Zayn Malik opens up about supermodel girlfriend Gigi Hadid, sex and how he’s curbed his partying ways

ZAYN Malik has opened up about his relationship with supermodel Gigi Hadid and his sex life in a revealing new interview.

The former One Direction singer posed in a sultry photoshoot with Paper magazine where he also revealed he's been "partying too much".

Speaking about his debut album, Mind of Mine, Zayn said he hasn't intended for the record to be based on his sex life.

He said: "It wasn't a conscious decision to make [the album] sexual or refer to sex.

"But I just found out that a lot of situations that I was in were quite sexual situations - all of the time."

";I enjoyed singing about [sex], clearly."

When asked about his status as a sex symbol, the 23-year-old said he takes it as a compliment.

He said: "If girls find me attractive, then that's a cool thing.

"If guys find me attractive, then that's a cool thing as well. It's sick. It's a compliment. I'm blessed by whoever was up there to be who I am and be able to do what I do. I genuinely mean that."

Zayn hit the headlines earlier this month when he cancelled his performance at the Summertime Ball minutes before he was due to appear on stage due to his crippling anxiety.

He released a statement saying: “Unfortunately my anxiety that has haunted me throughout the last few months around live performances has gotten the better of me… with the magnitude of the event, I have suffered the worst anxiety of my career."

The Bradford-born singer told the magazine he has taken a step back from his partying ways.

He said: "I've not been feeling too well recently because I've been partying too much and not looking after myself and eating enough food. I'm just trying to take care of myself.

"I don't really enjoy going out too much and partying.

"I like to have my own time and be at home, and I kind of need a partner with me to do that.

"I just like the security of that. It feels good to me. It feels right."

Referring to his girlfriend Gigi Hadid, he says they prefer to stay in than go out clubbing.

He said: "We'll see each other tonight and probably watch a film. Netflix and chill. Yeah, we do that a lot."

The young star has been dating Gigi on and off for the past eight months and they are believed to have reunited following a short split last month.

In a bid to do some of the same activities as his gorgeous girlfriend, Zayn has taken up horse riding.

He said: "Because my girlfriend rides a little bit.

"Actually, that's an understatement.

"She rides very well, and she has since she was a kid. She wants me to do it with her, and I'm not good.

"But I'm learning, and it's fun. My first lesson was on a really old horse that didn't move very much, so it wasn't that scary.

"She was on the other horse, the one that moved a lot more. She was jumping over hurdles and I just sat there like, 'Ok, this is freaky.'"