deleted post, the Moonstruck star said: "BABE ENGLISH IS MY FIRST LANGUAGE. I'M IN ❤️ NOT BLINDED BY IT. KNOW WHAT I KNOW ... SMOKE DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN 🔥."

Related: Cher and Boyfriend Alexander Edwards Have Glam Date Night at Dolce & Gabbana Exhibition Opening in Milan

In a follow-up post, she also said will not defend her and Edwards’ relationship, adding, “Haters are gonna hate … Doesn't matter that we're happy and not bothering anyone."

Cher and Edwards Kiss 'Like Teenagers' She Says

Over Thanksgiving 2022, Cher shared another photo of Edwards — this time a shirtless pic of him lounging around in his boxers — and when asked what quality she most admires about her new man, she wrote: "He's Kind, Smart, Hilarious… & We [kiss emoji] Like Teenagers."

Cher Says That on 'Paper,' Her Relationship with Edwards Is 'Kind of Ridiculous'

While appearing on The Kelly Clarkson Show in December 2022, Cher opened up about her and Edwards’ relationship, telling host Clarkson that "on paper, it's kind of ridiculous.”

"But in real life, we get along great,” she said of the music exec. “He's fabulous. And I don't give men qualities that they don't deserve.”

Listing more qualities of Edwards she admires, she added: "He's very kind, very smart, he's very talented, and he's really funny — and I think he's quite handsome.”

Cher Says 'Older Men'; Don't Want to Date Her

During the same Kelly Clarkson Show appearance, Cher repeated her claim that only younger men want to be with her, telling Clarkson that she would've "never had a date" if she exclusively went for older guys.

"Older men just didn't like me all that much," she told the host. "Do you know what I mean? I have had a couple boyfriends that were hovering around my age, but they just didn't like me for some reason."

"And maybe younger men don't care if you're funny or outrageous and want to do stupid things, and you have the strong personality," she said, adding: "I'm not giving up my personality for anybody, OK?"

Cher Has 'No Words' After Edwards Gifts Her an Engagement-Like Ring

For Christmas 2022, Edwards gifted the pop icon an engagement-like diamond ring, Cher revealed by sharing a photo of the massive sparkler.

"THERE R NO WORDS," she wrote of the present.

A couple months after the rapper gifted Cher the ring, a source confirmed that though "very much in love," the couple was not engaged.

The insider said the pair were inseparable at a recent pre-Grammys party, noting that they "held hands all night and were very lovey-dovey and kissing often."

"They're not talking marriage or anything like that, but they are exclusive and serious," the source added.

Cher Says Edwards Taught Her It's 'Never Too Late' to Find Love

In October 2023, over a year after she and Edwards first met, the singer told PEOPLE that she was "not surprised” by the criticism the couple’s relationship inspired.

"Alexander’s got diamond teeth, tattoos, white hair, and he’s way younger. He’s a beautiful man,” Cher said of the rapper “Also, I think it’s fun to be interested in somebody else’s love life!”

Cher said that prior to her and Edwards' fashion-week meet-cute, “I had been telling all my friends, ‘We’re too old to go out with really younger men, and I will never fall in love on text.’ So I did what I said not to do!”

Related: Cher's Relationship with Alexander 'AE' Edwards Has 'Helped Ease the Pain' of Her Mom's Loss: Source

But the star broke her rules for the music exec — with whom she has also collaborated professionally — “because he’s just so special,” she said.

“I hate when people say people are special, but lots of people say I’m special, so I can say that he’s special," she told PEOPLE. "No matter what happens, I love being with him. He makes me laugh, and we have fun. What I learned is that it’s never too late. If you wrote out all the statistics, you would go, ‘Well, this is doomed.’ But we’ve been together a year, and if it was just a year, it would’ve been worth it. I’ve had the best time.”

Cher Says Edwards Doesn't Get 'Most of My References'

Also in October 2023, Cher opened up about one of the downsides of her age-gap relationship for the first time, telling Extra, “Sometimes I’m talking to him and he has no idea who I’m talking about… The other day, I said, ‘Do you know who, I don’t know, Clark Gable, [is]?’ Somebody said, ‘Yes, of course,’ but most of my references… He’ll look at me and go, ‘I wasn’t born yet.’ ”

Related: Cher and Alexander 'AE' Edwards Share Steamy Kiss as They Make Red Carpet Debut at Versace Show

But regardless, the Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again star said, she and the rapper “just get each other.” “I hate to talk about how happy I am, but no, we have a great time together,” she told Extra.

“We can talk music. We can talk about everything. He’s got a great sense of humor, he’s got the cutest son in the world, ever,” she added. “We just get each other.”

Cher Says All Women Should 'Go Out with a Younger Man'

While appearing on Chicken Shop Date in December 2023, host Amelia Dimoldenberg asked Cher what she thinks all women should do at least once in their life, and the singer responded: “Go out with a younger man.”

Cher Says Edwards Disproved Her 'Don't Ever Fall in Love by Text'; Theory

Elsewhere during her Chicken Shop conversation with the comedian and journalist, Cher said she fell for Edwards "not at all" quickly but — going against her own dating rules — did become quite fond of him over text.

"I left to go to Switzerland, and he texted me. He said, 'Where are you going?' I said, 'I'm going to Switzerland, I'm a little tired.' And then he wrote me, 'Well, get some rest babyyy.' And I went, he doesn't know me well enough to put three y's on baby," the singer recalled. "I was kind of pissed off. And then he just started texting me."

Added Cher: "I told my friends, don't fall in love with a younger man, we're too old, and don't ever fall in love by text. There goes that theory."

Cher Says Men Her Age and Up Are 'Terrified to Approach' Her

While appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show in May 2024, Cher echoed her previous reasoning for dating Edwards — and the other young men in her dating history.

The pop superstar told Hudson, “the reason I go out with young men is because men my age or older — well, now they’re all dead — but before they just never, they were always terrified to approach me and younger men were the only ones that...”

“They’re bold,” Hudson said, to which Cher replied: “Yeah, raised by women like me!"

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