History of Zayn Malik in Timeline
"Zayn" is about English singer Zayn Malik, formerly of the massively popular boy band One Direction. After competing on the singing competition show "The X Factor," he joined four other contestants to form the group. In 2015, he left the group and launched a successful solo career with RCA Records.
January 1993: Birth of Zayn Malik
Zayn Malik was born in January 1993.
2008: Breaking Chart Records
In 2008, One Direction became the first group since 2008 to have two number-one albums in the same year.
2010: The X Factor Audition
In 2010, Zayn Malik auditioned for the seventh season of The X Factor.
February 2011: Release of "One Direction: Forever Young" and X Factor Live Tour
One Direction released their first book, "One Direction: Forever Young," in February 2011 and embarked on the X Factor Live Tour.
November 2011: Release of Debut Album "Up All Night"
One Direction's debut studio album, "Up All Night," was released in November 2011.
December 2011: Begins Dating Perrie Edwards
Zayn began dating Perrie Edwards, an English singer from the group Little Mix, in December 2011.
2011: Glamour's "World's Sexiest Men"
In 2011 Zayn Malik was ranked number 27 on Glamour's "World's Sexiest Men" list.
March 2012: International Release of "Up All Night"
"Up All Night" was released internationally in March 2012, making One Direction the first UK group to have a debut album reach number one in the US.
May 2012: "Up All Night: The Live Tour" Release and US Book Release
The "Up All Night: The Live Tour" video album was released in May 2012. One Direction also released their first US-licensed book, "Dare to Dream: Life as One Direction", that month.
September 2012: Release of "Live While We're Young"
One Direction released the single "Live While We're Young" in September 2012.
November 2012: Release of "Take Me Home"
One Direction released their second studio album, "Take Me Home," in November 2012.
February 2013: Take Me Home Tour Begins
One Direction kicked off their second concert tour, the Take Me Home Tour, in February 2013.
August 2013: Release of "One Direction: This Is Us" and "One Direction: Where We Are: Our Band, Our Story: 100% Official"
The 3D documentary concert film "One Direction: This Is Us" was released in August 2013, along with their third book, "One Direction: Where We Are: Our Band, Our Story: 100% Official."
August 2013: Engagement to Perrie Edwards
Zayn and Perrie Edwards became engaged in August 2013.
November 2013: Release of "Midnight Memories"
One Direction's third studio album, "Midnight Memories," was released in November 2013.
2013: Billboard Music Award Win with One Direction
Zayn won a Billboard Music Award for New Artist of the Year as a member of One Direction in 2013.
April 2014: Guitar Donation to Kean's Children Fund
In April 2014, Zayn donated a guitar to the Kean's Children Fund in Dundee, Scotland. The guitar was auctioned off to raise funds for iPads for the children's ward at Ninewells.
September 2014: Release of "One Direction: Who We Are: Our Official Autobiography"
One Direction released their fourth book, "One Direction: Who We Are: Our Official Autobiography," in September 2014.
October 2014: Release of "One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film"
The concert film "One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film" was released in October 2014.
November 2014: Release of "Four"
One Direction's fourth album, "Four," came out in November 2014.
2014: "#FreePalestine" Tweet
Zayn tweeted "#FreePalestine" during the 2014 Gaza War, sparking backlash and death threats.
2014: British GQ's best dressed male
In 2014 Zayn Malik was voted British GQ's best dressed male.
March 2015: Departure from One Direction
In March 2015, Zayn Malik left the band One Direction due to stress.
March 2015: Zayn Malik Takes a Break from Tour
Zayn Malik took a break from One Direction's On The Road Again Tour in March 2015 due to stress.
March 2015: Departure from One Direction
Zayn Malik officially left the band One Direction in March 2015, citing a desire for a more private life.
March 2015: Start of Solo Career
Zayn Malik began working on his solo career in March 2015, collaborating with producer Naughty Boy and hinting at an album release in 2016.
June 2015: "No Type" Leak
Zayn Malik's cover of "No Type" with Mic Righteous was leaked in June 2015, gaining him recognition in the UK urban music scene.
July 2015: Signing with RCA Records
Zayn Malik signed a recording contract with RCA Records in July 2015, further solidifying his transition to a solo artist.
August 2015: Breakup with Perrie Edwards
Zayn and Perrie Edwards ended their engagement and broke up in August 2015.
