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.
Speaking almost five years after the former couple finally split, the 33-year-old singer reflected on their on-off relationship, which lasted around five years and culminated in the birth of their daughter, Khai.
During a February 11 appearance on the Call her daddy podcast, Zayn made it clear that his respect and affection for Gigi remains unwavering.
“To be honest, 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 started dating the model in 2016, reiterated that while his feelings were intense, he now sees them differently.
“I love her dearly, but no, I don’t think I was in love with her at that time,” he said, adding that if he had been, he thinks he would have presented himself as a better version of himself.
Looking back, the former One Direction star admitted his understanding of love had evolved with age.
He explained that at the time he may have believed what he felt was love, but hindsight has brought clarity.
“My understanding of love is constantly evolving,” 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 unexpected peace.
He admitted that being single no longer scared him and in fact, it was liberating.
With no ill will towards his former partners, including his former fiancée Perrie Edwards, he said being alone allowed him to live entirely on his own terms.
He described the freedom to make his own plans, answer 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 had sometimes crossed boundaries in his past relationships.
He said he learned from those experiences and that being single removed the guilt that once followed 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.
