My personality and the way I am is very Northern: Zayn Malik

Zayn Malik, who shot to fame when he auditioned for The X Factor in 2010 and became a member of One Direction, was initially driven by a desire to help his family have a better quality of living, but as his ambitions grew, he wanted to be able to see the world.

“I do remember being really young, probably seven or eight years old, and deciding that I wouldn’t spend my entire life in my hometown. I wanted to do something unique and worthwhile,” he told Big Issue magazine. “My original nod towards the start was that I wanted my parents to have a better house. We lived in a rented property our whole upbringing and I wanted to give them a better quality of living. So that was the original intent behind it, and then when I got to about 17 or 18, I wanted to forge my own path, write my own story, and go out and see the world.”

Malik said he is a “very Northern man” who is extremely influenced by his upbringing in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.

He said, “I always initially knew how much Bradford had influenced me, even when I came to London to do The X Factor. I was instantly introduced to many different characters that I had not come across before and quickly realised that my personality and the way I am is very Northern.

The “Pillow Talk” hitmaker added, Now as a 31-year-old man, after living in America for ten years, I’ve definitely come to terms with the fact that I’m a very Northern man, which heavily influences my personality and decision-making on a daily basis.

He added, “It dictates every decision I make and is something I can’t escape, it’s heavily imprinted on me.”

Malik is currently living a quieter life on a farm in Pennsylvania, where he raises his daughter, Khai, with his ex, Gigi Hadid.