Zain Javadd Malik (born January 12, 1993) was born in Bradford, England. He is a British singer and songwriter. He is professionally known as Zayn Malik. Malik rose to fame after auditioning as a solo contestant for the seventh season of the popular British music competition television series, The X Factor, in 2010.
Although he was eliminated as a solo artist, he was brought back to the competition and joined forces with four other contestants to form the boy band One Direction, which became an overnight sensation. As a member of One Direction, Malik experienced unprecedented success, releasing five studio albums and performing on numerous world tours.
In March 2015, Malik left One Direction to pursue a solo career and signed a recording contract with RCA Records. His debut solo album, Mind of Mine, released in 2016, showcased his unique and soulful style, drawing inspiration from alternative R&B, and was well-received by fans and critics alike. Its lead single, "Pillowtalk," debuted at number one in both the UK and US, making Malik the first British male artist to achieve this feat with a debut single and album.
Malik continued to dominate the charts with his subsequent releases, collaborating with a range of popular artists, including Taylor Swift on "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" and Sia on "Dusk Till Dawn." In 2018, he released his second studio album, Icarus Falls, which showcased his evolution as an artist and cemented his status as a major force in the music industry. His third album, Nobody Is Listening, released in 2021, further solidified his position as a top-tier solo artist, with its introspective and emotive lyrics and captivating beats.
Throughout his career, Malik has received numerous accolades for his music, including an American Music Award and a MTV Video Music Award. He is the only artist to have won the Billboard Music Award for New Artist of the Year twice, receiving it once as a member of One Direction in 2013 and again in 2017 as a soloist. Beyond his musical talents, Malik has also made a name for himself as a fashion icon, with his distinctive style and unique sense of fashion influencing trends around the world. Despite his tremendous success, Malik remains humble and dedicated to his craft, always striving to push the boundaries of what is possible in music and art.
