Zayn Malik has officially leveled up from pop star to rugged pop star. Yes, you heard it right! The former One Direction member is now rocking a look that can only be described as “lumberjack who also writes poetry and sings angelically in the forest.”
The 31-year-old crooner just dropped a fresh video of him belting out his hit “Shoot At Will” a cappella—because who needs instruments when you’ve got pipes like Zayn? But here’s the real kicker: while his vocal cords are hitting all the high notes, his hair and beard are reaching new lows (in the best way possible). Gone is the clean-shaven Zayn we knew; say hello to a man whose face now has more layers than his emotional ballads.
This new look is a drastic departure from his last Instagram selfie, where he appeared much less… how do we put this? Less “Paul Bunyan.” It’s as if he went into the woods for a day and came back a month later, ready to cut down trees and hearts alike.
Speaking of disappearing acts, this video marks Zayn’s first Instagram post in over a month. Apparently, he was too busy growing his beard and contemplating life under a waterfall somewhere. Typical Zayn.
And just in case you forgot (like Zayn apparently forgot his razor), “Shoot At Will” is a banger from his latest album Room Under the Stairs, which dropped in May. You know, right around the time Zayn probably stopped shaving. Coincidence? I think not.
Right after releasing his album, Zayn graced the stage for his first-ever solo concert. That’s right, guys! He went from boyband to bearded soloist in the blink of an eye. Earlier this year, he even teased the possibility of going on a solo tour—his first since saying “adios” to One Direction almost a decade ago. (Cue the “feels.”)
So, check out Zayn’s latest video and his wild new look below. And maybe light a candle for his barber, who hasn’t seen him in a while.