Zayn Got Kicked Off Tinder Because People Thought He Was Catfishing

Tinder is an oddly hilarious place. One moment, a user could be swiping right on the potential love of their life. The next, they might come across Zayn Malik’s actual profile, confuse it for a catfish — or his rumored doppelgänger from Raya — and report him until he gets banned from the app. That tenacity might make Nev Schulman smile, but it’s made the real Zayn have to take a step back from online dating.

In a May 14 interview for Nylon, Malik talked about his misadventures on Tinder. “It’s not been too successful for me, I’ll be honest. Everyone accused me of catfishing. They’re like, ‘What are you using Zayn Malik’s pictures for?’ I’ve been kicked off once or twice,” he said.

Sam Smith had a similar setback on the dating app; however, they’ve gone on to find love in the real world. As for Malik, he isn’t worried about striking a match in the romance department these days. “I’m really content and happy with being single for the first time in my life,” he told the outlet.

Though Malik isn’t actively looking for love, he’s been able to reflect on the lessons he’s learned from his past relationships. In the interview, the Room Under the Stairs singer spoke about his public romance with Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards. The duo began dating in 2011 and were close to tying the knot; however, they called it quits in 2015.

“From 17 to 21, I was in a relationship. I was engaged and [planned to get] married and I didn’t know anything about anything at that point,” Malik recalled. “I thought I did, because I was 21. I was legally allowed to do everything, but I didn’t know sh*t.”

Shortly afterward, he moved on with Gigi Hadid. The two were on-and-off for six years, and eventually separated one year after welcoming their daughter Khai in 2020. While they seem to be on good terms, Malik confessed he might have rushed into their romance a bit too quickly.

“From 21 to 27, I was with Gi, and we had a kid, and I didn’t really take much time to get to know myself,” he said. “It’s probably wise to take your time before you fully invest in another human being as a lifelong partner.”