From The X-Factor to a new baby, Zayn Malik has watched his life change drastically over the last decade. At age 16, he dropped out of high school to try his hand as a singer with the band One Direction, and the rest is history. Today, he is a sex symbol for millions of teenage girls, a father, and a successful solo artist with a stunning net worth of $65 million. Wondering what helped fuel Zayn Malik's net worth and his rapid rise to stardom? Sit back and look at how the British musician was perfectly teed up for notoriety.

Troubles in School

For Zayn, school was not an enjoyable experience. While he is a heartthrob to millions today, he was often the butt of the joke and much rougher unpleasantries in high school because of his Pakistani and Irish/English roots. He was ready to do anything to get out of school, and tried out for The X Factor at age 16 to see what they had to say about his voice. While he did not get picked right away, he was paired with four other young musicians, and history was written.

Zayn Malik Headed in One Direction Towards Stardom

Zayn quit high school to sing in One Direction and never looked back as the boy band rose to be one of the largest bands to ever come from a reality show. A great deal of Zayn Malik's net worth stems from his time with One Direction, with total album sales topping over 20 million globally. The group created five studio albums and launched several large global tours, including the "Where Are We Tour" which earned $282 million – making them the second-highest-grossing vocal group ever to hit the stage.

On His Own

In 2016, Zayn left the band to pursue a career as a solo artist, a move that has helped him quickly add to his net worth. On his own, he has penned a few top ten hits, including "Pillowtalk,""I Don't Mind," and "It's You." He also wrote "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" with Taylor Swift, which peaked at number four on the Billboard Music Charts.

Zayn Malik's Love Life

Zayn Malik is a private individual and a practicing Muslim, but that doesn't stop the paparazzi from documenting his every move. His choice in high-profile women has also helped keep him in the limelight. For a short period of time, he was engaged to Perrie Edwards, but the two split in 2015. He then moved onto a back-and-forth relationship with Gigi Hadid, which seems to have strengthened since the duo had a child together in 2020.