In a remarkably candid series of podcast appearances, former One Direction star Zayn Malik has made a startling admission about his past relationship with supermodel Gigi Hadid. The singer, now 33, has stated that upon reflection, he does not believe he was ever truly "in love" with Hadid during their six-year, on-and-off romance.
A Relationship Reassessed
The couple, who welcomed their daughter Khai in 2020 before separating the following year, shared a highly publicised relationship that captivated fans worldwide. However, during a 2024 interview on the Zach Sang Show, Malik first surprised listeners by confessing he had never "truly been in love." He has now expanded on this revelation in a recent episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast.
"My understanding of love is always developing," Malik explained. "At that moment in time, I might have thought it was love, but as I’ve got older, I’ve realized maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it was lust. Maybe it was this. Maybe it was that. I don’t feel like it was love."
Clarifying His Feelings
Despite this reassessment of his romantic feelings, Malik was quick to emphasise the deep and abiding care he holds for Hadid, 30, as the mother of his child. "To be fair, just to have this on the record, I will always love G, because she is the reason my child is on this Earth and I have the utmost respect for her," he insisted.
He elaborated further, drawing a clear distinction between different forms of love: "I will always love her, but I don’t know if I was in love with her. I do love her a crazy amount, but no, I don’t think I was in love with her at that point. Otherwise I would have been a better version of myself."
Moving Away from Public Relationships
The singer, who was also previously engaged to Little Mix star Perrie Edwards from 2012 to 2015, revealed a significant shift in his approach to romance. Malik declared he is "not looking for a public relationship again," stating he has learned from experience that such arrangements "don't work for me."
"I’m quite a private person. I don’t really strive for people’s approval or attention," he said. "So the relationship should really be between me and that person. And I think that personality type, somebody who doesn’t want to do that, would be more suited to me."
Embracing Single Life
Malik spoke positively about his current single status, describing it as "so freeing." He explained his personal philosophy: "I don’t find being alone scary. No disrespect to all the past relationships I’ve been in. No disrespect at all, it was freeing. I am that type of person who runs on my own clock, answers to myself."
Reflecting on his younger self, he admitted: "I tended to get in trouble in relationships, because I was young, did certain things, spoke to other females when I shouldn’t have been. You live and learn from it, but this way, there’s no guilt."
Co-Parenting with Respect
Despite the end of their romantic involvement, Malik and Hadid have maintained a functional co-parenting relationship focused on their daughter. Last year, Hadid offered rare comments on their arrangement to Vogue magazine, revealing: "Zayn and I do our custody schedules months in advance. That doesn't mean that it doesn't change here and there, but we help each other out and have each other's backs."
She added that they have entered this phase of their partnership with "love, and a feeling of camaraderie." This is particularly noteworthy given that their separation followed an altercation between Malik and Hadid's mother, Yolanda Hadid, in 2021. Malik received probation and was ordered to complete anger management and domestic violence programs following the incident.
New Beginnings
Hadid has since moved on romantically, striking up a relationship with Hollywood actor Bradley Cooper, 51. The pair reportedly met at a children's party in October 2023. Sources indicated to the Daily Mail in December that Cooper has sought blessing from both his and Hadid's mothers to propose later this year.
Throughout his candid disclosures, Malik has painted a picture of personal growth and evolving understanding. His reflections offer a nuanced look at the complexities of high-profile relationships, the distinction between love and being "in love," and the enduring bonds formed through parenthood, even when romance fades.
