The impact of the Yolanda Hadid incident on Zayn Malik’s career and personal life

Zayn Malik is returning to the music world after a hiatus of almost six years. He recently appeared on the Call Her Daddy podcast with Alex Cooper and opened up about his time in the chart-topping band, co-parenting his daughter Khai with ex-Gigi Hadid, and more.

Malik, 30, has rarely done interviews in recent years, but he is finally re-entering the public arena before releasing his single Love Like This on July 21. He sat down with Cooper for a lengthy chat that covered everything from his days in One Direction to fatherhood.

Malik was candid and blunt when asked about his decision to leave One Direction. He told Cooper he was “a bit tired” of the hectic life on the road and that fame was starting to catch up to him. He added that he knew the group would break up at some point and that it was just a matter of when.

He also shared that he felt the pressure of being a celebrity starting to weigh on him, and he wanted to spend more time with his family. Malik also said he had “a few differences” with the other band members, including their lifestyles and personalities. He added that he could tell his ex-girlfriend Gigi was unhappy with how the band was run and that she ultimately ended the relationship.

Gigi and Malik welcomed their daughter Khai in September 2020, just a year before they split up. The former couple have been co-parenting the child ever since. Malik revealed that he has Khai about 50% of the time and that it is “amazing” being a father. He also shared that he has many pets and enjoys visiting his local Wawa to pick up a Wawa Sub.

Malik also broke his silence on the highly-publicized confrontation with Gigi’s mother, Yolanda Hadid, in 2021, eventually leading to the power couple breaking up. During the incident, Yolanda claimed that Malik called her a fucking Dutch slut and shoved her into a dresser during an argument. Malik denied the accusations and later pleaded no contest to four counts of harassment.

He also shared his thoughts on the reunion rumors with former bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Liam Payne. He told Cooper that he thinks a reunion is possible but would be a very different type of One Direction. He added that he does not think it would be the same group with him in it, stating that he has “a clear vision for what I want to do.”