Demi Lovato Fans Think Their New Song Addresses Age Gap With Ex Wilmer Valderrama

Demi Lovato fans have a theory about their new song, "29," off their forthcoming album, Holy Fvck, which is set to be released on Aug. 19. In a snippet of the track, Lovato seems to address the 13-year age difference between them and their ex-boyfriend, Wilmer Valderrama. 

In a TikTok posted by Demi_Artistry, the lyrics off the track are spelled out on the screen. "Fibre on the vine / too young to drink wine / Just five years of bleeders, student and a teacher," Lovato sings. "Far from innocent / what the f*ck's consent? / Numbers told you not to / but that didn't stop you."

"Finally 29 / Funny, just like you were you at the time," Lovato continues, seemingly referring to the age the now-42-year-old actor was when they started dating. "Thought it was a teenage dream / just a fantasy / But was it yours or was it mine?"

In the last bit of the song, Lovato repeats, "Seventeen, 29 / Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh / 17, 29," which were their respective ages when they were together.

Twitter users were quick to point out their theories of the song being about Valderrama. "Demi Lovato is coming for blood with this new album as they call out ex-Wilmer Vladerrama for dating them as a minor," one fan wrote. Another shared, ": lyrics from '29,' the 6th song of @ddlovato’s upcoming album #HOLYFVCK. The song recalls Lovato’s relationship with the actor Wilmer Valderrama."

Lovato has talked about meeting Valderrama in the past, noting that he was not interested in dating them while she was still underage.

"We shot a PSA together for the 2010 Census forms for Voto Latino. We shot them at his house, so we actually met there," they recalled to Complex magazine in 2015. "Of course, I was like, 'Oh my god. You're so attractive.' And he was like, 'You are not 18. Get away from me.' Then we became really good friends, and he was there for me through a number of situations and breakups and whatever. Then as I got older and we grew closer, it was like, 'Hey, maybe we should try this thing out.' We did, and we've basically been together ever since.'"

In their 2017 YouTube documentary, Simply Complicated, Lovato also talked about their age difference when they met.

"When I first met Wilmer he was 29. I met him on January 11 of 2010, and it was at a PSA shoot at his house for the 2010 census forms," they said. "To be honest, I only did it because I heard it was at his house and I thought he was really cute. I didn't really care about the census forms. But [when] I met him and I laid eyes on him for the first time, I was in hair and makeup and he came in and sat down and I was like 'I love this man' and 'I have to have him.' But I was only 17, so he was like, 'Get away from me.' After I turned 18, we began dating."

Lovato and Valderrama split in 2016 after almost six years of dating. The That 70's Show alum has been outspoken in his support of Lovato since then, even giving them a shoutout in January 2021 after Valderrama's animated film, Charming, which Lovato was a part of, hit Netflix.

"Thank you to our amazing team @officialwventertainment, and our incredible cast @ddlovato @avrillavigne @ashleytisdale @gem0816 @niavardalos @siamusic @johncleeseofficial for taking this leap of faith! Hope you all enjoy it!" he wrote alongside the trailer at the time.

The following month, a source told ET that the two "are still in touch."

"They still love each other as friends and will always be supportive of one another." the source added. "They both just want each other to be happy, whatever that might entail."

While Lovato wished Valderrama well after he shared news that he was engaged to model Amanda Pacheco, they also hit on their age difference during an April 2020 interview with Harper's Bazaar and said they hadn't been in touch recently. 

“I’m really happy for him and I wish him nothing but the best, but we’re not in each other’s lives, haven’t spoken in a long time,” Lovato said. “But I think I needed that because I needed to learn to be OK on my own. When you get into a relationship with somebody at that young of an age and then you spend six years with somebody, you don’t really get to learn about yourself.” 

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