“The main thing in my mind is trying to be a good example”- Zayn Malik opens up about his daughter for the first time

Former One Direction member Zayn Malik stepped back into the spotlight after six years and gave a candid interview on the podcast Call Her Daddy, released on July 12. The British singer, who has been embracing fatherhood for the last two years, shares custody of his daughter Khai Hadid Malik with his ex-girlfriend, model Gigi Hadid. Malik spoke out in the podcast about his focus on being a good parent for Khai to look up to.

“Since I've had my daughter, the main thing in my mind is trying to be a good example to her. That's why I'm even doing this interview, you know? I used to get a lot of anxiety around having a conversation like this. And I want her to be able to look at me and be like, 'My dad's doing this.'"

The podcast interview with Alex Cooper comes ahead of Zayn Malik’s new single Love Like This, set to release on July 21. The 30-year-old dad revealed how his daughter Khai came into his life at a point when it was uninteresting and how her arrival has colored his days again.

“I think we all get to a certain point in adult life where everything sort of seems vague and grey and boring and she's brought that color back to my life for me,”

Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid co-parent their daughter Khai (Image via Getty)

The Let Me singer joyfully shared the new sides to his personality that quite naturally come along with being a dad.

“I keep being told I'm telling dad jokes and I'm leaning into it it's okay, it's cool. People just look at me like I'm a weirdo and I'm like well I'm a dad now so I'm allowed to tell these jokes!”, Zayn Malik said.

Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid were together for five years, and after dating on and off, they finally called it quits in 2021. They are now in a healthy co-parenting relationship, which gives Khai equal time with both parents.

Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid broke up in 2021 (Image via Getty)

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Zayn Malik talks about leaving One Direction and getting back up on stage, in the first interview after six years

In the latest interview with Alex Cooper, Zayn Malik bared all that his fans usually wonder about. The Dusk Till Dawn singer shared all about what went wrong with One Direction and his decision to be the first one to exit the group, while they were still on world tour in 2015.

“There was a lot of politics going on, certain people were doing certain things, certain people didn’t want to sign contracts, so I knew something was happening so I just got ahead of the curve. Selfishly, I wanted to be the first person to make my own record," he said.

Malik continued saying that a lot was going on within the group and it reached a point where they all had had enough of each other.

“There was obviously underlying issues, like within our friendships, too. We’ve been together every day for five years, and we got sick of each other if I’m being completely honest."

Ever since walking away from 1D, Zayn never went on a solo tour in his musical career. He spoke out about feeling the nerves but wanting to get over it because he feels the energy within.

“I’m still nervous now cause it’s been a few years (since) I’ve been on stage, but I have this energy, too. I have something to give and I want to get on stage and be there again and feel that.” he said.

After Zayn Malik left, One Direction was left with four members - Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson

Zayn Malik also went on to express gratitude to his fans, who remain to this day, his biggest supporters and motivation to get back out there and perform.

“They’re always just like, 'We’re here, we’ve got you,'" he said. "I gotta be super, super thankful for that and I’m super grateful. I feel that love for sure. I’m ready to prove these people right."

Zayn Malik’s fandom Zquad can get their 1D t-shirts ready to don on July 21, when the singer’s new single Love Like This is set to release.