Zayn Malik, a British singer-songwriter of Pakistani and English-Irish descent, was born in Bradford, England, to Tricia Brannan and Yaser Malik. From a young age, Zayn demonstrated a passion for singing and performing, which led him to participate in the television competition The X Factor at the age of 17.
During his time on The X Factor, Zayn was grouped with fellow contestants Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson to form the popular boy band One Direction. The group's massive success on the show led to them becoming one of the most popular finalists in their season.
In 2015, Zayn decided to leave One Direction to pursue a solo career, signing with RCA Records and relocating to Los Angeles. He began working on his solo debut album with producer James "Malay" Ho, who has also worked with artists such as Frank Ocean and Big Boi.
Zayn's debut single, "Pillowtalk," was released in January 2016 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts. His full-length debut album, Mind of Mine, was released on March 25, 2016.
In addition to his music career, Zayn has also ventured into the fashion world, collaborating with Giuseppe Zanotti on a shoe line and working on a link with Versus Versace. He has also signed on to executive produce the new television series BOYS, which is set to follow a boy band as they navigate the challenges of fame.
In late 2016, Zayn re-entered the music scene with the single "I Don't Want To Live Forever," which was featured on the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack and debuted at #1 on the Digital Songs chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. He followed this up with the single "Still Got Time," featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR, which is the first official single off his upcoming sophomore album.
Throughout his career, Zayn has been open about his struggles with anxiety and his desire to use his platform to raise awareness for mental health issues. He has also been vocal about his experiences as a Pakistani Muslim in the music industry, using his platform to promote diversity and inclusion.
