Zayn Malik Unsure If He Ever Truly Loved Ex Gigi Hadid

The One Direction alum opened up about his past relationship with the supermodel, with whom he shares a daughter.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Nearly five years after his split from Gigi Hadid, Zayn Malik admitted he doesn't believe he was ever truly in love with the supermodel, despite their five-year on-and-off relationship and having a child together. Malik said he will always love Hadid, but his understanding of love has evolved over time and he now realizes his feelings may have been more infatuation than true love.

Why it matters

Malik's candid comments provide insight into the complexities of celebrity relationships and the challenges of navigating love and parenthood in the public eye. His reflections on the nature of his feelings for Hadid also touch on broader questions about the nature of love and how it can change over time.

The details

In a recent interview, Zayn Malik said that while he will "always love" his ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid because she is the mother of his child, he doesn't believe he was ever truly "in love" with her during their five-year relationship. Malik explained that his "understanding of love is always developing" and that what he felt for Hadid at the time may have been more "lust" or infatuation than genuine love. The 33-year-old singer also acknowledged that he "tended to get in trouble in relationships" when he was younger due to actions like speaking to other women inappropriately.

  • Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid dated on and off from 2016 to 2021.
  • The former couple welcomed their daughter Khai in September 2020.

The players

Zayn Malik

A 33-year-old British singer-songwriter and former member of the boy band One Direction.

Gigi Hadid

An American supermodel who dated Zayn Malik on and off from 2016 to 2021. The former couple share a daughter named Khai.

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What they’re saying

“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. I will always love her, but I don't know if I was in love with her.”

— Zayn Malik (Call Her Daddy)

“My understanding of love is always developing. At that moment in 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 Malik (Call Her Daddy)

The takeaway

Zayn Malik's candid reflection on his past relationship with Gigi Hadid highlights the complexities of love and how one's understanding of it can evolve over time, even in high-profile celebrity relationships. His comments provide a relatable perspective on the challenges of navigating romance, parenthood, and personal growth in the public eye.