Zayn Malik recently raised eyebrows after revealing the extravagant “payout” his daughter, Khai, received from the Tooth Fairy. During a candid appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, the former One Direction star left host Alex Cooper stunned by the sheer amount of money he gifted for his daughter’s first lost tooth.
In the episode released Wednesday, Malik reflected on his desire to provide a life of abundance for Khai—whom he shares with supermodel Gigi Hadid—contrasting her upbringing with his own modest childhood. “Her father is a global musician, her mother is a world-class model, and her reality is naturally different from others,” he remarked, acknowledging that the lines of “normalcy” are often blurred in their household.
The singer admitted that he may have been a bit too generous when the Tooth Fairy visited. Malik disclosed that he handed over “500 quid”—roughly $700—for a single baby tooth. When Cooper joked that she might side with Gigi on this being a bit much, Malik defended his decision. “At the end of the day, I work incredibly hard. I should be able to provide for my child exactly how I want to,” he stated, noting that he was lucky to receive anything at all for his teeth growing up.
“I’ve earned everything I have through hard work, so I don’t feel the need to justify how I treat my daughter,” he added.
Malik and Hadid welcomed Khai in late 2020. Though the couple ended their six-year on-and-off relationship in 2021, Malik used the podcast platform to clarify his current feelings toward his ex-partner. While he previously made headlines for suggesting he had never been truly in love, he took a moment to add nuance to those claims.
“I will always have love for G because she brought my child into this world,” he told Cooper. “I have massive respect for her. I do love her immensely, but looking back, I’m not sure I was ‘in love’ with her at that specific time. If I had been, I probably would have been a better version of myself.”
Aside from family life, Malik is entering a high-gear phase of his career. His fifth solo studio project, Konnakol, is scheduled for an April release. With the lead single “Die for Me” already gaining traction, the singer is preparing for an extensive arena tour across North America, South America, and the United Kingdom starting this May.
