Zayn reopening the Zigi discourse was not on my 2026 bingo card, but here we are.
Years after their very public, very Tumblr-core relationship, Zayn Malik is once again saying he doesn’t think he’s ever truly been in love — and yes, that includes his relationship with Gigi Hadid.
Of course, the internet is spiraling. Let’s break down what he actually said.
Zayn Says He’s Never Been in Love on ‘Call Her Daddy’
During his recent interview with Alex Cooper on Call Her Daddy, Zayn was asked about a comment he made last year where he admitted he wasn’t sure he’d ever really been in love.
Alex asked him directly if he still stood by that statement. His response?
“Yeah, because my understanding of love is always developing. You know, at that moment in time, I might have thought it was love, but as I got older, I realized maybe it wasn’t, you know, maybe it was lust. Maybe it was this, maybe it was that.”
So yes, he doubled down. But he also made it clear that his perspective has changed as he’s gotten older. What he once labeled as love, he now sees differently.
Zayn Said the Same Thing in 2024
If you feel like you’ve heard this before, you have. Back in 2024 on The Zach Sang Show, Zayn said: “I don’t know if I’ve actually truly been in love at this point. You look back at it with new eyes and you’re like, ‘Well, maybe I wasn’t in love there.’”
At the time, he also added: “Was it love or is it life experience that we are going through? Who knows. We’re just in situations where we look back at them with different eyes and it’s a completely different situation.”
So this isn’t some sudden shady remark, it’s something he’s been consistent about for a while now.
Zayn Admits He Wasn’t In Love With Gigi
Even while questioning whether he was ever in love, Zayn made sure to clarify something important about Gigi.
“I don’t feel like it was love, and to be fair, just to say this on record, I will always love G, ’cause she’s the reason my child is, you know, on this earth and I have the utmost respect for her. I will always love her but I don’t know if I was ever in love with her.”
That distinction — loving someone versus being in love with them — is what has people talking.
Zayn and Gigi share a daughter, Khai, and he emphasized that his respect and care for her isn’t up for debate.
Of course, social media had immediate reactions. Within minutes of clips circulating, fans on Twitter/X started calling him “misogynistic” and accusing him of downplaying their relationship. Some said the comment was insensitive. Others argued it was unnecessary to revisit publicly.
Whether you see it as honest reflection or messy oversharing, one thing is clear: Zayn saying he doesn’t know if he’s ever truly been in love is still very much a headline.
And apparently, we’re all still invested.
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