It might seem like old news in the social media world that Zayn Malik has officially left the beloved band of One Direction. However, in the eyes of their dedicated fan base, the Directioners, they are still tearing up and trying to find methods to cope with their loss. In his first interview since the split, which was with the U.K newspaper The Sun, Zayn has revealed that his decision to ultimately leave the band was because he felt like he did not have control over his life and since he officially separated himself, he feels in control again. In a quote from the interview he states, “I feel like I’m doing what’s right, right by myself and right by the boys”.
This might feel like a complete goodbye from Zayn, but when discussing music he discloses that he has been working on his own projects. On top of that, an exclusive source revealed to an online magazine, called HollywoodLife, that “Zayn has an open invitation to rejoin the group when he gets his head back on straight. He’s a brother to them and they won’t turn their back on him in his time of need.”
This information and alleged reports of him visiting a recording studio in west London with Naughty Boy have sprouted speculation that even though Zayn states that he wants to be a normal 22 year old that’s “out of the spotlight” he might just be laying low until he finishes his own music. Zayn has given no comments about starting a solo career of his own.
To the fans of One Direction they might feel like they are being left behind and forgotten by this quick loss, but in actualization Zayn had been thinking about leaving for a while and had only stayed for as long as he had because of them. In the same interview with The Sun, Zayn claims “I did try to do something that I wasn’t happy doing for a while, for the sake of maybe other people’s happiness. And that was mainly the fans…I feel like I’ve let the fans down… [but] it’s not like I’ve turned my back on them or anything. It’s just that I can’t do that anymore because it’s not real to me.”
Hopefully with Zayn no longer worrying about his 8½ month tour that spans 80 dates and 22 countries he will now have the time to decompress from any and all forms of stress that being a part of 1D has caused him. Maybe he will even focus on his marriage plans with his fiancé, Perrie Edwards. With rumors circulating about him paying Modest Management £10 million or $16.5 million in order to get out of the current world tour, On the Road Again, and leaving the financial security of what One Direction has to offer (which was estimated to have earned $75million last year and even more this year) focusing on something else would most likely be for the best thing for him. But in the meantime I hope it gives him great relief to know that his past fellow band mates and fans “respect his decision and send him all… [their] love for the future.”