Malik Breakup Scrutiny
Perrie Edwards Reveals 'Hellish' Zayn Malik Breakup, Felt Publicly Humiliated
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Key Points
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Edwards said the “nail in the coffin” moment for her wasn’t just the breakup itself but seeing a new woman in Malik-related media—specifically citing that “another woman” appeared in a music video she understood as being about her (with “PILLOWTALK” featuring Gigi Hadid identified in coverage).
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She described how public attention turned into a sense of ridicule that went beyond fans’ support: “I felt like the world was then looking at me, laughing at me,” adding that she felt “embarrassed,” “horrified,” and that it was “awful.”
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Edwards said she “power[ed] through” the ordeal for Little Mix—describing it as so intense she couldn’t cope privately, but she pushed herself to keep going for her bandmates (Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Ann Pinnock, and Jesy Nelson).
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Beyond Malik, Edwards also addressed her fall-out with former Little Mix bandmate Jesy Nelson during the same podcast run, bringing a separate internal-band dimension to the aftermath she discussed.
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She framed her relationship with Malik earlier as “young puppy love” that later became “toxic” in the context of constant media scrutiny, contrasting the public-pressure dynamic with her later experience.
Nearly a decade after their split, Perrie Edwards has called her 2015 breakup from Zayn Malik "hellish" — and revealed the moment that hurt most came six months later. Speaking on Jamie Laing's *Great Company* podcast in June 2024, Edwards said seeing another woman appear in Malik's "PILLOWTALK" music video was the "nail in the coffin" US Magazine.
That video, released in January 2016, featured model Gigi Hadid. Edwards said there was "a bit of an overlap" between her breakup and Malik's next relationship Idaho Statesman. She described the public fallout as leaving her feeling "embarrassed," "horrified," and like "the world was laughing" at her The Tab.
The 'PILLOWTALK' Video Became Her Breaking Point
Edwards and Malik got together in November 2011 on the set of *The X Factor UK*. They got engaged in August 2013. The relationship ended in August 2015 — reportedly via a single text message, per the Little Mix book *Our World*. Malik denied ending it by text in a 2015 interview with *The Fader*, calling that account inaccurate US Magazine.
Then came "PILLOWTALK." The song dropped on January 29, 2016 — and racked up 11.4 million views in its first 24 hours The Tab. Hadid starred in the video. Edwards said she understood the song as being about her. Seeing another woman in it, she said, was what finally broke her Idaho Statesman.
Public Scrutiny Left Edwards Feeling Ridiculed and Followed
Edwards said the media coverage did not just hurt — it humiliated her. "I felt like the world was then looking at me, laughing at me," she told host Jamie Laing. She said she felt "embarrassed" and "horrified" by relentless attention The Tab. She described it as feeling followed and publicly mocked at the same time.
Her father's reaction added another layer of pain. Seeing him hurt on her behalf made the ordeal harder to carry Head Topics. Edwards had earlier framed the relationship as "young puppy love" that turned "toxic" under constant media pressure — a stark contrast to how she now describes her life with footballer fiancé Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whom she called "healthy" and "calm" Head Topics.
Edwards Pushed Through Breakdowns to Keep Little Mix Going
Behind the scenes, Edwards said she was falling apart. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't eat. She described "serious breakdowns" that left her unable to cope privately The Tab. But she said she "powered through" it anyway — for her bandmates Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jesy Nelson.
That loyalty to Little Mix had a real payoff. In October 2016, the group released "Shout Out to My Ex" — widely read as a direct response to the Malik split. It hit number one in the UK and sold over 1.5 million copies domestically US Magazine. Edwards' pain became one of British pop's biggest anthems.
Solo Comeback Brings Old Wounds Back Into View
Edwards is now launching a solo career with her single "Forget About Us." Her candid podcast appearance comes at a key promotional moment. Some online critics — particularly fans of Malik — argue the timing is strategic Geo TV. Malik, meanwhile, released his album *Room Under the Stairs* in 2024 and has not publicly addressed her comments.
Edwards also addressed her falling out with former bandmate Jesy Nelson on the same podcast run Head Topics. She framed both losses — the romantic and the professional — as wounds she has worked through. She pointed to her eight-year relationship with Oxlade-Chamberlain as proof that things can be different Head Topics.
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