Zayn Malik has spoken candidly about his long and complicated relationship with Gigi Hadid, admitting that while his feelings for her have always been strong, he now wonders if he was ever truly in love.
Nearly five years after the former couple finally went their separate ways, the 33-year-old singer reflected on their on-again, off-again relationship, which lasted around five years and resulted in the birth of their daughter, Khai.
During a February 11 appearance at the calls his daddy On the podcast, Zayn made it clear that his respect and affection for Gigi remains unwavering.
“To be fair, for the record, I will always love G, because she is the reason my daughter is on this Earth and I have the utmost respect for her,” he said.
“I will always love her, but I don’t know if I was in love with her.”
Zayn, who began dating the supermodel in 2016, reiterated that although his feelings were intense, he now sees them differently.
“I love her so much, but no, I don’t think I was in love with her at the time,” he said, adding that if he had been, he believes he would have shown himself to be a better version of himself.
Looking back, the former One Direction star acknowledged that his understanding of love has evolved with age.
He explained that at the time, he may have believed that what he felt was love, but hindsight has brought him clarity.
“My understanding of love is always developing,” Zayn shared.
“At the time, I might have thought it was love, but as I got older I 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.”
Zayn and Gigi, who share five-year-old Khai, split for good in 2021.
Gigi has since moved on and has been dating actor Bradley Cooper since 2023. For Zayn, life after high-profile relationships has brought him unexpected peace.
He admitted that being single no longer scares him and, in fact, feels liberating.
With no ill will towards his previous partners, including his ex-fiancee Perrie Edwards, he said being alone has allowed him to live completely on his own terms.
He described the freedom to make your own plans, answer only to yourself, and even something as simple as sleeping whenever you want as a positive change.
The singer also acknowledged his own mistakes, admitting that he was young and that he sometimes crossed lines in past relationships.
He said he learned from those experiences and that being single has taken away the guilt that once haunted him.
Zayn’s reflections paint a picture of growth and self-awareness, showing a man reevaluating his past not with bitterness, but with honesty, maturity, and continued respect for the mother of his child.
