Zayn Malik almost missed his chance at fame. On the morning of his audition for The X Factor UK in 2010, he felt so nervous that he decided not to go — that is, until his mother, Tricia, basically dragged him out of bed and helped change his mind. The rest, as they say, was history.
In the middle of the competition, creator and judge Simon Cowell grouped Malik with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson to form a boy band named One Direction. The fivesome went on to conquer the world, releasing four albums together in the same number of years and performing at historic stadiums across North America, Europe and beyond.
However, Malik abruptly left the group in 2015 in the middle of one of their tours. He explained to fans that there was not a rift between the members, but he simply wanted time away from the spotlight.
The singer-songwriter ended up returning to music a year later though, when he released his debut solo album, Mind of Mine. His sophomore record, Icarus Falls, followed in 2018.
In addition to his successful career, Malik has made headlines for his personal life, most notably his relationships with ex-fiancée Perrie Edwards and on-off girlfriend Gigi Hadid, with whom he is expecting a child.
Scroll down to see photos of the entertainer through the years, from his childhood to present day!
Malik grew up in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, with three sisters, Doniya, Waliyha and Safaa. He was raised on R&B, hip-hop and reggae music and took performing arts classes in school.
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Malik auditioned for The X Factor UK at the age of 17 in 2010 by singing Mario’s “Let Me Love You.” He made it to the next round but was eventually eliminated.
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Cowell still believed in Malik and put him in a group with Styles, Horan, Payne and Tomlinson. One Direction went on to finish in third place and subsequently signed a major record deal.
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One Direction released their debut album, Up All Night, in November 2011. It was one of the bestselling albums in the U.S. and the U.K. that year, thanks to the hits “What Makes You Beautiful” and “One Thing.” The supporting tour traveled across Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America.
Columbia Records
The boy band’s second album, Take Me Home, came out in November 2012, and it was another instant bestseller. They promoted the record and its singles, including “Live Like We’re Young” and “Little Things,” on a world tour with twice the number of shows as their previous trek. Their first concert film, One Direction: This Is Us, premiered in August 2013.
Columbia Records
One Direction dropped their third album, Midnight Memories, in November 2013, and became the first group in U.S. history to debut at No. 1 with their first three releases. The album featured the hits “Best Song Ever,” “Story of My Life” and “You & I.” The guys embarked on their first stadium tour the following year, and later released their second concert film, One Direction: Where We Are.
Columbia Records
The group’s fourth album, aptly titled Four, was released in November 2014, and it included the singles “Steal My Girl” and “Night Changes.”
Columbia Records
Malik exited One Direction in March 2015, just one month into their On the Road Again tour. The rest of the band continued the tour and released their fifth album, Made in the A.M., later that year.
“My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band,” Malik said in a statement on Facebook at the time. “I’d like to apologize to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.”
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Malik suffered another setback in August 2015 when news broke that his two-year engagement to Little Mix member Edwards had ended. “He just wanted to move on and start over in all ways,” a source told Us Weekly at the time.
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Malik released his debut solo album, Mind of Mine, in March 2016 to critical acclaim. It included the hit single “Pillowtalk.” He was scheduled to perform in London and Dubai to promote the disc but canceled all performances due to anxiety. He never went on tour in support of the album.
RCA Records
Malik published his self-titled autobiography in November 2016, in which he reflected upon his time in One Direction, his decision to quit the band, his relationship with Edwards and his battle with anorexia.
Penguin Random House
Malik and then-girlfriend Hadid appeared on the cover of Vogue in August 2017.
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Malik and Hadid announced their breakup on Twitter in March 2018 after more than two years together. “Gigi and I had an incredibly meaningful, loving and fun relationship and I have a huge amount of respect and adoration for Gigi as a woman and a friend,” he wrote at the time. The couple got back together weeks later, only to call it quits a second time in January 2019.
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Malik released his sophomore solo album, Icarus Falls, in December 2018. It received positive reviews but was not as commercially successful as Mind of Mine. Malik released a string of singles from the album, including “Let Me,” “Too Much” featuring Timbaland and “No Candle No Light” featuring Nicki Minaj.
RCA Records
Malik released a cover of “A Whole New World” with Zhavia Ward for the Aladdin soundtrack in May 2019. He has otherwise laid low in the music industry.
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Four months after Malik and Hadid got back together, Us confirmed that they are expecting their first child. “Gigi always wanted to start a family with Zayn,” a source revealed.
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