Zayn Malik and his newly shaved head stepped out publicly for the first time since quitting One Direction last month to attend the 2015 Asian Awards in London.
Malik attended the ceremony with his mother, Trisha Malik, and received the Outstanding Achievement in Music award on Friday. In his acceptance speech, he thanked his parents and his former bandmates.
"I'd like to thank my mum and dad for making me Asian," he said, which drew laughs from the audience. His mother is British and his father is British-Pakistani.
He continued, "I'd also like to take this moment to thank four of the best guys that I ever met whilst being in the band and doing all the amazing things that I did. Some of the things that we did will stay with me for the rest of my life."
The 22-year-old singer stepped away from One Direction after five years to "relax and have some private time out of the spotlight," he said in a statement at the time. He also apologized to the fans, but said he and his fellow bandmates would be "friends for life."
Simon Cowell, who helped form the band on the British 'X Factor," spoke about Malik's decision on Thursday night's episode of "The Late Late Show with James Corden."
"And then something in him said, 'No, I've had enough,'" Cowell said. "And then once the decision was made, I dealt with it. Then, obviously, I made sure the guys were OK because they were shocked as well."
One Direction is currently on their "On the Road Again Tour" and have plans for a fifth album. Malik will likely start a solo career but has made no official announcement.
