Zayn Malik leaves One Direction

[Living For Love]

Zayn Malik announced on March 25 that he'd be leaving the group. Here's what One Direction wrote on their Facebook page:

After five incredible years Zayn Malik has decided to leave One Direction. Niall, Harry, Liam and Louis will continue as a four-piece and look forward to the forthcoming concerts of their world tour and recording their fifth album, due to be released later this year.

Zayn says: "My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band. I'd like to apologise to the fans if I've let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world."

One Direction say: "We're really sad to see Zayn go, but we totally respect his decision and send him all our love for the future. The past five years have been beyond amazing, we've gone through so much together, so we will always be friends. The four of us will now continue. We're looking forward to recording the new album and seeing all the fans on the next stage of the world tour."

Simon Cowell says: "I would like to say thank you to Zayn for everything he has done for One Direction. Since I first met Zayn in 2010, I have grown very, very fond - and immensely proud - of him. I have seen him grow in confidence and I am truly sorry to see him leave. As for One Direction, fans can rest assured that Niall, Liam, Harry and Louis are hugely excited about the future of the band."

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/25/entertainment/feat-zayn-malik-leaving-one-direction/

[Emerald Dream]

I can definitely see where anyone in a band (or singing group, before we go off on a totally unnecessary tangent) as popular as 1D would leave. I would think it to be natural for any one of them to think the popularity and success of the group would carry over into a solo career. It could have been any one of them saying this - it just happened to be Zayn. To be honest, I'd be shocked if some of the other members didn't decide to go off on their own at some point.



eta - And I really don't believe this part for a second :P
I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight.

[Melodic]

I can see how the pressures of being "the biggest boyband" could make a person feel out of sorts. I'm glad I got to see him in concert before he left One Direction. However, I have a feeling this is the start of the end of One Direction. After they release their new album, I think the band will just quit all together.

[That's the Spirit]

1 down, 4 to go :)

[Abhorrence]

He was the only decent singer in the group.

[thatcountrykid]

The amount of people freaking out over this is ridiculous. Seriously, get over it. It was a band.

[SethfromMI]

well I really don't care either way, but I know some people really loved the band. these things happen. appreciate the memories which were made and look forward for the future

[That's the Spirit]

I bet this is BS but even so.
http://i.imgur.com/qNrY8t4.jpg

[Vilnius]

0.8 Direction :((((

[SethfromMI]

I bet this is BS but even so.
image (http://i.imgur.com/qNrY8t4.jpg)

I hope that's not true

[Mil1dreded]

While I don't like one directions music the guys don't seem like bad people as well as all the reasons he stated I bet it is quite artistically limiting being in a boy band he probably got fed up of the songs he had to sing

[WanderingHeart]

The thing about the suicides isn't true - there were actually more than that.
Tons of people have been cutting themselves and posting videos using the hashtag #cut4zayn
And they say so-called "emo" bands make people cut and suicide -__-.

[SethfromMI]

it is just silly though to cut because a singer left a group or an actor/actress left a show/movie, or an athlete is no longer on the team or whatever

[WanderingHeart]

It's really dumb...losing faith in humanity -_-

lol my friend is obsessed with 1D and I keep reminding her Zayn left.
"Now their new album will make sense!" I said to her.

[SethfromMI]

haha well I understand why they may be upset a little or sad or whatever, but willing to cut or kill themselves over it?

[Hideous]

As much as I don't care for 1D at all, I respect his decision to leave tbh. He had the strength and the courage to leave despite the floods of broken hearts coming his way. Cliché but he's human.

[WanderingHeart]

Bah.
I'll just stay under my rock so I don't have to hear about this celebrity crap.

[jordanhardy]

One Direction, yet another embarassing export from Britain.

[Uranus]

I bet this is BS but even so.
image (http://i.imgur.com/qNrY8t4.jpg)

If that's true, then I've lost all faith in humanity

[fairmaiden]

Zayn claims he wants to be a normal 22 year old and stay out of the spotlight, but this (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3015777/He-clear-Zayn-stay-Syco-artist-Simon-Cowell-s-record-label-release-ex-One-Direction-star-s-new-music.html)(clickity click) says otherwise? Don't get me wrong; it's fine if he wanted to leave One Direction, but he should have given his real reason imo...

[WanderingHeart]

The day 1D breaks up, all hell will break loose.

[fairmaiden]

The day 1D breaks up, all hell will break loose.
True. They'll probably have a reunion in the next 10-20 years and all of their fans would now be mothers in their late twenties-late thirties. They'd probably throw their maternity underwear at the now grey-haired band members while carrying their 3 children in their arms. Yuck.

[WanderingHeart]

I don't even want to imagine that xD.