Zayn Malik Says He ‘Didn’t Know S–t’ When He Got Engaged to Perrie Edwards

Zayn Malik is reflecting on his past relationships ahead of his new album, Room Under the Stairs, from breaking off his engagement to Perrie Edwards to welcoming a daughter with ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid.

In a Nylon interview published Tuesday (May 14) — just three days ahead of the release of his new record — the former One Direction star shared that he’s currently happily single. But years ago, he was making wedding plans with the Little Mix vocalist, before the couple called off their two-year engagement in 2015.

“From 17 to 21, I was in a relationship,” he told the publication. “I was engaged and [planned to get] married and I didn’t know anything about anything at that point. I thought I did, because I was 21. I was legally allowed to do everything, but I didn’t know s–t.”

“I never really had a girlfriend [growing up],” Malik continued. “My parents were kind of old-school, so I never brought a girlfriend home or anything. When I got the chance to do that, I jumped straight in, two feet first, and was like, ‘I’m going to have a girlfriend, and she’s going to live with me. This makes me a grown man.’”

A few months after he and Edwards split, the “Love Like This” singer sparked romance rumors with Hadid. The couple went on to date on and off for about six years and welcomed daughter Khai in September 2020, before breaking up for good in late 2021.

“From 21 to 27, I was with Gi, and we had a kid,” Malik said in a rare comment about the supermodel. “I didn’t really take much time to get to know myself.”

“I only have my daughter 50% of the time,” he added. “I would have her 90% if I could. We go see Disney on Ice or we go see the Nickelodeon theme park. Or we go to the beach. That’s how I get out.”

Now living in rural Pennsylvania, Malik is gearing up to premiere his new country-tinged sound May 17 with Room Under the Stairs, for which he also plans to embark on a tour. And for now, he says he feels “really content and happy with being single for the first time in [his] life,” although he admits his recent history does include a bit of experimentation with dating apps.

“It’s not been too successful for me, I’ll be honest,” he said in the interview of Tinder. “Everyone accused me of catfishing. They’re like, ‘What are you using Zayn Malik’s pictures for?’ I’ve been kicked off once or twice.”