Songfacts®:

• "Older" is a soft, heartfelt love song where 5 Seconds of Summer lead singer Luke Hemmings teams up with his fiancée, Sierra Deaton. The pair, who started dating in 2018 and got engaged in June 2021, affirm their commitment to each other as they declare their desire to stay together for life. Though there's been some friction between them, neither wants to get older without the other by their side.
  
  "When you fall in love and commit to forever, you're inevitably sentencing one of you to the ultimate heartbreak... an eventual existence without the other," said Deaton. "Knowing this, and still choosing to spend the lives you have together, is in my opinion, one of the most beautiful parts of the human existence. If only we could slow down time and live in our happiest moments for just a little longer. That sentiment is what inspired this song."
• Sierra Deaton started off her musical career as one half of the Florida duo Alex & Sierra. The pair won the third and final season of The X Factor US and released their debut album, It's About Us, on October 7, 2014. Alex & Sierra split in 2017 and Deaton dropped a solo single, "Don't Hurt," under the name of Essy. Since then, she has concentrated on co-writing songs and providing backing vocals for artists. Her writing credits include "Lover Of Mine" for 5 Seconds of Summer's Calm album and "Baby Blue" and "Bloodline" for Luke Hemmings' solo record, When Facing the Things We Turn Away From.
• Hemmings and Deaton wrote this piano ballad with 5SoS guitarist Michael Clifford and songwriter Michael Pollack (Maroon 5 Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran). Clifford also took on production duties.
• Hemmings and Deaton started writing "Older" in their living room in March 2019 as an ode to 1950's love songs. It wasn't until Hemmings jokingly sent a voice memo of it years later that one of the other songwriters convinced them they needed to finish it together.
• The song shouldn't be confused with 5SoS's Calm track "Old Me" where Hemmings addresses his younger self.
• Deaton is donating a portion of her proceeds from the song to Beyond Blue, an Australian mental health and wellbeing support organization.