Zayn Malik drops bombshell about life-changing moment

Zayn Malik, who recently released the song Eyes Closed with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, has revealed how rap icon Eminem inspired him as a teen growing up in Bradford.

The 32-year-old singer, who rose to fame as part of chart-topping boyband One Direction, told BBC Radio 1 that watching Eight Mile for the first time left a lasting impression.

“I remember watching Eight Mile and it felt like he was growing up in a similar environment to me,” Zayn said. 

“The things he overcame and did were incredibly inspiring. Eminem will always be one of the top rappers in my book.”

What Makes You Beautiful hitmaker also looked back fondly on his early solo days. 

For the unversed, he auditioned for The X Factor in 2010, performing Mario’s Let Me Love You, a song he’d been practising for a year. 

Zayn, who left One Direction in March 2015, admitted he wasn’t fully behind the band’s music. 

“There was just a general conception that management already had of what they wanted for the band, and I just wasn’t convinced with what we were selling,” he told Dazed. 

Who is Zayn Malik's wife?

Zayn Malik is not currently married. He was in a high-profile relationship with model Gigi Hadid, and the couple welcomed their daughter, Khai, in September 2020. 

Although Zayn and Gigi separated in October 2021, they continue to co-parent their daughter.

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