Zayn Malik on his statement after leaving One Direction: 'do you think I wrote that?'
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
If Zayn Malik’s farewell message announcing his departure from One Direction didn’t feel authentic among more die-hard directioners out there, it’s because it wasn’t.
“My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined," his statement read. "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.”
Malik is now a year into his solo career after prompting fears it would implode by leaving the band. The Bradford-born singer has already released an eponymous autobiography - at the tender age of 23 - and much of it touches on what he has repeatedly suggested about being in One Direction: that the all singing, all dancing teenager on stage wasn’t a true reflection of who he is.
It was a point he was keen to press when the Evening Standard read the statement back to him.
He replied: “I’m going to ask you a question now — do you think I wrote that? Like, look how it’s worded. I’m not a 35-year-old lawyer. I don’t write like that.”
The 'real' Malik is still being ascertained. In interviews, he often comes across as reticent to talk about subjects closer to him and his autobiography skirts over topics throughout his life, briefly glossing over his family, relationship with the supermodel Gigi Hadid, his struggle with anxiety and an eating disorder. As the New Statesman notes, it features 17 uses of the word ‘sick’ and a generous sprinkling of semi-colons, but is vague on matters closer to his heart.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments