'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAb/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMLnyxF//8QAHxAAAgEDBQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDABESBAUTIkKB/9oACAEBAAE/AIODT7G8zIJJ5jiJSxspHnGixuet/tf/xAAYEQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBP/aAAgBAgEBPwCzRNs//8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAC/9oACAEDAQE/ADIF/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On May 26, @PopBase tweeted that Zayn Malik followed his former One Direction bandmate Louis Tomlinson on Instagram. He doesn’t follow any of the other members—Niall Horan, Harry Styles, or the late Liam Payne.
Trending
The tweet has since gone viral, receiving more than 5.8 million views, 107K likes, and 12K retweets. Netizens have been reacting to it, with many vouching for the sensational band's reunion. One commented:
Some netizens wondered aloud why Zayn Malik wasn't following Louis on Instagram in the first place.
Meanwhile, others criticized the social media users who were so deeply invested in celebrities' lives that they kept tabs on which one of them followed the other on Instagram.
One Direction was formed in 2010 on the talent TV show, The X Factor, on which all five of the bandmates had participated as aspiring singers.
Zayn Malik sports a thick beard and mustache in his latest Instagram selfie
Besides following Louis Tomlinson on Instagram, Zayn Malik is also making headlines for a new look in an Instagram post over the weekend.
In the selfie, Malik appeared to have adopted a rugged look, sporting a full beard and mustache. He was wearing a white vest, a colorful necklace, and a black cap with "HBO Original - The Last Of Us". His inked skin was also clearly visible beneath the vest.
The rear view singer has been maintaining an unkempt look for months now, showing off a closely-shaven appearance towards the end of his tour on March 27.
Malik postponed his debut solo tour over Liam Payne's death last year
Zayn Malik wrapped up his debut solo tour in March 2025. Titled Stairway to the Sky, the tour was announced to support his fourth studio album, Room Under the Stairs (2024).
Per an Instagram post Zayn Malik shared in September last year, his tour was originally scheduled to kick off in San Francisco on October 23, 2024. However, following the death of his friend and former bandmate, Liam Payne (October 18), the Let Me singer postponed the US dates of his tour to January 2025.
Moving forward, Malik's tour also witnessed several cancellations and reschedulings for other reasons. According to Daily Mail, Khai, his daughter with ex, Gigi Hadid, has been credited for helping Zayn make a turnaround. A source told the publication,
"Friends inside and outside of the music industry are incredibly proud of the man Zayn has become. It could have all gone so differently - there have been genuine concerns for him over the years, but the storms he has weathered have given him strength and clarity."
They continued,
Finishing the tour was a huge hurdle for him to overcome. It’s been an incredible turnaround. Fatherhood has been the making of him. Khai has absolutely saved him."
Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid started dating in 2015, and went through multiple brief splits in 2018 and 2019 before welcoming their daughter, Khai, in September 2020. In 2021, the couple parted ways for good, and now share their daughter's custody.
