Zayn Malik Covers Complex Magazine: Talks Life After One Direction and Dating Gigi Hadid

Zayn Malik is the April/May 2016 cover star of Complex magazine and he's revealing more than just his bare chest as he spills about his hot new romance with Gigi Hadid and saying goodbye to his One Direction band to embark a new solo career.

Although the 23-year-old singer and Hadid have no problem flaunting their relationship in public, Malik admitted that he likes to keep his high-profile romance as private as possible.

“I try to keep the two very separate … as much as I can,” the “Pillowtalk” singer shared. “But there’s only so much you can do. I’m learning to deal with it. It’s just one of those things now, in the background.”

For now, Malik is focused on establishing his solo career and growing past his 1D days. He revealed that he is relieved to be in control of his sound and his look. He says he faced a lot of restrictions while being in the band, including not being allowed to grow facial hair, a rule that he really didn't appreciate.

"That was just because I looked older than the rest of them. That's one of the things that is now quite cool. I get to keep my beard," he said. "I also wanted to dye my hair when I was in the band, but I wasn't allowed to."

Malik’s Complex cover story was released on Monday, just days before the Friday debut of his album, Mind Of Mine, which he said is going to be "massively different" from the song he wrote while he was still with the famous boyband.

"None of the songs that I wrote in One Direction were personal to me," Malik noted. "No one can ever say I was ungrateful, even though it sort of comes across that way when I mention that I was frustrated with the band. With the music that I'm doing now, I get to express myself, and that creative tension is gone."