Amid Joe Jonas’ ongoing messy divorce from actress Sophie Turner, netizens have begun unearthing the singer’s pretty controversial previous romance with model Gigi Hadid. On 7 September 2023, TikTok user Joshua Pingley shared a video on the platform where he highlighted a 2015 Teen Vogue article featuring Hadid—the model would have been around 20 years old at the time of the interview. In the article, the young model recounted her first meeting with Jonas, noting: “We met at the Grammys when I was 13 years old, and he asked me to a baseball game, and I said no.”

In the article, Hadid went on to explain that her refusal was due to nervousness and a reluctance to admit that she had school the next day (since the Grammys usually take place on Sundays). The model joked: “I didn’t have my phone with me, and I don’t think he did either because we were at the Grammys, so he wrote his number on a piece of paper and gave it to my mom. We’ve been friends ever since. Except now, we’re more than friends. Obvs.”

@yourbestfriendjoshua

WTF is this?! Joe Jonas originally pursued Gigi Hadid when she was 13 and he was 19…😳😳😳 #joejonas #gigihadid #sophieturner #omg

♬ Joe Jonas age 19 pursued Gigi Hadid age 13 - Joshua Pingley

Ever since Pingley uploaded the video, discrepancies in the timeline have emerged, casting doubt on the accuracy of Hadid’s recollection. Entertainment Tonight noted that Hadid wasn’t photographed at the 2009 Grammys when she would have been 13. Instead, both Hadid and Jonas were seen at the 2010 Grammys, with Hadid being 14 and Jonas 20 at the time.

@sydneyrekaps

The article said gigi was actually 14 and might’ve gotten her age mixed up but still 🥲 #joejonas #gigihadid #celebritynews #entertainmenttonight

♬ original sound - sydneyrekaps

Their romantic involvement eventually began in 2015 when Hadid was 20 and Jonas was 25. While much of the media coverage surrounding Jonas and Turner’s divorce has primarily focused on Turner—particularly in regard to her so-called ‘partying’ habits and absence as a mother—the tables now seem to be turning, with heightened scrutiny falling on Jonas.

This renewed scrutiny of Jonas’ past relationships serves as a reminder to reconsider societal norms and narratives surrounding age differences in romantic partnerships, particularly in the realm of celebrities. For instance, Kylie Jenner was only 17 years old when she started dating Tyga, who was 24 at the time. The pair first met when Tyga was 21 and Kylie was 14. Even if they denied any romantic involvement until she was 17, it still raises questions about how young these girls were when they initially began dating older individuals.