Call Her Daddy

Zayn: Being Single is Freeing

February 11, 2026

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  • Zayn finds being single after years of serious relationships to be "freeing," allowing him to live on his own schedule without the pressure of pleasing a partner. 
  • Zayn is embracing unconventional hobbies like gardening and woodworking, and he values intellectual conversation, citing reading as the most attractive hobby in a partner. 
  • Zayn is consciously trying to avoid toxic masculinity, embracing vulnerability, and is highly protective of his daughter, Kai, planning to introduce romantic partners only when marriage is seriously considered. 
  • Zayn's new album, *Conoco*, heavily features production created from layers of his own voice, drawing inspiration from his Indian heritage and culture. 
  • Zayn prefers sharing deeply personal thoughts through the 'classy' and artistic medium of music rather than immediate social media posts, though he accepts that listeners will speculate about the subjects of his lyrics. 
  • Zayn expressed pride in his artistic and personal evolution since his early career, noting that his songwriting revelations often occur late at night when his mind is active. 

Segments

Catching Up and Pennsylvania Life
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(00:01:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn recently completed a new album, Conoco, inspired by his time on tour and subsequent inspiration back home in Pennsylvania.
  • Summary: Zayn has been busy being a father when not working and recently finished his new album, Conoco. The inspiration for the record struck quickly after his Stairway to the Sky tour. He still resides in Pennsylvania, which he loves despite others finding his choice of location unusual.
Vegas Residency and Lifestyle
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(00:02:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn is currently in Las Vegas for his residency but prefers a low-key existence, avoiding the strip and keeping his outings small to attract less attention.
  • Summary: Zayn has been in Vegas for nearly two weeks for his residency but has not visited the strip, preferring to keep a low profile. He is 33 years old and prefers going home over going out when he is not working. He did check out the tables with his face on them at the casino.
Pennsylvania Neighbors and Farm Life
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(00:07:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn maintains friendly but distant relationships with his Pennsylvania neighbors, once causing a stir by filming a Borderlands music video involving smoke grenades in his backyard.
  • Summary: Zayn sent cookies to his new neighbor as a welcome gesture and exchanged numbers for neighborly favors. He admitted to causing a ruckus while filming a Borderlands video, leading to a neighbor complaint about the backyard activity. He values the space in Pennsylvania because he can play his music loudly without disturbing others.
Animal Updates and Farm Fashion
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(00:08:51)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn stopped naming his chickens to avoid the trauma of losing them, and he fully embraces a casual, farm-appropriate fashion style, including overalls.
  • Summary: Zayn confirmed his cats, dogs, and turtles are doing well, though he recently lost one of his Sphinx cats. He now refers to his chickens collectively as ’the girls’ to avoid naming them after previous losses. His farm attire includes overalls, jeans, and checkered shirts, which help him blend in at Wawa.
Gardening and Woodworking Hobbies
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(00:10:51)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn actively gardens, growing produce like melons and chilies, and has taken up woodworking, carving small animals like bears and birds from wood.
  • Summary: Zayn has been gardening for about a year, growing items like tomatoes, carrots, and various chilies, which he freezes for later use. Cucumbers and pumpkins proved frustrating due to their invasive vines that strangle other plants. He carves small wooden figures using a carving knife, gifting practice bears and a bird to his daughter, Kai.
Self-Perception and Intellectual Attraction
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(00:12:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn enjoys the learning curve of new hobbies, finding the progression from beginner to skilled rewarding, and values reading as the most attractive hobby in a partner.
  • Summary: Zayn enjoys the initial stage of being a beginner and seeing the progression over time, noting this feeling enticed him toward music early on. He admitted his eight-year-old singing voice was terrible, lacking pitch. He believes reading is the most attractive hobby because it provides conversational stimulus and indicates an intellectual partner.
Self-Security and Masculinity
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(00:16:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn attributes his self-security to living in his truth and not caring about external approval, viewing strength in masculinity as rooted in vulnerability and honesty, even crying while watching Bluey.
  • Summary: Zayn claims he puts no pressure on himself regarding other people’s standards, prioritizing liking himself above all else. He actively tries to avoid toxic masculinity by engaging in activities like cooking or showing emotion, which might have been considered inappropriate for men a decade ago. He feels having a daughter, alongside having many sisters and aunties, amplified his respect for women.
Fatherhood and Kai’s Aspirations
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(00:20:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn’s biggest wish for his daughter Kai is her happiness and freedom to pursue whatever she desires, though he hopes she avoids the headaches of the music industry, as she currently wants to be a K-pop star.
  • Summary: Zayn wishes Kai happiness and the ability to do whatever she wishes in life. Kai currently aspires to be a K-pop star, which Zayn admits he would support despite personally wanting to keep her away from the industry’s difficulties. Fun recent activities included attending Monster Jam and seeing Blackpink live.
Financial Security and Tooth Fairy Overcompensation
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(00:22:48)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn overcompensates for his own childhood financial instability by giving his daughter Kai an excessive $500 quid for her first lost tooth.
  • Summary: Zayn views providing for his daughter as everything, contrasting sharply with his own upbringing marked by financial insecurity. He gave Kai $500 for her first tooth, acknowledging his mother criticized the amount. He feels he has worked hard for his earnings and should not have to justify his generosity to his child.
Dating Approach and Privacy
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(00:33:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn is currently single, prioritizing time with Kai over dating, and he will only introduce a serious partner to his daughter after deciding he plans to marry her.
  • Summary: Zayn is not actively dating, noting that finding time is difficult as he spends his non-working hours with Kai. He would only introduce a woman to Kai if he was serious enough to potentially marry her, aiming to protect his daughter from the emotional fallout of failed relationships. He is not seeking another public relationship, having learned that his private nature is better suited for private partnerships.
Embracing Singleness and Growth
