Hilary Duff Addresses Age Gap Relationship That Inspired Her New Music

Hilary Duff is using music as an outlet for her nostalgia!

The star, who recently returned to music, mustered the courage to finally address a controversial relationship she was involved in at a young age with a significantly older guy.

Hilary Duff has since moved on from that chapter of her life and is currently married to music producer Matthew Koma, with three daughters to show for their years together.

The new single, titled "Mature," will offer fans a close glimpse and probably answer the unending questions that trailed her rumored relationship with Joel Madden at the time.

The actress reportedly dated the boy band member when she was 16 and he was 25. She explained in her new interview with Vogue that the track is a mix of her autobiography and her artistic dexterity, noting:

"I was looking back on this relationship and thinking about whether this guy had a habit of dating younger women or whether I was special."

Duff noted that the process of making that music was healing as she got to be vulnerable and write about those normal conversations that do not give one the opportunity to. She described the upbeat pop track as a "little conversation" between her present self and younger self.

Duff added that some of the song lyrics also addressed her reality in these past relationships, where she wondered if she was being her authentic self or just an extended reality of these men she dated.

The Blast shared that the singer's 2015 interview, where she dropped a shocking revelation about intimacy with her then-older boyfriend, made waves again on Reddit last month. Duff had stated that she lost her virginity to her 26-year-old boyfriend at the time, although she did not give a specific name.

Reddit subscribers instantly began dissecting the confessions in that interview and tagged Madden a cradle snatcher, and how age gap relationships were very normalized at the time.

Some other users admitted that they initially admired that relationship while growing up, but now that they are older, they find it disturbing that a grown man like Madden was comfortable enough to flaunt his romance with Duff back then.

Madden and Duff, alongside his wife Nicole Richie, apparently now share a close bond which some fans find hard to comprehend, given the history between the rockstar and the actress.

Duff revealed that music played an integral role in their relationship as they bonded over their love for the "Third Eye Blind" band on the first date. They later did a cover of "Never Let You Go" with RAC, and she recalled approaching him to be on the project.

"Mature" marks another episode where they would work together on an original song of hers, and she described the collab with golden words. In her words:

"He's just the best f-cking human and my number-one cheerleader. He believes in me beyond any vision I have for myself. I couldn't imagine making new music with anyone else."

The actress also explained in the interview that making music at such a young age was a huge risk for her, and it was even harder to step away from it when she did. Now that she has made a grand return, Duff is fully convinced the time is now and very right too.

Her new track is her first official release under her new Atlantic Records deal, and it was brought to life with hard work from her, her producer husband, and Madison Love.

The Disney alum is absolutely wrapping up her 2025 with a cute bow on top. Not only did her fans get new music, butthey will also get to see a front-row view of everything that went into her return to music and the stage. 

As shared by The Blast, the docuseries promises to give the public a closer look into rehearsals, studio sessions, and the singer preparing for her first live performance in more than a decade.

The project will spotlight the challenges, triumphs, and everything in between that defined Duff's journey back into the business of making music.

Sam Wrench is reportedly behind the cameras and has worked with big names like Taylor Swift, which is an indicator that the docuseries is about to be a phenomenal drop.

The TV personality instantly knew Koma would be a valuable friend after they met for the first time in 2015 during a collaboration for Duff’s “Breathe In. Breathe Out” album. 

They dated on and off from 2017 till they eventually walked down the aisle in 2019 and even welcomed a daughter a year before.

PEOPLE reported that Duff and Koma tied the knot in an intimate wedding held in the front yard of their Los Angeles home and officiated by Duff’s pals and actors Molly Bernard and Chris Mintz-Plasse.

Koma represented a new horizon for the actress who had once resolved never to get married again after her marriage to Mike Comrie failed. By 2021, Duff and the producer expanded their family with another daughter, and two years later, she announced that she was expecting her fourth child with the producer.

The couple celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary last year with a touching social media tribute from Koma, who declared his enduring love for the mother-of-four.

It is great to have Hilary Duff back in the booth and on our playlists!