December 2015: Interview with The Fader
In December 2015, Zayn Malik gave an interview with The Fader where he expressed dissatisfaction with One Direction's musical direction, stating a lack of creative freedom.
2015: Begins Relationship with Gigi Hadid
Zayn and American model Gigi Hadid began an on-again, off-again relationship in late 2015.
2015: "Sexiest Male in Pop"
In 2015 Zayn Malik was voted the "Sexiest Male in Pop" in a poll by British radio network Capital.
2015: "World's top ten bachelors"
In 2015 Zayn Malik was voted second place in a poll of the "World's top ten bachelors" by Manchester's Crown Clinic.
2015: "World's Sexiest Asian Man"
In 2015 Zayn Malik was voted as the "World's Sexiest Asian Man" based on a worldwide poll by the British newspaper Eastern Eye.
2015: MTV's "50 sexiest men alive"
In 2015 Zayn Malik ranked number six on MTV's "50 sexiest men alive" list.
January 2016: Release of "Pillowtalk"
Zayn Malik's debut solo single, "Pillowtalk," was released in January 2016, achieving international success and breaking streaming records.
February 2016: "Pillowtalk" Remix and Collaboration with Chris Brown
In February 2016, Zayn Malik released a remix of "Pillowtalk" featuring Lil Wayne and collaborated with Chris Brown and Usher on a remix of "Back to Sleep."
March 2016: Release of "Mind of Mine"
"Mind of Mine," Zayn Malik's debut solo album, was released in March 2016, receiving generally positive reviews for its R&B sound and introspective lyrics.
July 2016: Release of "Cruel"
Zayn Malik was featured on the song "Cruel" by Snakehips, which was released in July 2016.
2016: Sponsored Box at Bradford City
Zayn sponsored a box at Bradford City in 2016 to allow underprivileged children to attend football games.
2016: Featured on BoF500 Index
Zayn Malik was featured in The Business of Fashion's annual BoF500 index, which profiles the most influential people in fashion, in 2016.
2016: Release of "Mind of Mine"
Zayn Malik released his debut solo album, "Mind of Mine," in 2016.
2016: Glamour magazine's "100 Sexiest Men"
In 2016 Zayn Malik ranked fifth on Glamour magazine's "100 Sexiest Men" list.
2016: Signing with RCA Records and Solo Album Announcement
Zayn Malik signed with RCA Records and officially announced his debut solo album in 2016, marking a significant step in his solo career.
January 2017: Shoe Line with Giuseppe Zanotti
Zayn launched a shoe collection with Italian footwear designer Giuseppe Zanotti in January 2017, called "Giuseppe for Zayn". The collection featured four styles: two boots and two sneakers.
February 2017: Versus Spring Summer 2017 Campaign and CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Co-Host
Zayn was featured alongside model Adwoah Aboah in the Versus (Versace) Spring Summer 2017 campaign released in February 2017. He also co-hosted the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund's Americans in Paris annual cocktail during Paris Fashion Week that month.
March 2017: Release of "Still Got Time"
Zayn Malik released the single "Still Got Time," featuring PartyNextDoor, in March 2017.
May 2017: Zayn x Versus Capsule Collection
The "Zayn x Versus" collection, a men's and women's capsule collection designed by Zayn for Versace, was released in May 2017.
August 2017: Featured on Vogue Cover with Gigi Hadid
Zayn and Gigi Hadid were featured together on the August 2017 cover of Vogue.
September 2017: Release of "Dusk Till Dawn"
Zayn Malik released the single "Dusk Till Dawn," featuring Sia, in September 2017, accompanied by a music video starring Jemima Kirke.
2017: Billboard Music Award Win as Solo Artist
Zayn won the Billboard Music Award for New Artist of the Year again in 2017 as a solo artist.
2017: Identifies as Non-Practicing Muslim
Zayn stated that he no longer wished to be defined by his religion or background and identified as a non-practicing Muslim in 2017.
2017: Release of "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" and Autobiography
Zayn Malik collaborated with Taylor Swift on the single "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" for the film "Fifty Shades Darker" in 2017. He also released his autobiography, titled "Zayn."
April 2018: Release of "Let Me"
Zayn Malik released "Let Me," the lead single from his second album, in April 2018, followed by several other singles throughout the year.
September 2018: Backpack Line with The Kooples
Zayn designed a line of backpacks for the brand The Kooples in September 2018.
