Zain Javadd "Zayn" Malik (; born 12 January 1993), known mononymously as Zayn, is an English singer and songwriter. In 2010, Malik auditioned as a solo artist for the British reality television music competition The X Factor. After being eliminated as a solo performer, Malik was brought back into the competition, along with four other contestants, to form the boy band that would later become known as One Direction. During his time in the group, Malik, along with his bandmates, released four commercially successful albums, performed on tour, and won numerous awards.