"Zyn Malik Announces Retirement Date,Citing Recent Challenges and Personal Struggles"-... Former One Direction singer Zayn Malik admitted in a new interview that it's extremely hard for him to go anywhere in the world without being mobbed by screaming fans. The star's music career and the fact that he's dating Gigi Hadid, one of the most famous models in the world, make it tough to "be anonymous now," he told The Evening Standard. Paraphrase Born in the United Kingdom, Malik, 24, was brought up as a Muslim by his parents. His mother converted to Islam after they were married, and his father is from Pakistan. According to Malik, he values his heritage with "a strong sense of pride — and duty — in." He stated, "I was raised in the Islamic faith, therefore it will always be with me, even though I am not practicing right now." "I really relate to the culture. I am just me, though. I do not want my cultural origin or religion to define me. ...