November 2018: No Longer Identifies as Muslim
Zayn told British Vogue he no longer identified as Muslim in November 2018.
2018: Release of "Icarus Falls"
Zayn released his second studio album, "Icarus Falls," in 2018.
2018: Sold Homes in Los Angeles and London
Zayn sold his homes in Los Angeles and London in 2018. He currently owns an apartment in SoHo, Manhattan.
2019: Modeling for Penshoppe and Martyre
Zayn modeled for the clothing brand Penshoppe in their Spring 2018 and 2019 campaigns. He also modeled for Martyre, a brand founded by Anwar Hadid, brother to his then-girlfriend Gigi Hadid.
2019: Collaborations and Cover of "A Whole New World"
In 2019, Zayn Malik collaborated with Zhavia Ward on a cover of "A Whole New World" for the "Aladdin" remake, released a bilingual version with Becky G, and worked on remixes with Shaed and R3hab.
January 2020: Donation for Medical Treatment
Zayn donated £10,000 in January 2020 to a GoFundMe campaign set up to cover the medical treatment costs for a five-year-old girl.
June 2020: Support for Black Lives Matter Movement
Zayn showed his support for the Black Lives Matter movement in May and June 2020 by sharing petitions and donating to the George Floyd memorial fund.
August 2020: Re-release of "Icarus Falls"
Zayn Malik re-released his album "Icarus Falls" in August 2020, adding the previously released singles "Still Got Time" and "Dusk Till Dawn" to the tracklist.
September 2020: Gigi Hadid Gives Birth to Daughter
Gigi Hadid gave birth to her and Zayn's daughter in September 2020.
September 2020: "Better" Release
In September 2020 Zayn Malik released "Better", the lead single from his album "Nobody Is Listening". This marked his first solo release in nearly two years.
January 2021: "Vibez" Release and "Nobody Is Listening" Album Release
In January 2021, Zayn released "Vibez" from his upcoming album "Nobody Is Listening" alongside the album pre-order. "Nobody Is Listening", described by Zayn as his most personal work to date, was released a week later.
September 2021: "Yellow Tape" Release
Zayn released "Yellow Tape", a collection of three songs, in September 2021. The songs, "Grimez", "Believe Me" and "47 11", marked a departure from previous styles, embracing an old-school hip-hop sound.
October 2021: Breakup with Gigi Hadid and Harassment Charges
Zayn and Gigi Hadid ended their relationship in October 2021. This followed accusations from Hadid's mother that Zayn had struck her. He entered a no-contest plea to four charges of harassment.
October 2021: Dropped from RCA Records
In October 2021, Zayn Malik was dropped from RCA Records.
2021: Release of "Nobody Is Listening"
In 2021, Zayn released his third album, "Nobody Is Listening."
November 2022: Open Letter to Rishi Sunak
In November 2022, in collaboration with The Food Foundation, Zayn wrote a letter to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urging him to expand access to free school meals during the cost of living crisis.
January 2023: Signs with United Talent Agency
Zayn signed a new management contract with United Talent Agency in January 2023, seeking representation across music, film, and television.
July 2023: "Love Like This" Release and Signs with Mercury Records
In July 2023 Zayn released "Love Like This", his first single with Mercury Records after signing a recording contract with them earlier that year. The single marked a transition from his previous pop sound towards R&B.
December 2023: Ambassador for Hopefield Animal Sanctuary
Zayn became an official ambassador of the Hopefield Animal Sanctuary in December 2023. The organization provides shelter to animals in need, and Zayn hopes to help them in their mission.
February 2024: Collaboration with Dave Cobb
American record producer Dave Cobb revealed he was working with Zayn on his upcoming album in February 2024. Cobb praised Zayn's voice and vulnerability.
March 2024: "Room Under the Stairs" Announcement
Zayn's fourth album, "Room Under the Stairs", was announced in March 2024, along with its release date. A teaser trailer for the album was also released, and it was made available for pre-order.
May 2024: "Room Under the Stairs" Release and First Solo Live Show
May 2024 saw the release of "Room Under the Stairs". The album debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart and number fifteen on the US Billboard 200. Zayn also announced his first solo live show at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in celebration of the release, where he will perform songs from the new album.
August 2024: Revealed as "Nocturne" in "Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel"
It was revealed that Zayn was the Shadow Duelist with the moniker "Nocturne" during a Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel live-stream in August 2024.