Cody Simpson hated scrutiny of Gigi Hadid romance

Singer Cody Simpson has opened up about the breakdown of his romance with model Gigi Hadid, revealing the intense interest in the couple drove them apart.

Simpson, who split from Hadid in May (15), insists he and his ex didn't fall out or find love with other people; they just decided the on/off relationship had run its course.

Now he tells DuJour magazine he was always very uncomfortable with the scrutiny surrounding his romance.

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

"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. I want to keep it low-key, and focus on my music.

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

Hadid, 20, has reportedly moved on to date Joe Jonas, while Simpson is determined to stay single for the time being, despite recent reports linking him romantically to Selena Gomez and model Carmella Rose.