Zain Javadd Malik (/ˈmælɪk/; born 12 January 1993), known mononymously as Zayn, is an English singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Bradford, Malik auditioned as a solo contestant for the British music competition The X Factor in 2010. After being eliminated as a solo performer, Malik was brought back into the competition, along with four other contestants, to form the boy band One Direction, which went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. Malik left the group in March 2015 and subsequently signed a solo recording contract with RCA Records.
Adopting a more alternative R&B music style with his debut studio album, Mind of Mine (2016), and its lead single, "Pillowtalk", Malik became the first British male artist to debut at number one in both the UK and US, with his debut single and debut album. His collaborative singles, "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" with Taylor Swift and "Dusk Till Dawn" featuring Sia, were met with international success. Malik released his second studio album, Icarus Falls, in 2018. His third album, Nobody Is Listening, was released in January 2021.
Malik is the recipient of several accolades, including an American Music Award and a MTV Video Music Award. He is also 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 then again in 2017 as a solo artist.