Zayn Malik has faced some unexpected challenges in his love life, including being mistaken for a catfish on Tinder. In a revealing interview with NYLON, the former One Direction star discussed his romantic relationships with Perrie Edwards and Gigi Hadid, and how he’s taking a different approach to dating now.
During the May 14 cover story, Malik, 31, opened up about his experiences with dating apps. “I’ve been kicked off Tinder once or twice because they thought I was pretending to be myself,” he shared. “Everyone accused me of catfishing. They’d say, ‘What are you using Zayn Malik’s pictures for?’ It’s not been too successful for me, I’ll be honest.”
Reflecting on his past, Malik recounted his engagement to Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards, which lasted from when he was 17 until he was 21. “I didn’t know anything about anything at that point,” he admitted. “I thought I did, because I was 21. I was legally allowed to do everything, but I didn’t know anything.”
Malik also talked about his high-profile relationship with model Gigi Hadid, with whom he shares a 3½-year-old daughter, Khai. He suggested that his pursuit of normalcy and adult experiences was his way of compensating for the lost opportunities due to fame. Raised in a “very chill” environment in Bradford, England, Malik said he never had a girlfriend before his rise to stardom. “My parents were kind of old-school, so I never brought a girlfriend home or anything,” he said. “When I got the chance, I jumped straight in with both feet, thinking it made me a grown man.”
After breaking off his engagement with Edwards in 2015, Malik began an on-and-off relationship with Hadid, which lasted until their final split in October 2021. “From 21 to 27, I was with Gigi, and we had a kid, and I didn’t really take much time to get to know myself,” he told NYLON.
Now, Malik is taking a different approach to his love life. “It’s probably wise to take your time before you fully invest in another human being as a lifelong partner,” he said, expressing contentment with his quiet farm life in Pennsylvania, especially when it includes time with his daughter Khai. “I only have my daughter 50% of the time,” he shared, adding he “would have her 90% if I could.”
During their time together, Malik and Khai enjoy activities like Disney on Ice, the Nickelodeon theme park, and beach trips. These moments, along with family visits and gaming with friends from the U.K., fulfill him. For now, Malik is perfectly happy being single and has no immediate plans to return to Tinder or pursue new romances.
“I’m really content and happy with being single for the first time in my life,” he said. Malik’s new album, Room Under the Stairs, will be released on May 17 via Mercury Records.
