It’s been nearly three years since Cher surprised the world by stepping out with music executive Alexander “AE” Edwards, and while their relationship continues to thrive, not everyone has been kind about it.
The couple first crossed paths in September 2022 at Paris Fashion Week, where Cher was a longtime fixture. Edwards, 39, is a singer and currently serves as Vice President of A&R at Def Jam Records. He’s also known for his past relationship with Amber Rose, with whom he shares a son.
By November of that year, sparks had officially flown. The pair were photographed hand-in-hand in Los Angeles after weeks of late-night texting, confirming what fans already suspected: Cher had found new love at 79.
Yet from the very beginning, their romance has drawn heavy scrutiny due to their staggering age gap of 40 years. Critics on social media and Reddit often question the dynamic, with some dismissing the pairing as “weird” or “creepy.” One user bluntly remarked: “I’m sorry but he looks like her son.”
Others have voiced skepticism about what the two could possibly have in common. “I can’t imagine having much in common with someone that much younger than me,” one wrote. “Like, what do y’all even talk about?”
Still, the backlash hasn’t dimmed Cher’s enthusiasm for her relationship. Shortly after confirming the romance on Twitter in 2022, she clapped back at naysayers with a simple but cutting message: “Love doesn’t know math.”
Plenty of fans agree with her. Many have rallied around the couple, praising Cher for unapologetically living life on her own terms. “She IS a rich man, look at her dating someone 40 years younger,” one fan tweeted. Another added simply: “She seems happy.”
And by all accounts, she is. In an interview with PEOPLE, Cher admitted she broke her own rules by falling for Edwards: “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!”
As for what keeps them connected, the music icon insists their shared love of art, humor, and family keeps things strong. “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. We just get each other,” she told Extra.
Still, Cher admits their generational gap does show at times. Laughing, she recalled once asking Edwards if he knew who Clark Gable was: “Most of my references, he’ll look at me and go, ‘I wasn’t born yet.’”
But in the end, that doesn’t bother her. Cher has always lived boldly, and her relationship with Edwards seems to be no exception. Nearly three years in, she’s proven that she couldn’t care less about critics—and instead is focused on enjoying a love that defies expectations.
