Zayn Malik's Dating History: From Perrie Edwards to Gigi Hadid

The singer has recently been linked to Selena Gomez. Take a look at his dating history through the years

Steve Granitz/WireImage
Steve Granitz/WireImage

Zayn Malik has had some high-profile romances.

The singer, who first rose to fame with the band One Direction, has been linked to a handful of women through the years.

Though he has notoriously kept his personal life private, he has given glimpses into his romances from time to time.

During the height of One Direction's success, he dated fellow musician Perrie Edwards. The couple were together for four years and had a two-year-long engagement before breaking up in 2015.

Following his split from Edwards, the singer went on to date model Gigi Hadid, one of his most public relationships to date. The two were on and off from 2015 to 2021, eventually welcoming a daughter named Khai. However, in October 2021, multiple sources confirmed exclusively to PEOPLE the supermodel and the singer broke up.

Most recently, he has been linked to Selena Gomez after they were spotted grabbing dinner together in New York City.

Read ahead for the singer's dating history.

Geneva Lane

During his time on The X Factor, Malik met and briefly dated fellow contestant Geneva Lane in 2010. It's unclear how long they dated, but it appears they didn't end things on the best of terms.

Following Malik's sudden split from Edwards in 2015, Lane quickly sided with the Little Mix singer online, writing, "'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."

Rebecca Ferguson

Dave J. Hogan/Getty
Dave J. Hogan/Getty

Malik and British singer Rebecca Ferguson also met on The X Factor and began dating during the show's tour in 2011. However, after four months together, the two parted ways.

During an interview with The Independent in 2013, Ferguson reflected on the relationship, calling it her "first mistake." "I was 23, he was 18. Of course, if it was a 23-year-old guy dating an 18-year-old girl, no one would have batted an eyelid, but this way around was a big deal, apparently," she told the publication.

"I didn't realise that. I was just a hippy, free-loving person, but that's not a good thing to be in this industry. You can't just follow your heart."

Stephanie Davis

Karwai Tang/WireImage
Karwai Tang/WireImage

The singer dated English actress Stephanie Davis for five months in 2011. During her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in 2016, Davis briefly opened up about their short-lived romance, claiming she was the one who ended things.

"He [wasn't] happy, even when I was going out with him," she said on the show, per BBC. "I can't believe he stuck it out for that long."

"I ended it with him because at the time I was oblivious to that world," she revealed. "And then I was out with the girls in town and he was calling me, calling me. I changed my number."

Perrie Edwards

Disney/Rex/Shutterstock
Disney/Rex/Shutterstock

Malik first met Edwards on The X Factor UK in 2011, when One Direction performed on the show and Edwards was a contestant with her band Little Mix.

After a few years of dating, Malik proposed to Edwards in August 2013. "Zayn and Perrie are engaged, but any further detail regarding their relationship is private," a label rep told PEOPLE at the time.

Following a two-year engagement, the two parted ways in August 2015. In addition to seemingly writing Little Mix's 2016 song "Shout Out to My Ex" about Malik, Edwards 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, two-year engagement ended by a simple text message. Just like that," Edwards wrote.

The former One Direction singer denied rumors that he had broken up with Edwards that way, telling The Fader magazine that he had too much respect for Edwards "than to end anything over 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 at the time. "She knows that, I know that, and the public should know that as well."

Gigi Hadid

George Pimentel/WireImage
George Pimentel/WireImage

Malik and Gigi Hadid first sparked romance rumors in late 2015 and eventually went public with their relationship that December, when Malik posted a photo of them cuddling together. The following month, Hadid made an appearance in the music video for Malik's debut solo single "Pillowtalk," in which they shared a kiss.

After several public appearances together, including their red-carpet debut as a couple at the Met Gala, the two parted ways in May 2018. Malik confirmed the split 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." She continued, "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 left room for reconciliation, though, when she added, "As for the future, whatever's meant to be will be."

One month later, they were spotted kissing in N.Y.C., sparking reconciliation rumors. The two were on and off again for several years before reuniting in January 2020. The following month, Hadid confirmed they were back together as she posted a Valentine's Day tribute to Malik.

In April 2020, Hadid announced that she and Malik were expecting their first child together, and in September 2020, they welcomed a daughter named Khai.

In October 2021, PEOPLE confirmed that the couple had split again. "They are not together right now. They are both good parents though," a Hadid family friend said at the time. "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.

The news came a day after reports surfaced accusing Malik of striking Hadid's mother Yolanda during an argument. The singer was quick to deny the allegations, saying in a statement, "I adamantly deny striking Yolanda Hadid, and for the sake of my daughter I decline to give any further details, and I hope that Yolanda will reconsider her false allegations and move towards healing these family issues in private."

On Twitter, he added in part, "This was and still should be a private matter but it seems for now there is divisiveness and despite my efforts to restore us to a peaceful family environment that will allow for me to co-parent my daughter in a manner in which she deserves, this has been 'leaked' to the press."

Following their split, the two have continued to co-parent their daughter Khai, including throwing her a 2nd birthday party in September 2022.

Selena Gomez

Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock, Matt Baron/Shutterstock Selena Gomez, Zayn Malik
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock, Matt Baron/Shutterstock Selena Gomez, Zayn Malik

In March 2023, Malik sparked romance rumors with Selena Gomez after the two were spotted grabbing dinner in N.Y.C., where they were allegedly seen holding hands and kissing.

The dinner came weeks after fan accounts on Twitter noticed that Gomez recently followed Malik back on Instagram. (Hers is also one of just 18 accounts the "Pillowtalk" singer follows.)

In addition to having mutual friends with Malik, including Taylor Swift, who collaborated with the singer on "I Don't Wanna Live Forever," Gomez had previously named Malik as the One Direction singer that she was most likely to want to kiss during an interview back in 2013.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.