Yahoo Lifestyle Zayn Malik Has Left One Direction
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It’s official: Zayn Malik has left One Direction. The 22-year-old singer (and one fifth of the world’s biggest boy band) has broken teenage hearts this morning, announcing he has quit the band that made him famous. His decision is effective immediately.
“My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined,” Malik wrote in a statement, shared by the band on Facebook. “But after five years I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band.”
“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.”
The news comes after Malik quit the band’s current Asia tour citing stress. One Direction’s remaining members – Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Niall Horan – decided to carry out the remaining tour dates as a foursome. Now, it seems this current arrangement is here to stay.
The timing couldn’t be worse: Not only does One Direction have a fifth studio album to record, but also a world tour to promote (and those countless screaming teenage fans to contend with).
But, in the same statement, the boys shared their support for Zayn and their intentions to push on.
“The past five years have been beyond amazing, we’ve gone through so much together, so we will always be friends,” One Direction said. “The four of us will now continue.”
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