Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid on co-parenting 3yo daughter, Khai
The former One Direction star says his 3yo daughter brought “colour” back to his life.
Model Gigi Hadid and former One Direction singer, Zayn Malik started dating in 2015. After an on-and-off relationship, the couple welcomed daughter Khai in 2020. A little over a year later, the pair split up for good.
Up until this year, the couple had been tight-lipped about their co-parenting relationship and how they make it work.
In a new interview with NET-A-PORTER, Gigi spoke about juggling motherhood with her career and co-parenting with Zayn.
“I think when you are a parent, you have to be intentional because, now, I literally have half the time,” she tells the publication.
“I work when my daughter is with her dad, and that’s the time I have.”
Gigi also says she’s selective about the work she takes on and how she makes her schedule work.
“And the jobs I choose to fill that time with have to be ones that are fulfilling to me,” she explains.
“I will literally fit in as many jobs as I can on those days. I’m sometimes a crazy person, but if it means a lot to me, then I do it.”
Earlier this year, former One Direction singer, Zayn sat down for an open and honest chat with Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper.
The 30yo said his daughter was the reason for sitting down to do the interview.
Zayn and Gigi welcomed Khai in 2020 and split up just over a year later. In his first official chat since he left One Direction in 2015, the solo artist spoke of the anxiety he felt around doing interviews.
“I used to get a lot of anxiety around having a conversation like this. I want her to be able to look at me and be like ‘my dad’s doing this, he’s the man’,” he explained.
“Since I’ve had my daughter the main thing in my mind is trying to be a good example to her.”
Speaking of his co-parenting relationship with model Gigi Hadid, Zayn said it works because they both prioritise their daughter.
“Co-parenting is good. We have a really good relationship for Khai. She’s the main importance. It’s going well,” he said, explaining they split custody equally.
“I have her 50 percent of the time, so that time I have with her is so important because I feel like she’s growing up so fast. So, when I’m with her I don’t work at all,” he said, adding that he spends a “full day with [Khai]” doing any activity she wants to do, like painting, playing with Play-Doh, or heading out to a theme park or zoo.
“We just have fun. I feel like I’ve rekindled my own childhood through her. I feel like we get to a certain point in adult life where everything’s kind of vague and gray and boring, and she’s brought that color back for me for sure.”
Speaking of fatherhood, the Pillowtalk singer admitted their was one part of the role that’s he’s wholeheartedly embracing.
“I keep being told I’m telling dad jokes. And I’m leaning into it,” he smiled.
“I’m just like it’s okay it’s cool. People just look at me like I’m a weirdo and I’m like, yeah I’m a dad now I’m allowed to tell these jokes. You have to give me a past.”
Watch the teaser trailer for Zayn’s episode on the Call Her Daddy podcast below.
The British-born musician also spoke about his decision to move to Pennsylvania and his desire to protect his daughter’s privacy.
“People always ask me why…they always think it’s super random,” he explained to podcast host Alex.
“I ended up coming here with my ex quite a bit and fell in love with it, it’s super calm. I just wanted to take a break from the busy city.”
When it comes to the trappings of fame and moving away from the limelight, Zayn said: “There’s just people always there waiting to take a photo.”
“Obviously, thinking about having a child and raising her in that environment, it was just very claustrophobic for me. I didn’t want her to have to be exposed to that because she didn’t choose it. It was a choice that I made. So I was like, ‘We need to get out of here so that she can have some chance of a normal childhood.’”
The proud father also boasted about Khai’s musical talents.
“She shows a lot of signs of musical intelligence already, I love just playing instruments with her and singing with her. She can already do good harmonies with me and she’s only two and a half,” he said.
“She loves Disney movies so we sing a lot of Disney songs like You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”
