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David FosterandKatharine McPheeare a musical match.
They first met onAmerican Idolin 2006 when McPhee was a contestant and Foster was a guest mentor. They became friends — Foster even played the piano at McPhee’s first wedding — and it was seemingly all platonic until rumors about a romantic turn began to fly in 2017.
Foster and McPhee made their red carpet debut as a couple in 2018 and tied the knot a year later. They welcomed a son, Rennie David, in 2021.
The Grammy-winning producer has embraced fatherhood again — he hasfive daughtersfrom previous relationships — saying that “it’s just great being a dad,” while McPhee hasreferred to motherhoodas the “greatest job” she will ever have.
2006: David Foster and Katharine McPhee first meet onAmerican Idol
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Foster and McPhee have known each othersince 2006when McPhee was a contestant onAmerican Idol. Foster was a guest mentor on the show and worked with McPhee, who later finished as runner-up, as she prepared to singWhitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing,” a song Foster co-wrote.
After they met, Foster told cameras that McPhee had a “great, great future ahead of her.” Fellow guest mentorAndrea Bocellisaid, “You have to say also, she’s nice, beautiful and young,” to which Foster nodded and laughed.
February 2, 2008: David Foster plays piano at Katharine McPhee’s wedding to Nick Cokas
September 19, 2017: David Foster and Katharine McPhee appear together at gala
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McPhee separated from Cokas in 2014 and the divorcewas finalizedin 2016, while Foster’s marriage to his ex-wifeYolanda Hadidendedin 2017.
That same year, Foster and McPhee wereseen in public togethera number of times, including at theGrammy Museum’sthird annual gala, sparking dating rumors. However, a source told PEOPLE that they were “absolutely not dating.”
November 6, 2017: David Foster and Katharine McPhee have a night out together
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After attending aLos Angeles Lakersgame the previous night, Foster and McPheewere seen hanging out againin West Hollywood, California.
November 22, 2017: Katharine Foster addresses rumors she’s dating David Foster
McPhee addressed rumors that she and Foster were dating with PEOPLE, saying, “Here’s how I look at it:I’m not doing anything wrong, so whether people think it’s true or false … there’s nothing bad happening in my life, so people can just say whatever they want.”
November 30, 2017: David Foster and Katharine McPhee are seen kissing in L.A.
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PEOPLE reported that Foster and McPhee wereseen kissing after having lunch togetherin Beverly Hills, California. The pair then met up that evening at an event at theStephen WebsterU.S. flagship boutique.
The same month, McPhee toldHealththat she and Foster have been “very close friends” for a while and said that she was “really, really fond” of him.
She continued, “I’ve known him since I was 21 years old, you know? He produced my first single. So he’s been really good to me. People can say whatever they want.”
May 7, 2018: David Foster and Katharine McPhee make their red carpet debut
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McPhee and Foster confirmed their relationship when they madetheir red carpet debutat the2018 Met Gala— and McPhee toldEntertainment Tonightthat they were having a “fun date night.”
July 2018: David Foster and Katharine McPhee get engaged
Katherine McPhee Instagram
While on vacation in Italy,Foster proposedto McPhee. “He did it at the top of this mountain in Anacapri. Totally dark, only stars. Thankfully he didn’t push me off the cliff. He said it was one or the other. And in the end he spared me,” joked McPhee.
A few weeks later, McPheeshared a selfieshowing off her engagement ring and paid tribute to her father Daniel McPhee, whohad diedshortly after her engagement was announced.
“My dad was so happy for me. My ring was the last thing I showed my dad before he passed and makes me smile when I look at this as a reminder of our last conversation,” she wrote. “And now I’m ready to share with all of you what has been my sunshine amongst this painful loss … So today we’re celebrating life and not forgetting love. ❤️.”
September 9, 2018: David Foster and Katharine McPhee perform together at Celebrity Fight Night
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AtCelebrity Fight Nightin 2018, McPhee sangElvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” with Bocelli, and Foster accompanied on piano. The charity “marathon” benefitted theMuhammad Ali Parkinson Center.
“A few years ago I told you she was the one,” Bocelli told Foster before their performance, with Foster replying, “You were right.”
June 28, 2019: David Foster and Katharine McPhee get married in London
A year after announcing their engagement,Foster and McPhee got marriedat the Church of Saint Yeghiche in South Kensington, London. Among the 150 guests were Foster’s five daughters, as well as other family and friends.
December 31, 2019: Katharine McPhee performs at stepdaughter Erin Foster’s wedding
The newlyweds attended theNew Year’s Evewedding ofFoster’s daughter Erinto businessmanSimon Tikhmanin 2019. During the reception, McPhee serenaded the couple and their guests.
June 28, 2020: David Foster and Katharine McPhee celebrate their first anniversary
David Foster Instagram
To mark theirfirst wedding anniversary, McPhee shared a tribute to Foster onInstagram. “A year ago today I married the love of my life. Thank you for always loving me and inspiring me in all aspects of my life,” she wrote. “I love you. Here’s to the future!”
