Zayn Malik has shaved his head - and got a new tattoo.

The Pillowtalk hitmaker took to his Instagram account to debut the new inking, an intricate bird with the letters 'M.O.M' inked around it.

At first glance, it may seem the former One Direction star has tattooed a sweet tribute to his mother Trisha, but on closer inspection, it is more likely to be linked to his new album title - Mind of Mine.

The pictures posted on social media also show off two new neck tattoos - one, a swallow bird similar to what his former bandmate Harry Styles has on his chest and the other, a simple flower.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Like I Would

A post shared by Zayn Malik (@zayn) on

Fans of the chart topping boy band may still be reeling over Zayn's departure from the group a year ago but will be pleased by the 23-year-old singer's recent upload - as a One Direction surfboard can clearly be seen in the background.

Meanwhile, Zayn was previously forced to deny his album release date is anything other than a coincidence, after it was revealed Mind of Mine will be unveiled on March 25, exactly one year after he quit One Direction.

He said: "I don't know, is that how it works out? It's March 25, it wasn't planned that way. It works that way. It just seems to coincide with the iTunes launch and everything. Maybe it's a sign."

- BANG! Showbiz