You can take the boy out of Bradford, but you can’t take Bradford out of the boy – even if they become a global megastar.
Zayn Malik first entered our lives on the stage of The X Factor auditions in 2010, aged just 17, when he was teamed up with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson. One Direction may not have won the series but they quickly became a stratospheric pop phenomenon, shifting 70 million records, with their final gigs as a fivesome, the Where We Are Tour, becoming the highest-grossing ever by a group, totalling more than £230m as they played to 3,439,560 fans worldwide.
And then, after five years in the band, Zayn stepped away. In a statement he said he wanted to live as a “normal 22 year old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight”.
With his bandmates at the Brit Awards in 2014. Image: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
But the closing of one chapter was only the beginning for Zayn. With his first solo album released in 2016, Mind of Mine, he became the first UK male artist to top the US charts with a debut. The song “Pillowtalk” hit number one in a staggering 68 countries.
Next month Zayn, now 31, releases his latest album, Room Under the Stairs, with his 100 million-plus followers across social media eagerly awaiting a record that’s been six years in the making. It promises to be his most personal music yet; he describes it as being a “whimsical, magical journey” for listeners.
“I wanted each song to feel as if it was just me sitting beside you telling you how I feel, singing directly to you. It’s raw and stripped back and the type of music I always hoped to make.”
Lead single, “What I Am”, reveals a new direction for the former One Directioner. There’s a soulful sound and self-reflecting lyrics exploring where he’s been and where he’s heading. He sings: “Don’t take me for what I’m saying / Just take me for what I am / ’Cause this is where I’m staying / My two feet are in the sand.”
Zayn is more than a supernova popstar. He’s a campaigner and proud voice for positive change. Earlier this year he generated headlines around the world after collaborating with Pakistani band Aur, performing vocals in Urdu. In reaction to the cost of living crisis crippling communities across the country, he wrote an open letter to prime minister Rishi Sunak calling for the expansion of free school meals for the close to one million children living in poverty in the UK who are currently missing out. “I too was one of the children in the UK that relied on programs to ensure I was able to eat,” Zayn wrote.
Performing at Wango Tango in California, 2016. Image: Rich Fury / Invision / Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo
And now he’s arrived full circle, becoming a champion for his home city of Bradford as it’s set to become UK City of Culture 2025. The northern city is home to half a million people and is one of the most diverse places in the UK, with the youngest and fastest growing population outside of London.
After suffering from decades of post-industrial decline, the onetime ‘wool capital of the world’ hopes that the cultural extravaganza will boost the local economy by £389m and support almost 7,000 jobs.
Bradford is a creative place, and Zayn is a case in point when it comes to showing how creativity can change fortunes.
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That’s why he has chosen the Big Issue to talk about the next chapter in his life. In an exclusive interview, he tells us about how his upbringing has shaped and continues to shape his life, and has gathered voices from Bradford to ask them how they too were made by the place they come from.
The Big Issue: Your new single is called “What I Am”. Did this come from a period of self-reflection?
Zayn: The sentiment of “What I Am” is less reflective of my origins and where I come from, and more reflective of who I am as a person at this point in my life. I’m reflecting on the way that I approach situations, rather than necessarily a correlation to what my original identity is. It’s just growth as a human being. I’m a man, you know; that’s what I’m talking about.
How much of who you are comes from your background and upbringing?
As cheesy as it sounds, my background and upbringing heavily influence every breath of my life and every step I take. It dictates every decision I make and is something I can’t escape; it’s heavily imprinted on me.
As a young person – like all young people everywhere – did you want to get far away from home and forge your own path?
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I do remember being really young, probably seven or eight years old, and deciding that I wouldn’t spend my entire life in my home town. I wanted to do something unique and worthwhile. 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.
I always 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. Now as a 31-year-old man, after living in America for 10 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.
Why did you want to get involved in Bradford’s City of Culture activities?
Signing autographs at HMV Bradford in 2010. Image: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
I believe Bradford is a city of culture effortlessly. It makes sense that the people who live there, the cultures that have mixed, the different walks of life, and people from all over amalgamated into one city. If there was a city that had been overlooked for its talent, I would definitely say it was my home town. So, for Bradford to get some kudos or spotlight on them is something I’m happy about, and if I can encourage that in any way, then I’d love to be a part of it.
What benefits do you think it could bring?
I think it puts a spotlight on a place that hasn’t necessarily had much interest before. I hope it brings that and people can realise that there is a lot of talent and smart, forward-thinking people in my hometown.
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I’ve always known the importance of what Bradford is, and that’s why I integrally carry it so heavily on my identity. And it’s something that I’m so proud of. It’s not like a new epiphany I’ve come up with; it’s important because it is a city of culture. I’ve always thought that, so I’m happy that Bradford is getting its recognition, Bradford deserves it.
Should we all find fresh appreciation for places a bit off the radar, that don’t always have the best reputations, but can produce people and culture that is really worth listening to?
It’s always important to look at places that other people are not looking at; that’s how you find interesting and new stuff. If you’re constantly going to the same bank, food bank, or clothes shop, you’re only going to have limited options, so it’s always good to open your eyes in any sense that you can. My eyes have always been open to Bradford because it’s where I come from, so I’ve seen the people I grew up surrounded by my peers who helped shape my opinions and morality. I’ve been around it, but it’s important for everybody to be clued up and be educated about every walk of life. That’s how we make the world a better place.
Room Under the Stairs is out on 17 May on Mercury and Republic Records.
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