Stereotypically, and perhaps historically, boy bands are founded upon a specific structure. Each member of a group is meant to reflect a certain kind of persona: the heartthrob, the bad boy, the underdog, and so on. One Direction adheres to this form, but perhaps with more autonomy than, say, *NSYNC or the Backstreet Boys before them. In their five-year career we saw each member grow up and morph into a young adult, slightly subverting the structure in dress and attitude. In 2014, nearing the end of their career, 1D would release the Danny DeVito-starring “Steal My Girl” video, furthering labeling each guy: Harry Styles as “love,” Niall Horan as “light,” Liam Payne as “power,” Louis Tomlinson as “danger,” and most interestingly, Zayn Malik as “mystery.”
Z spent his time in One Direction in relative silence, hiding from the spotlight of his more talkative band of brothers — his voice, one that possesses a range beyond the rest of 1D, is only really prominent in song. Now, as a successful R&B solo artist, that juxtaposition has changed. Malik is fully himself now, and he’s vocalizing it in every way — can you blame him?
It’s very clear on Instagram, where Zayn’s few and recent posts deal only with him as a solo artist now — One Direction is nowhere to be seen. While 1D will remain forever in our hearts, this Instagram is totally a gift. Keeping that in mind, here are the 10 steamiest Instagram shots our boy Malik has provided.
The Writer
In the last few months — years at this point — Malik’s new found voice has been documented in print: on the cover of Billboard and other publications like The Fader and Complex, and everywhere else online. It makes senses that he’d ultimately write his own story. Now the author of a published autobiography, there’s nothing really sexier than a musician who can tell his own tale, right?
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Fan Fiction
It seems rare that Zayn smiles in a photograph, so this slight grin feels especially sweet. His Instagram isn’t exactly loaded with fan pics or images in color, so perhaps the glory in this photograph is found in its rarity. It really just feels like a pure moment, and we’re very jealous of that woman.
Robo Zayn
Is he a man? Is he a machine? Whatever he is, we are here for it! Zayn turned heads at the 2016 Met Gala with his robot arm. The theme was “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” and Malik really embodied it. While the Met Gala is an annual event celebrities of all stripes look forward to, it’s also one that’s dominated by women; men don’t usually embrace these themes in the same way. Malik really going for it was not only impressive, but sort of brave.
Italian Yoga
There’s truly nothing steamier than a hot shot captured in the bedroom. This image of Zayn hoisting supermodel girlfriend Gigi Hadid was the standout of their photo shoot with Vogue, captured in Naples. It served to push aside any naysaying about their relationship — they’re clearly in love, and it’s a beautiful thing.
Steam & Smoke
This one seems a little bit like a fire hazard! Lighting up and playing a video game without easy access to your hands… at least the room isn’t carpeted? Still, Malik manages to look like the ultimate babe without an ounce of effort.
Let the Light In
Pop stars perform in the rain all the time, but how many of them perform in the light? This Instagram was captured at the 2016 iHeartRadio Awards, where he debuted like “Like I Would.” It was a memorable performance, in which solo Zayn set out to prove he had more than “Pillowtalk” in his arsenal.
Deadpool
Zayn loves comic books and graphic art, an obsession that stems from an appreciation for all things Marvel and DC. This photoshopped image of our guy Z as Deadpool is not only timely but gets us thinking… when is Malik gonna start acting?
Puppy Love
This one shouldn’t really require a caption but we’ll do it anyway: Awwwwwww! Seriously, Zayn in a cardigan with a giant dog?! What did we do to deserve this cuteness? All softness aside, the real steamy points are for the eyelashes.
Late Night Drive
There’s a certain subtle sexiness to this image: Zayn looking over — puppy-dog eyed, half-smirking — inviting you in for a ride. Judging by the size and type of the steering wheel, he’s in a badass vintage American car of some kind, and we can’t wait to hop in.
Guitar God
In the One Direction days, Niall Horan was the only member of the group allowed guitar privileges. Seeing a shirtless Zayn tackle the instrument on a sunny California day is not only hot as hell, it reminds us that there’s so much more we need to learn about the guy. The mystery has yet to be solved, and we’re excited for the ride.