Zayn Malik shares ‘the main thing’ he always felt bad about with One Direction

Solo musician admitted he had this ‘teen angst’ thing that prevented him from enjoying his time in the pop group

Zayn Malik looks back on his time in chart-topping boyband One Direction

The British musician, 31, rose to fame in 2010 when he appeared on the reality TV show The X Factor, after being paired with fellow contestants Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne. Despite not winning that year’s series, One Direction became a global phenomenon, embarking on world tours and releasing a string of Top 10 albums.

Malik made headlines when he unexpectedly announced his departure from the group in 2015; One Direction also announced an indefinite hiatus the following year.

In an interview with The Zach Sang Show, Malik expressed regret at not appreciating his time in the group.

“The main thing that I always feel bad about when I look back over my life is not enjoying the band enough,” he told host Zach Song.

“I feel like I just took things too seriously. I’m grateful that I’m able to be happier now. I can actually enjoy things and own my own perspective a bit. Like, glass half full versus it being half empty. That’s my choice.”

Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Nial Horan from One Direction at the 2014 Brit Awards (Ian West/PA) (PA Archive)

He confessed that he had “this teen angst thing going on… chip on my shoulder. I’m like, ‘It’s really cool to be moody as f*** all the time.’ It’s not. You’re just a loser. Let’s be honest, you know what I mean?”

While Malik has shared mixed feelings about One Direction’s music in the past, he told Song that he felt they made “some good music as a band. We were pretty good.”