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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Niamh Spence

Zayn Malik credits daughter for 'bringing colour back to his life' amid fatherhood

Former One Direction singer Zayn Malik has given his first interview in six years and shared a rare insight into fatherhood to two-year-old daughter Khai.

Zayn, who shares daughter Khai with ex girlfriend Gigi Hadid, praised his daughter as he revealed she had "brought colour back to his life".

The PillowTalk singer and model Gigi split in October 2021 but continue to co-parent, as he now says his main focus is being a "good example" to her.

Zayn revealed his fatherly love and how his daughter Khai has changed his life as he appeared in a teaser for the Call Her Daddy podcast.

Zayn Malik and ex girlfriend Gigi Hadid share two-year-old daughter Khai (Getty Images North America)

Speaking in the teaser trailer, Zayn said: "Since I've had my daughter the main thing in my life is trying to be a good example to her. That's why I'm even doing this interview.

"I used to get a lot of anxiety around doing a conversation like this but I want her to be able to look at me and say 'my dad's doing this'."

He added: "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!

Singer Zayn has opened up about his role as a father in the rare interview (instagram/ @ zayn)
The singer also added that his main focus is being a "good example" to his daughter (Getty Images)

"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 colour back to my life for me."

The podcast also explored Zayn's reasons for leaving boyband One Direction, after Zayn quit in 2015 and left his four bandmates Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson to continue as a four piece.

Reflecting on his time in One Direction he said: "I feel like we were so overexposed in the band that like that is why I have taken the time away to not do interviews."

Zayn also opened up about being stereotyped in the band, which was formed on The X Factor by Simon Cowell in 2010. He shared: "They just said to me 'oh you can be the mysterious one' but it wasn't necessarily my personality, I'm just chill.

Zayn also opened up on his time in One Direction from 2010 until 2015 (Dave Allocca/Starpix/REX/Shutterstock)

"Some people have very high energy personalities and it's just not the way I am."

The interview comes as Zayn teased fans last month that he will be releasing new music as he wiped all his social media accounts clear ahead of the release of new material.

The former One Direction singer signed a new record deal with Mercury Records and it looks as though his first single with the new label is set to be released 'very soon' with a pre-save link for his new music already popping up on his page.

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