When did Zayn leave One Direction? Here's all you need to know about his exit from 1D

One Direction is considered to be one of the most successful boybands in history. At the peak of their success, the British-Irish’s pop band’s member Zayn Malik decided to part ways and pursue a solo career. This move came as a shock to 1D fans across the globe. So why did Zayn leave One Direction? Most importantly, when did Zayn leave One Direction? Find out below.

When did Zayn leave One Direction?

One Direction members Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan first met on the singing reality show The X-Factor back in 2010. All the boys were eliminated during the auditions, but then the judges brought the boys back and put them in a band. Soon, One Direction began competing as a group in the competition and ended up in the third spot.

But even though the boys did not win The X-Factor in 2010, their fame had grown tremendously during their time on the show. Soon, the boys began touring and ended up becoming one of the most successful boybands in music history. The band released four albums since 2011 an went on multiple tours. But while the band was on their On the Road Again Tour, Zayn Malik departed from the band.

One Direction management and Zayn Malik released a joint statement on March 25, 2015 about the same. In the statement, Zayn Malik apologised to his fans for his decision but chose to do so since he wanted to be a “normal 22-year-old” who can relax and have normal time away from the spotlight. While Zayn left One Direction, the remaining members, Louis, Liam, Niall, and Harry continued touring and released their fifth album, Made in the A.M.

Why did Zayn Malik leave One Direction?

Zayn Malik’s joint statement was not enough for the 1D fandom. After his departure, Zayn featured on The Fader’s digital cover. During the cover interview, Malik spilled details about his time in the band and why he chose to depart from his boyband roots. In the interview, Zayn revealed that there was “never any room for me to experiment creatively”. He described the band’s pop tunes as “generic” and hence he was not convinced of what they were selling. Since his departure, Zayn Malik has released multiple albums and his now dating model Gigi Hadid and the couple even welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Khai.

Image Credit: One Direction Instagram