Since leaving One Direction, Zayn Malik has placed great importance on his privacy, and he rarely shares a glimpse of his personal life with fans. While the “Pillow Talk” singer uses Instagram to promote his professional career, on Thursday, August 20, he gave fans a look at what he’s been up to lately.
Zayn Malik Shares Glimpse Into His Life
The musician shared multiple photos, including a close-up of his face and shaved head, a sunset, a photo of him grilling corn and fresh vegetables, a fox running in a field, a picture of him eating, and one of him walking with his daughter, Khai.
Malik shares Khai with his ex-girlfriend, model Gigi Hadid, and the photo shows father and daughter walking hand-in-hand, away from the camera. Malik is wearing a Balenciaga T-shirt and a baseball cap, which he has reversed. Khai has a black T-shirt and red, white, and black patterned pants. Malik chose not to share a caption, but the post has already attracted a lot of attention from his fans. It has been liked over 2.5 million times and has over 34,000 comments. Among the reactions is
Malik has previously said he wants to keep parts of his life private, including his future relationships. In a February interview on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast with Alex Cooper, per People, Malik, who has famously dated singer Perrie Edwards and Hadid, said, “I’m not looking for a public relationship again. Just out of experience. No offense to anybody that I have been in public relationships with before. I’ve just learned from it that it don’t work for me, you know?”
He continued, “I’m quite a private person. I don’t really strive for people’s approval or attention, so the relationship should really be between me and that person. I think that personality type, someone who doesn’t want to do that, would be more suited to me.” He also revealed he had tried dating apps, but they “didn’t work” for him, and that people didn’t believe it was really him.
Zayn Malik Embraces Fatherhood & a Quieter Life
Malik became a father in September 2020. He and Hadid split for good in 2021 but continue to co-parent their daughter. In September 2024, the proud dad shared his love for Khai in an Instagram post celebrating her birthday.
“I love you more than words allow me to express, beyond proud to call you my daughter,” he wrote in the caption. “Grateful for every second I get to spend next to you, as you become the incredible person I know you already are.”
Khai is raised far from the paparazzi, and in a 2024 interview with L’Officiel, Malik discussed their quiet life in Pennsylvania. “When I found out that my partner at the time was pregnant, I pretty quickly made up my mind that this would be a great place to raise a child because there’s so much for her to do here,” he said. He loves “the landscapes and serenity” of the location.
During the interview, Malik also said they spend a lot of time outside. “We cook outside. We fish a little bit. And she’s really into it too, so it makes it fun,” he said. He also revealed that Khai loves the raw vegetables from their garden. “Hopefully we can create some amazing memories here.” He added, “I’m just trying to keep her grounded and enjoying the Earth rather than all the noise that comes with it.”
His latest photos on Instagram suggest this approach to life and how he embraces nature is still true.