July 1, 2020: David Foster and his daughters discuss his marriage to Katharine McPhee
In an interview with PEOPLE, Foster and his daughtersspoke about his marriage. Though the Foster girls said they had no issue with the 35-year age gap between the couple, Erin joked, “I have an issue with how hot she is!” Her sisters chimed in, joking that their husbands enjoy it when she comes over.
In the same interview, Foster said of critics, “Haters are always going to be haters.”
October 6, 2020: David Foster and Katharine McPhee go on a double date with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Among Foster and McPhee’s friends arePrince HarryandMeghan Markle. The foursomemet up for a double datein Montecito, California, enjoying a three-hour dinner at Lucky’s Steakhouse.
McPhee and Markleattended the same schoolas teenagers, and the pairreconnected in 2019.
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In October 2020, sources confirmed to PEOPLE that the couple wereexpecting their first child together.
The next day, McPheereferenced her pregnancy newson Instagram after she received a gift box from Italian apéritif brandAperol. “Thank you … I won’t be drinking this anytime soon — wink, wink — but I’m very excited,” she said.
February 21, 2021: David Foster andKatharine McPheewelcome son Rennie David
The next month, McPhee revealedher son’s nameonToday. “One of [David’s] sisters suggested an old family name,” she explained. “It was his great-grandfather’s name, his great-uncle’s name, so it has a long history in his family. My husband said, ‘Hi, Ren Foster,’ and so we said, ‘That’s a good name. It’s a strong name.’ "
March 2021: Katharine McPhee discusses her age gap with David Foster
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On an episode ofDr. Berlin’s Informed Pregnancy Podcast,McPhee sharedthat she was initially hesitant about dating Foster due to the public perception of their 35-year age gap, but that it was never an issue for her personally.
“We all have the ability to label things and to look at something for the way that it looks or face value and make a judgment,” she said. “So I totally get the judgment initially, but things are never as they appear, things are never exactly as they appear and I’m in love with our love story and that’s all that matters.”
August 31, 2021: Katharine McPhee shares a photo of David Foster with their son
Though they are frequent social media users, Foster and McPhee prefer to keep son Rennie out of the public eye. However, theSmashstarshared a photoof her 6-month-old son with his father on a plane.
“My boys 🇨🇦🥰❤️,” she wrote.
September 2021: David Foster and Katharine McPhee appear onThe Masked Singertogether
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December 29, 2021: Katharine McPhee defends David Foster on Instagram
April 17, 2022: David Foster and Katharine McPhee celebrate Easter with their son
The couplecelebrated Easter Sundaywith family in 2022. McPhee shared photos onInstagram, writing, “Pink dresses, Easter bunnies, baskets, friends & fam. But most importantly #heisrisen.”
In one photo, McPhee wore bunny ears and pushed Rennie in his stroller, while in another, Foster watched over the then-14-month-old playing with balloons.
June 19, 2022: Katharine McPhee pays tribute to David Foster for Father’s Day
To markFather’s Dayin 2022, McPheeshared a photoof Foster with Rennie — the first time the couple had shown Rennie’s face.
October 27, 2022: Katharine McPhee says she “guilted” David Foster into making a Christmas album
While speaking to PEOPLE about their upcoming Christmas album, McPhee laughed, “I think I guilted David. I said something like, ‘It’s really crazy I’m married to the greatest producer, basically of our lifetime, and I’ve only had you record me on a few songs.’ Then he said, ‘OK, well, why don’t we just do a Christmas album?’ "
Foster also said recording with McPhee “was easy because she sings so amazing.”
He continued, “I got to make the tracks and do things the way I wanted to, then I’d have her come in and plug her vocal in. It was really fun. There were a couple of songs we were talking about that we didn’t know whether she could handle or not, but she handled them like a pro.”
“We’re not in any crazy rush, but I hope so,” she continued, before adding, “I love being a mom, I really love it.”
April 15, 2023: Katharine McPhee and David Foster attend the Breakthrough Prize ceremony in Los Angeles
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The couple attended the Breakthrough Prize ceremony, otherwise known as the “Oscars of Science,” at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. McPhee dazzled in a strapless red gown, while Foster looked handsome in a black tuxedo.
November 24, 2023: Katharine McPhee says David Foster’s parenting style is “old-fashioned”
While talking with PEOPLE, McPhee and Foster opened up about their differing parenting styles.
“I want to start disciplining [Rennie] and Kat’s not really down with that,” the composer said. To which McPhee replied: “No, that’s not true. I just want to discipline in my own way. There’s the moreold-fashioned way of discipliningwhich involves time-outs and things like that. My take is that you can have more mindful parenting opposed to just assuming that a two or three-year-old can have time alone to reflect on what they’ve done poorly.”
McPhee’s “new way” of parenting avoids shaming a child for bad behavior.
“It’s just a different approach. I think [David’s] era of parenting is different than mine. [He’s] more results-based,” she added. “I think disciplining is something that happens over time.”
source: people.com
