Zayn Malik gives insight into his life with One Direction, reveals he wanted to be the selfish one and leave the band first.

It’s nearly been a decade since Zayn Malik left the biggest boyband in the world One Direction to pursue his individual career. After being 5 years with the band and the boys, traveling the world, Malik was and is an integral part of the boyband’s legacy and fandom. And so his leaving was a deeply troubling time for a lot of fans who could not believe that the singer was having such troubles that he would leave the band.
Zayn Malik (via Instagram | @inzayn)
However, over the years the Pillowtalk hitmaker has spoken a few times over his sudden departure. During one such rare appearance, Malik revealed his honest reason why he quit One Direction.

Zayn Malik Reflects On Why He Left One Direction

Zayn Malik on the Call Her Daddy podcast
Even during his One Direction days, Zayn Malik was known for being the quiet and mysterious one. And it was his mysterious personality that drew a lot of fans towards him, making him of of the most popular members of the band. And so ever since he left the band on March 25, 2015, the singer has only graced the fans and public with a handful of public appearances and even fewer interviews (see J-14).

While Directioners still hope that all 5 members will someday be back, Malik in an interview last year on the Call Her Daddy podcast revealed the reason why he left the band at the height of its popularity.

“There was obviously underlying issues within our friendships, too. We’d got sick of each other, if I’m being completely honest. We were close… we’d done crazy things with each other that nobody else in the world will ever understand and I look back on it now in a much fonder light. There were great experiences, I had great times with them, but we’d just run our course.”

Stated the former One Direction sensation. While after leaving the band in 2015, Malik had stated to The Fader that he never really liked that kind of music, he maintains now that he looks upon those times more fondly than he would despite how hectic and chaotic it was (via Vogue).

Zayn Malik Wanted To Be Selfish And Leave The Band

Zayn Malik with One Direction (via Instagram | @onedirection)
Zayn Malik has struggled with anxiety and much more, as he has often spoken during his rare interviews. While speaking to The Standard back in 2016, a year later after his One Direction departure, Malik had explained how being in the band was a constant struggle since they weren’t allowed any time.

While he is not ungrateful for those times (via Complex), he knew something was going on and jumped the gun, not wanting to put himself or his craft through any more suffering. During his interview with the Call Her Daddy podcast, he stated,

“I knew something was happening, so I just got ahead of the curve. I was like, ‘I’m just going to get out of here, I think this is done’. I completely selfishly wanted to be the first person to go and make my own record. If I’m being completely honest with you, I was like, ‘I’m going to jump the gun here’. I’m a passive dude, but when it comes to my music and my business, I’m serious about it and I’m competitive, so I wanted to be the first to go and do my own thing. That was the reason.”

While Malik went on to release his chart-topping album Mind of Mine (via Billboard), One Direction released another album Made in the A.M. and the four members, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, and Niall Horan have been on hiatus ever since from the band.

As Zayn Malik gears up for the release of his latest album Room Under the Stairs releasing May 17, 2024, Directioners are content that all five original band members are happy and creating their own music and following their artistic passions.