Zayn Malik

Born January 12, 1993, in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, Zayn Malik shot to fame in 2010 as one-fifth of the European boy band One Direction.

Simon Cowell created One Direction on The X Factor UK in 2010, combining soloists Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson with Malik to form a group. Despite finishing the talent competition show in third place, the band signed a recording contract with Cowell’s SYCO Music. One Direction quickly experienced worldwide success with the 2011 release of their debut album, Up All Night, followed up by Take Me Home in 2012, Midnight Memories in 2013 and Four in 2014.

In March 2015, to the dismay of One Direction’s mega fanbase known as Directioners, Malik announced he was leaving the band. He went on to sign a solo recording contract with RCA Records and released his debut solo album, Mind of Mine, with the wildly popular lead single, “Pillowtalk,” in March 2016.

In 2015, after ending his two-year engagement to Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards, Malik began seeing model Gigi Hadid. Us confirmed in April 2020 that the on-off couple were expecting their first child. They welcomed daughter Khai in September 2020. Us reported in October 2021 that he and Hadid called it quits.