Zayn Malik says he tried using Tinder to date, but everyone accused him of catfishing

Zayn Malik opened up about dating as a celebrity who lives in Pennsylvania. He said he's been kicked off Tinder "once or twice." Now, he's happy being single.

• Zayn Malik recently revealed that he tried (and failed) to meet romantic prospects on Tinder.
• "Everyone accused me of catfishing. They're like, 'What are you using Zayn Malik's pictures for?'"
• The former One Direction star lives on a farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

If you've been swiping on Tinder in rural Pennsylvania and you reported another user for posing as Zayn Malik, you may have missed your chance at dating the real pop star.

Malik has been considered a heartthrob for his entire adult life; he rose to fame as a teenager when he auditioned for the 2010 season of "The X-Factor." On the show, he was grouped with four other boys to form a little band called One Direction. Maybe you've heard of it.

These days, Malik is a solo singer who resides in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. In a recent interview with Nylon, he described his farm life as peaceful and largely solitary — though he did try to meet new people by downloading a dating app.

Of course, no one expects to match with a multi-platinum superstar on Tinder, so Malik's efforts didn't pay off.

"It's not been too successful for me, I'll be honest," he said. "Everyone accused me of catfishing. They're like, 'What are you using Zayn Malik's pictures for?' I've been kicked off once or twice."

(There is actually a dating app meant to help the rich, famous, and otherwise notable verify they are real people who are just trying to date — but perhaps Malik hasn't heard of Raya?)

Now, Malik said he's sworn off the apps and he's not actively looking for romance.

"I'm really content and happy with being single for the first time in my life," he told Nylon.

Malik shares a 3-year-old daughter, Khai, with his ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid. They dated on and off from 2015 to 2021. Before that, Malik was engaged to Little Mix's Perrie Edwards.

"From 17 to 21, I was in a relationship. I was engaged and [planned to get] married and I didn't know anything about anything at that point," he recalled. "I thought I did, because I was 21. I was legally allowed to do everything, but I didn't know shit."

"From 21 to 27, I was with Gi," Malik continued. "We had a kid, and I didn't really take much time to get to know myself."

Malik left One Direction in 2015, shortly before the remaining bandmates announced an indefinite hiatus.

Since then, he has continued making music, though he's largely withdrawn from the spotlight. His fourth solo album, a country-inspired project titled "Room Under the Stairs," will be released on Friday.

Malik said his new musical direction was inspired by songwriters like Chris Stapleton and Willie Nelson — not Beyoncé, who received rave reviews earlier this year for her country-rock-fusion entry "Cowboy Carter."

"I'm proud of it. I think it shows a certain level of intellect, to be a bit ahead of the curve," he told Nylon. "People need to know I didn't jump on the bandwagon."