Take a Look at Zayn Malik’s Dating History

Zayn Malik and his dating history is one for the books. No matter how much the British singer tries to keep his ‘Pillowtalk’ under wraps, somehow his romantic entanglements always make headlines. 

However, in a refresher from staying tight-lipped about his private life, Malik recently opened up about his love life over the years in an interview with NYLON. From his initial burst of Celebrity romance with Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards to being accused of catfishing when he signed up on dating apps, the ‘Dusk Till Dawn’ crooner seems to have bared it all. 

“Everyone accused me of catfishing. They’re like, ‘What are you using Zayn Malik’s pictures for?’” he recalled in the cover interview about the time he joined a certain dating app. 

Further recalling the four-year relationship – from when he was 17 until he was 21 – with Edwards, where the two even got engaged, Malik said, “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—.”

The breakup was then followed by the blossoming full-blown romance between Malik and supermodel Gigi Hadid. The two began dating in 2015 and kept it on and off. A pivotal point in their relationship was when they welcomed a daughter together, Khai, in 2020. Roughly a year later, they went their separate ways.

“I didn’t really take much time to get to know myself,” he told the magazine, noting that he may have rushed into the six-year relationship. “It’s probably wise to take your time before you fully invest in another human being as a lifelong partner,” he added.

Talking about the singer’s current dating status, he said, “I’m really content and happy with being single for the first time in my life.”

Well, as Malik finds himself enjoying his singlehood, let’s take a look at the timeline of all his past relationships. 

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All the girlfriends Zayn Malik had: Breaking down his high-profile dating history 

From dating his fellow contestant on The X Factor in 2010 to allegedly romancing Selena Gomez, here’s a complete timeline of Zayn Malik’s high-profile relationships over the years. Keep scrolling… 

Geneva Lane (2010)

Geneva Lane crossed paths with Zayn Malik during their time on The X Factor, and what followed was a brief romantic involvement in 2010. The duration of their relationship remains uncertain, but it seems their parting was not amicable. 

After Malik’s unexpected and much-written about breakup with Perrie Edwards (whom he dated from 2011-2015), Lane swiftly showed support for the Little Mix singer. She expressed her thoughts on social media by stating that she anticipated the break-up. “Lol… Saw that coming. She deserves so much better than to be treated how she has for so long. So many lies and so much deceit. So wrong. She will come out strong,” she wrote. 

Clearly, there must have been some unfinished Business between Malik and Lane.

Rebecca Ferguson (2011)

British singer Rebecca Ferguson and Malik also met on The X Factor and things became fonder and frisky between the two during the show’s tour in 2011. Unfortunately, their romance also was short-lived and they mutually broke up after just four months. 

In a 2013 interview with The Independent, Ferguson reflected on their time together, dubbing it as her “first mistake.” She expressed regret over the age gap, stating, “I was 23, he was 18. If the roles were reversed, with a 23-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman, it wouldn’t have caused a stir. But in our case, it was a big deal.” Ferguson admitted that she was naive at the time.

She concluded, “You can’t always let your heart lead the way.” Well, it must have been a heady burst of young love, we say!

Stephanie Davis (2011)

In the aftermath of his split with Ferguson, Malik moved on to English actress Stephanie Davis, the same year. However, much like his previous two public relationships this one was also short, lasting just five months.

In 2016, during her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, Davis briefly discussed their short-lived romance and disclosed that she was the one who initiated the breakup. She recounted an incident where she was out with her friends, and Malik kept persistently calling her. In response, she decided to change her phone number. No wonder, it was Davis who later called things quits.

Perrie Edwards (2011-2015)

After learning from his string of short dalliances, Zayn Malik got into his first steady relationship with Little Mix singer and fellow X Factor alum Perrie Edwards.

The two met when Malik’s boy band One Direction made a special appearance on the show, and Edwards was a contestant on the show. The two instantly pursued each other romantically and became a thing in no time. After keeping things lowkey for two years, news of the British singer proposing to Edwards started doing the rounds, in August 2013.

Following a two-year engagement, the pop culture sweethearts parted ways in August 2015. Edwards channelled her breakup energy and came out with the song ‘Shout Out to My Ex’ in 2016 about Malik.

