Zayn Malik gushes fatherhood has 'changed him' for the better as he details ... trends now

Zayn Malik gushed how fatherhood 'changed him' for the better as he gave a rare insight into his family life with his three-year-old daughter Khai in a new interview.

The former One Direction star, 31, shares his little one who he shared with his ex girlfriend model Gigi Hadid, 29, - who he split from in 2021.

Speaking on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast on Monday, Zayn detailed his idyllic countryside life on a farm in Pennsylvania where he spends quality father-daughter time with Khai - who he has 50 per cent of the time.

He told how being a dad 'changed his approach to a lot of things in life', taught him patience and has given more depth to his song writing.

Zayn also admitted that before having her he thought he would be a strict parent but actually that has been far from the case.

He told Fearne in the wide-ranging interview: 'Fatherhood has changed me in general. It has changed my approach to a lot of things in life. I have developed a hell of a lot more patience. 

'That has influenced me across the board. Being a father also gives me so much more depth to my song writing when I am talking about real life things. When I was 17 I didn't really have anything to write about, I had only just left school. 

'But I have more to say now, I have this love for this being that I never understood before. I have no fears expressing that as it is such a good feeling that I've been through. And I want to share that with the world in a good fatherly way.'

On what kind of parent he is he added: 'I thought I was going to be way stricter than I am. 

I thought 'oh I won't let them get away with this' and that but actually I do everything she asks me to do!'

He also detailed their countryside life in Pennsylvania saying he left New York as it was too 'intrusive' living there with a young child.

Zayn described his joy at watching Khai 'running through fields', collecting eggs from their chickens and being able to go camping. 

He said: 'We left New York when having the kid as it was too intrusive and we wanted to have her away from all of that. 

'She gets to run round in the fields and we get to go camping and BBQ outside without people watching us straight out the front door. We have three dogs, four cats and 10 chickens. We collect the eggs every day with Khai she loves it.'

He also spoke about how he manages his 50/50 custody with his ex Gigi, saying when Khai isn't with him he uses the time to paint and read and live a quiet life.

The star explained: 'I have my daughter 50 per cent of the time. That 50 per cent she's not with me for I try to look at it as glass half full not empty so in that time she's not here I can paint and read. 

'When she's with me you can't do nothing I am a father then from the minute she wakes up until she goes to bed.'

It comes after last week Zayn admitted his daughter unlocked a love in him he never had before she was born.

Speaking on "The Zach Sang Show he admitted his daughter changed his life as he said: 'I feel like my daughter brought that colour back in my life.

'She just makes me happy. I have so much love in me that I didn't have before she was born.'

He continued: 'She laughs all day. She wants to do the silliest things and she gains so much excitement from it. She just has a whole fresh perspective on life that had some- what become grey for me.'

Zayn and Gigi initially dated from 2015 to 2018. After a brief

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