9 Years After Leaving One Direction, Zayn Malik has Finally Realized the Error in his Ways as He Shares His Biggest Regret From the Band Days
One Direction was one of the biggest boy bands of all time. The band debuted in 2010 and immediately took over the world with their hits that combined catchy melodies with their stylish looks. Their origin story dates from The X Factor, where the group, consisting of Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, immediately came into fame like no one before.
Their journey was an overwhelming ride of selling-out shows, breaking charts and a hardcore fanbase called Directioners that hung on everything they did. From What Makes You Beautiful to Story of My Life, 1D’s catchy songs and relatable lyrics were loved by many teenagers and young adults, causing them to be labeled as one of the most popular pop bands ever.
However, their fairytale journey ended in 2015 when Zayn Malik announced his departure. He stated that he wanted to pursue a solo career. This became a crucial turning point in One Direction’s fate. By the end of the year, the group decided to go on a hiatus after releasing their last album Made in the AM.
Zayn Malik Talks About His Regrets With One Direction
Nearly a decade after his departure from One Direction, Zayn Malik has opened up about his regrets from those days. He regrets not fully appreciating and experiencing the whole journey. In a recent interview on Zach Sang Show, the 31-year-old singer said that he kept his life too serious and didn’t pay attention to the fact that the opportunity he had was once in a lifetime. He said,
“The main thing that I always feel bad about when I look back over my life is not enjoying the band enough. I feel like I just took things too seriously, you know? I’m grateful that I’m able to be happier now. I can actually enjoy things and own my own perspective a bit.”
According to Malik, the anger and moodiness that come with being a teenager were the reasons for his earlier behavior. He stated that it was not the right way for him.
“I had this, like, teen angst thing going on — chip on my shoulder. I’m like, ‘It’s really cool to be moody as f*ck all the time….’ It’s not. Like, you’re just a loser. Let’s be honest.”
The What I Am singer also mentioned that he has learned from experience the importance of being a nice person with whom people will like to spend time. He stated,
“You should be a nice person. You should be somebody that people want to be around and enjoy being in your presence, and you should bring light to peoples’ day instead of being this f*ck.”
Malik attributed his fatherhood to the new perspective he developed for life. In the interview, he fondly talks about how the birth of his daughter made him realize the amount of love he had within him.
Zayn Malik Had Different Opinions About Leaving One Direction
While the current admissions from Zayn Malik show his personal growth and new viewpoints, his earlier thoughts about One Direction paint a more complex picture. In the years after he left the group, Malik made it clear that he was extremely unhappy with their musical direction and his poor relations with the other members of the group.
In a 2016 interview with Fader magazine, he called One Direction’s music too generic and that it didn’t fit his style. Malik said,
“Whenever I would suggest something, it was like it didn’t fit us. There was just a general conception that the management already had of what they want for the band and I just wasn’t convinced with what we were selling.”
In an interview with radio station Beats 1, the Pilllowtalk singer even said that he never wanted to be in the band.
“I think I always wanted to go, from like the first year, really. I never really wanted to be there, like in the band.”
Furthermore, Malik admitted to having almost no connection with his bandmates. He told Us Weekly in 2016 that he never really spoke to Harry Styles and didn’t want to stay in touch with the others after leaving the group. He told Billboard that year,
“Our relationships have definitely changed since we were in a band together, but I think that’s just life. Everybody grows up — two of the guys have got kids now. But no, I don’t talk to any of them, really.”
As Zayn Malik goes on a new journey in his musical career with his latest album Room Under the Stairs, his past remarks show a clear perspective of the highs and lows of fame and following one’s artistic dreams. However, his regrets over not fully understanding how precious his opportunity was might relate to many One Direction fans.