She also opened up about their split in Little Mix’s One World book, claiming that Malik ended things via text message.

“It was horrible, the worst time in my life. A four-year relationship, a two-year engagement ended by a simple text message. Just like that,” Edwards wrote in the book. However, Malik refuted these allegations and told The Fader magazine he had too much respect for Edwards “than to end anything over a text message”.

“I love her a lot, and I always will, and I would never end our relationship over four years like that,” Malik said in 2015 adding, “She knows that, I know that, and the public should know that as well.”

Gigi Hadid (2015-2021)

After getting out of a serious four-year relationship with Edwards, Malik found solace in runway star Gigi Hadid. 

The two first ignited dating rumours in late 2015, and by December, they had already made their relationship public with Malik posting a photo of them cuddling together on Instagram. Next, Hadid made an appearance in the music video for Malik’s debut solo single ‘Pillowtalk,’ in which they even shared a kiss.

After being spotted hanging out several times in public, the two made their rather stylish red carpet debut as a couple at the Met Gala in 2016. After enjoying two years of bliss as a couple, rumours started doing the rounds in May 2018 that Malik and Hadid had taken a break.

Malik confirmed the breakup in a statement, writing, “Gigi and I had an incredibly meaningful, loving and fun relationship and I have a huge amount of respect and adoration for Gigi as a woman and a friend. She has such an incredible soul. I’m grateful to all of our fans for respecting this difficult decision and our privacy at this time … we love you all.”

Hadid also shared a statement, writing, “Breakup statements often seem impersonal because there is really no way to put into words what two people experience together over a few years. I’m forever grateful for the love, time and life lessons that Z and I shared. I want nothing but the best for him and will continue to support him as a friend that I have immense respect and love for.” She hinted at room for reconciliation, though, and added, “As for the future, whatever’s meant to be will be.”

And unsurprisingly so, the lovebirds were once again spotted kissing in N.Y.C. just a month later. The two kept it on and off until reuniting in January 2020. In February 2020, Hadid confirmed they were back together as she posted a Valentine’s Day tribute to Malik.

What followed was a big announcement in April 2020, that the two were expecting their first child together. In September, Malik and Hadid welcomed a daughter named Khai.

Fans thought this was it for the couple and parenthood should change the on-and-off nature of their relationship but to everyone’s surprise, they called it quits in October 2021. Reason? Malik’s alleged argument with Hadid’s mother Yolanda.

“They are not together right now. They are both good parents though,” a Hadid family friend said at the time to People. “They co-parent. Yolanda is of course very protective of Gigi. She wants the best for her daughter and grandchild.”

“Gigi is solely focused on the best for Khai. She asks for privacy during this time,” Gigi’s rep told People in a statement.

Following their much-talked-about split, the two continue to co-parent their daughter Khai and remain cordial.

Selena Gomez (2023)

The last A-lister to grace Zayn Malik’s dating History is none other than Selena Gomez.

In March 2023, rumours of a romantic relationship between Sel and Malik began to circulate after the pair were seen having dinner together in New York City. Witnesses claimed they saw them holding hands and sharing kisses. This dinner date occurred shortly after fans on Twitter noticed that Malik had recently followed Gomez on Instagram, making her one of only 18 accounts followed by the ‘Better’ singer. 

Not only do Gomez and Malik share mutual friends, such as Taylor Swift, who collaborated with Malik on ‘I Don’t Wanna Live Forever,’ but Gomez had also previously mentioned Malik as the One Direction member she would most likely want to kiss during a video interview in 2013.

Well, that’s it for now, in terms of the leading ladies who once stole Malik’s heart and made to his very illustrious list of ex-girlfriends.

(Header and feature image courtesy: Instagram/Gigi Hadid/Zayn Malik/Perrie Edwards)

This story first appeared on Augustman Singapore

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

– Who is Zayn Malik dating currently?
Zayn Malik is currently single.

– How long did Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid date?
Malik and Hadid dated for six years roughly, from 2015 to 2021. They even have a daughter together, named Khai.

– When did Zayn Malik and Perrie Edwards start dating?
Malik and Edwards started dating in the year 2011 after they met on the set of The X Factor UK.