#reforma

Transforming fatherhood for Zayn.

By Juan Carlos García.

Through experiencing fatherhood , Zayn became much more aware of his mission to set a good example for his daughter Khai, and above all, to provide her with security and her own identity, without molding her personality based on his or her mother's fame.

The former One Direction member , who releases his new single "Sideways" this Friday, stated that being seen as a role model has been a part of his life since his time in the band that made him an idol, and that he became even more aware of this when his firstborn daughter, whom he had with supermodel Gigi Hadid, was born.

"The responsibility has always been there, both with the audience and with people in general, and I realized it when I was in the band. Everything intensified since I became a father. I see myself as a role model for her; I always want to give her the best version of myself.

I take care of everything, from the music she's exposed to, the information she's exposed to, and it makes me more responsible and aware that I must give her a positive image and guide her toward a very positive attitude toward life," he commented about his five-year-old daughter.

"'Sideways' is basically a song about sex, a lot of the songs on the album are about that, it's music for making babies. I wanted to make an album that didn't require you to think too much about it, but rather to enjoy and feel it." Zayn, singer

In a virtual interview from the business center of his New York hotel, Zain Javadd Malik spoke about what has happened in his life in recent years, following the release of his fifth studio album, Konnakol , and his return to the Dominican Republic this coming June.

His main motivation and focus, his primary source of life and hope, he insisted, is his daughter.

"Her life is very different from most girls', and we try to raise her to be someone who understands her reality and who she is. She knows who her father and mother are, but we want her to take care of herself and not be affected or shaped by it, only to define herself," said the former partner of the socialite.

The 33-year-old Brit, whose fandom has made him one of the most popular figures on the digital circuit, returns to Mexico with the Konnakol Tour 2026 , performing on June 14 at Estadio Monterrey, June 17 at Arena Guadalajara , and June 20 at Estadio GNP.

"I always want everything to go perfectly at the shows, but I've let go of the pressure; I try to focus on the positive. Before, I only thought about everything having to be perfect, and that led me to make mistakes.

I've left those past mistakes behind and learned that I can't control everything. I think my biggest mistake is overthinking, dwelling on things, and that leads to something very negative. That's why I only think about the present."

With "Die For Me" as the first single from his new album, the singer-songwriter is coming to Mexico with great enthusiasm .

"I love Mexico, it's a great place, I think the best fans in the world are there." I felt terribly bad about canceling the last concert (of the three he gave at the Palacio de los Deportes a year ago), I felt really, really bad.

"There are few audiences like Mexico's, honestly, to be honest, I think their only competition is Brazil, whether it's for interaction, for their enthusiasm, they're incomparable," commented Zayn , who clarified that he didn't eat anything that made him sick, but rather drank contaminated water and that knocked him out.

Speaking about Konnakol , in which he blends sounds from South Asia and pays tribute to Pakistani and Indian musical culture, the performer of "Dusk Till Down" and "Pillowtalk" highlighted the melodies that brought him back to the R&B that has always influenced him.