ZAYN

Biography

Zain Javadd Malik, known professionally as Zayn, is an English singer and songwriter born on January 12, 1993, in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. His father, Yaser Malik, is of Pakistani descent, and his mother, Trisha Malik, is of English and Irish descent. He has one older sister, Doniya, and two younger sisters, Waliyha and Safaa. Growing up in a working-class family in East Bowling, he attended Lower Fields Primary School and Tong High School. Malik took performing arts courses and appeared in school productions as a teenager.

Career

2010–2015: The X Factor and One Direction

In 2010, at the age of 17, Malik auditioned for the seventh series of the British music competition The X Factor. He was eliminated as a solo contestant but was later brought back into the competition, along with four other contestants, to form the boy band One Direction. The group, which also included Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson, finished in third place and subsequently signed a recording contract with Simon Cowell's Syco Records. One Direction went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, releasing four commercially successful albums: "Up All Night" (2011), "Take Me Home" (2012), "Midnight Memories" (2013), and "Four" (2014). In March 2015, Malik announced his departure from the band.

2015–Present: Solo Career

After leaving One Direction, Malik signed a solo recording contract with RCA Records. He adopted a more alternative R&B style for his debut solo album, "Mind of Mine," released in 2016. The album's lead single, "Pillowtalk," debuted at number one in several countries, making him the first British male artist to debut at number one in both the UK and US with a debut single and album. His subsequent releases include the albums "Icarus Falls" (2018), "Nobody Is Listening" (2021), and "Room Under the Stairs" (2024). He has also achieved international success with collaborative singles like "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" with Taylor Swift and "Dusk Till Dawn" featuring Sia.

Personal Life

Malik's personal life has often been a subject of media attention. He was previously engaged to Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards. From 2015 to 2021, he was in an on-again, off-again relationship with American model Gigi Hadid. They have a daughter, Khai, who was born in September 2020.