Zayn Mallik Reveals he was Sick and Tired of 1D: Here's a Sneak Peak into his Big Statement

The singer and former One Direction member appeared on the video podcast “Call Her Daddy,” where he talked about everything from being a member of the hugely successful boy band to co-parenting with model Gigi Hadid which attracted the interest of fans.

As the star preps the release of his new single “Love Like This,” he is officially re-entering the interview arena.The interview – his first in nearly six years – was conducted in host Alex Cooper’s childhood home in Pennsylvania. On being asked as to “Why Pennsylvania?” the actor replied by saying,“A lot of people ask me that. They always think it’s super random that I live out here,” he said. “I’d been coming out here with my ex a bit…I feel in love with it. It’s super calm and chill. I just wanted to take a break from the busy scene.”

As it has already been known to us that, He and Hadid are parents to a young daughter. The couple split in October 2021 after which Zayn shared equal custody of the toddler and said becoming a father has changed him, even helping his anxiety.

Putting his views over this he said that, “Since I’ve had my daughter, the main thing in my mind is trying to be a good example to her,” he told Cooper. “That’s why I’m even doing this interview, you know? I used to get a lot of anxiety around having a conversation like this. And I want her to be able to look at me and be like, ‘My dad’s doing this.’”

Talking about his chemistry with 1D he revealed that, becoming super famous, along with his friends Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson as part of One Direction, did not help his anxiety and therefore he decided to leave the group in 2015 saying in a statement, “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.”

He confessed that the exit was quite intentional. “I completely selfishly wanted to be the first person to make their own record,”
“I was like, ‘I’m going to jump the gun here for the first time,’” he said. “I’m passive but when it comes to my music and my business. I’m serious about it and I’m competitive. I wanted to be the first to go and do my own thing.” said the singer.

Zayn also talked about what was going on at the time with the group saying that, “There was obviously underlying issues within our friendships too,” he said. “We’d been together every day for five years and we got sick of each other, if I’m being completely honest.”

Zayn Malik has done little to no press in the years since leaving One Direction in 2015 and pursuing his solo career. In 2016, he dropped his debut album Mind of Mine, an R&B record that received critical acclaim, and featured single “Pillowtalk” and “Befour.” The singer later released the album Nobody Is Listening in 2021 and Icarus Falls in 2018.

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