It was a huge shocker to see Zayn leave One Direction, and his departure marked the beginning of an end for the British boy band. Years down the line, he reflected on his time with the band and revealed that he left because he wanted to be the first to make his own record.
Zayn Malik made a rare appearance on Call Her Daddy podcast and discussed many different topics with its cost Alex Cooper. He took a moment to reflect on his time with One Direction and revealed the real reason behind his departure in 2015.
Zayn said that he “completely, selfishly” wanted to be the first person to leave and make his own record and this was one of the reasons why he decided to go solo almost a decade ago.
“I was like, ‘I’m gonna jump the gun here for the first time.’ 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,” he explained.
Malik also told Cooper that they all grew “sick of each other” because they used to be together every day for five years, but added that he now looks back at that time in a much fonder light.