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(00:37:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn does not find being alone scary; instead, he finds his current period of singleness freeing because he is comfortable with his own company and no longer needs a partner for identity.
  • Summary: Zayn is not codependent and enjoys his own company, meaning the transition to being single was freeing rather than scary. He is enjoying the ability to sleep and eat on his own schedule without worrying about relationship rules. He acknowledges past relationship mistakes, such as speaking to other females inappropriately, and feels this single period allows him to be ready for commitment later.
Managing Public Scrutiny and Anxiety
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(00:47:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn manages public pressure and untrue narratives by avoiding social media entirely and refusing to engage in public arguments, focusing instead on gratitude.
  • Summary: Zayn does not feel pressure to respond publicly to untrue statements because he does not give importance to things he knows are false. He does not have social media apps on his phone and relies on his manager to post anything necessary. When feeling overwhelmed, he practices meditation, breathing exercises, and names three things he is grateful for, such as Kai, his career, and his family.
Solo Touring and New Music Themes
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(00:49:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn’s new album, Conoco, heavily features production built from layers of his own vocal sounds, drawing significant inspiration from his Indian heritage and culture.
  • Summary: Performing solo tours felt strange initially compared to being with the band, requiring adjustment to not looking at others for cues. The album title, Conoco, means creating percussive sounds with the voice, and Zayn used his own vocals to construct much of the album’s beat. This exploration of his Indian heritage is a continuation of subtle influences he has included in his music previously.
Stage Joke Backlash
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(00:52:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn made an onstage joke about high ticket prices without naming specific individuals.
  • Summary: Zayn addressed recent internet attention stemming from a joke he made on stage regarding high ticket prices. He clarified that he never specified any names during the comment. He stated that people can interpret the joke as applying to whomever they choose.
New Album ‘Conoco’ Details
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(00:53:10)
  • Key Takeaway: The album title ‘Conoco’ is derived from the act of creating percussive sounds using the voice, which forms much of the record’s production.
  • Summary: The new album, Conoco, draws inspiration from Zayn’s Indian heritage and culture. The title refers to creating drum sounds using the voice, resulting in layers of vocals forming the beat production. Zayn decided the entire record should follow this vocal-centric production style early in the process.
Single ‘Die for Me’ Origin
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(00:54:41)
  • Key Takeaway: ‘Die for Me’ was written about six years ago and was initially shelved because it felt too produced for the raw style of the Room album.
  • Summary: Zayn has owned the single ‘Die for Me’ for approximately five or six years, even before his album Room. He felt the song was too ‘produced and too clean and crisp’ for the singer-songwriter nature of Room. He related to the song’s themes but also recognized its potential as a big radio track.
Sharing Personal Music
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(00:55:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn confirms he never shows people music written about them ahead of time, though those who know him well can usually identify themselves in the lyrics.
  • Summary: Zayn stated he would never show someone a song written about them beforehand. He believes that if someone knows him well enough, they will recognize themselves in the music without needing to call him about it. He views releasing music as a classy form of expression, unlike a casual tweet.
Nervousness Over Song Release
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(00:56:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn was most nervous about releasing the song ‘Side Effects’ because it honestly addresses the shortcomings or negative impact he may have had on a partner.
  • Summary: The song ‘Side Effects’ caused Zayn some hesitation before release because it required admitting his own role in relationship issues. The theme centers on acknowledging the side effects of loving him, rather than just how someone else made him feel. This level of self-admittance is considered mature.
Favorite Album Tracks
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(00:58:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn’s top three favorite songs from the new album are ‘Used to the Blues,’ ‘Side Effects,’ and ‘Sideways.’
  • Summary: ‘Used to the Blues’ is a favorite because it has a different, more hip-hop-influenced production style for a Zayn song. ‘Side Effects’ was also highlighted as a track he likes. The lyric ‘I miss looking at you sideways’ comes from the song ‘Sideways.’
Lyric Revelation Timing
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(00:59:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn’s best lyrics typically come to him late at night, often in the time just before sleep, when his mind is racing.
  • Summary: The best lyrics do not usually arrive when he plans to be in the studio; they often come late at night when he is a night owl. He finds that time just before sleep triggers a flurry of writing activity. Lyrics only appear if he has been actively living life and has information pent up ready to be expressed.
Artistic Progression Reflection
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(01:01:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn views his evolution as an artist as a ‘fucking huge arc,’ marked by developing musical knowledge and significant growth as a human being.
  • Summary: He contrasts his current self with his younger self singing ‘Let Me Love You’ a cappella, noting he now understands music theory concepts like key and pitch. The most significant development, however, has been his growth as a person. He admires the bravery of his 17-year-old self for taking the initial risk of performing.
Reunion and Current State
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(01:03:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn feels significantly more relaxed and confident now compared to their previous interview three years ago, attributing this to more consistent work and rhythm.
  • Summary: The previous interview was one of his first after a long time, triggering anxiety about the situation. Three years later, having worked more and found a rhythm, he feels much chiller and more confident in the interview environment. He expressed happiness that the reunion felt relaxed and like friends chatting.
Performance of ‘Die for Me’
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(01:06:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Zayn performed his new single ‘Die for Me,’ which contains lyrics about betrayal after swearing to never be enemies.
  • Summary: The performance of ‘Die for Me’ included lyrics about giving everything through good and bad times, and the pain of someone breaking a vow not to be enemies. Key lines reference being lied to and the feeling of being left when most needed. The song concludes with the repeated plea, ‘Say you would die for me.’