Zayn Malik hinted at his split from girlfriend Gigi Hadid before they released statements confirming the news on Tuesday, March 14.
The “Dusk Till Dawn” singer, 25, apparently unfollowed Gigi, 22, and her mother, Yolanda Hadid, on social media earlier on Tuesday, fans pointed out on Twitter. “Zayn really unfollowed gigi on instagram like he doesnt have a whole tattoo of her eyes on his chest,” one fan noted, while another shared: “ZAYN REALLY UNFOLLOWED GIGI IM SHOOK.”
The former One Direction singer then hinted at trouble in paradise, captioning a shirtless selfie: “When Life throws you lemons , catch em so they don’t hit you in the f--king face.”
The duo then confirmed the reports themselves, breaking Zigi fan hearts.
“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,” Zayn tweeted after posting the selfie. “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 wish this news could have come from us first. We love you all. xZ.”
Gigi added:
“Breakup statements often seem impersonal because there is really no way to put into words what two people experience together over a few years … not only in the relationship, but in life in general,” she wrote. “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. As for the future, whatever’s meant to be will always be. xG.”