Exclusive

Hailey Baldwin Sets the Record Straight on Justin Bieber Romance Rumors: "We Are Not an Exclusive Couple"

"Relationships at this age are already complicated," the model tells E! News

By Zach Johnson Feb 11, 2016 11:48 AMTags
Watch: Are Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber an "Exclusive Couple"?

Perhaps they're just not into labels.

GQ published excerpts from its March 2016 cover story Wednesday, in which Justin Bieber shed a little more insight into his relationship with Hailey Baldwin, whom he's known since 2009. "[She's] someone I really love," he told the magazine. "We spend a lot of time together."

"A lot" is an understatement. E! News caught up with Baldwin Tuesday night at the 2016 amfAR New York Gala, held at Cipriani Wall Street, where she expounded upon Bieber's comments to GQ. "I think it's awesome," she admitted. "It wasn't a surprise to me. I knew it was coming out."

Bieber didn't attend the charity event with Baldwin, as he was on the opposite coast for the 2016 Saint Laurent event at the Palladium in L.A., where he partied with Joan Jett, Lady Gaga and others.

Baldwin, 19, and Bieber, 21, have grown quite close over the years. Whenever the model and pop singer were linked romantically, though, they would deny romance rumors outright, as Baldwin did when E! News caught up with her at the Exodus premiere in 2014. "I've known him since I was so young—since I was like 13—and we've just been good friends over the years," Baldwin said at the time. "We have just stayed close and there's nothing more to it than that."

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

How things change. When E! News spoke to Baldwin at Tuesday's amFAR New York Gala, she didn't deny their connection. "We are not an exclusive couple. He's about to go on tour," she said. "Relationships at this age are already complicated, but I don't really like to talk about it because it's between me and him. Honestly, the rest of the GQ article comes out tomorrow." Baldwin added that Bieber looks "awesome" and "handsome" in the magazine's photo shoot.

As for their relationship, she said, "It's just between me and him."

Dating in the spotlight isn't easy. "The thing is, I live a very public life and I have to keep things personal or else I have no personal life. It's very difficult. I am very open on social media, but that's why I don't like to talk about certain things. It really is my personal business. And I like to think my relationships are not between me the person and the whole entire world. It's hard," Baldwin said. "I don't think people are really able to understand if they're not in that position."

So, how will Baldwin be celebrating Valentine's Day?

"I'm going to just eat a lot of food and have a great day," she said.