Zayn Malik has opened up about his long and complicated relationship with Gigi Hadid, admitting that while his feelings for her have always been strong, he now questions whether he was ever truly in love.
Speaking nearly five years after the former couple finally split, the 33-year-old singer reflected on their on-and-off relationship, which lasted about five years and resulted in the birth of their daughter, Khai.
During a performance on February 11 at Call her dad podcast, Zayn was clear that his respect and affection for Gigi remains unwavering.
“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 said.
“I will always love her, but I don’t know if I was in love with her.”
Zayn, who only started dating the supermodel in 2016, reiterated that while his feelings were intense, he now sees them differently.
“I love her madly, 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 come out as a better version of himself.
Looking back, the former One Direction star admitted that his understanding of love has evolved with age.
He explained that at the time he may have thought what he felt was love, but hindsight has brought clarity.
“My understanding of love is always evolving,” Zayn shared.
“At the time, maybe I 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 unexpected peace.
He admitted that being single no longer scares him and actually feels liberating.
Bearing no ill will towards his former partners, including ex-fiancée Perrie Edwards, he said being single has allowed him to live life entirely on his own terms.
He described the freedom of making his own plans, answering only to himself and even something as simple as sleeping when he wants as a positive change.
The singer also acknowledged his own mistakes, admitting that he was young and sometimes crossed lines in past relationships.
He said he has learned from these experiences and that being single has removed the guilt that once accompanied him.
Zayn’s reflections paint a picture of growth and self-awareness, showing a man reassessing his past not with bitterness, but with honesty, maturity and continued respect for the mother of his child.
