Cody Simpson: I’ll always love Gigi

Cody Simpson will "always" love ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid.

The 18-year-old singer and his 20-year-old model partner split in May this year after a two-year on and off relationship.

And while Cody and Gigi had sparked rumours recently that they may have reconciled, the Australian heartthrob insists he is still single.

However, Cody said he still has a close bond with stunning blonde Gigi.

"I love my ex-girlfriend, I always will.," he told DuJour magazine. "It was an amicable, mutual decision, and we still talk every now and then, but the highly-publicised thing made me uncomfortable."

During their romance, both Cody and Gigi became tabloid fodder. And Cody admits it was that aspect of his relationship that he found so difficult to cope with.

"Going out to dinner and there being all this paparazzi and stuff…. as soon as we split I had the realisation that I was straying away from who I was as a whole person," he said. "I want to keep it low-key, and focus on my music."

Cody recently released Free, his fifth studio album – his first independent release. He added to the publication that in his downtime, he is keen to keep things relaxed and casual.

"I just want to hang and be a dude, and do stupid stuff like surf, and get drunk, and jam for hours," he said. "I feel like at 18, you're half of someone else, as opposed to all of yourself. You're still figuring yourself out."

Cody was recently romantically linked to singer Selena Gomez when the pair were seen out getting ice cream with friends.