Singer Zayn Malik who has shocked everyone by appearing in an interview for the first time in six years has talked about many personal and professional things.
The podcast ‘Call Her Daddy’ announced that Malik would appear on Wednesday’s episode for a full sit-down interview. In a video preview, Malik addressed leaving the band ‘One Direction’, and the moment he knew it was time to go. “I think I’ve known for a minute,” he told Cooper.
“Look I don’t want to go into too much detail, but 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.”
Malik left One Direction in 2015 after helping the group put out four hit albums. In a statement regarding his departure, he wrote, “I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight.”
Read more: Zayn Malik returns to music with cover of Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Angel’
He found instant success with his 2016 solo debut album, ‘Mind of Mine’, which included the hit single ‘Pillowtalk’. He has released two subsequent LPs, 2018’s ‘Icarus Falls’ and 2021’s ‘Nobody Is Listening’.
He also talked about his personal life and his daughter Khai who he had model and ex-partner Gigi Hadid in 2020. The couple split up in 2021 after Malik pleaded no contest to four counts of harassment against Hadid and her mother, Yolanda Hadid.
When questioned about why he decided to once again put himself in the public eye, the Dusk Till Dawn singer said his 2-year-old daughter, Khai, played a large role in his return.
“Since I’ve had my daughter, the main thing in my mind is trying to be a good example to her,” Malik said.
“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 a to look at me and be like, ‘Yo, my dad’s doing this,'” he said. The full interview is available on Spotify, and precedes the release of Malik’s new single, ‘Love Like This’, on July 21.
