Late last week, I talked about how Zayn Malik abruptly left the One Direction world tour. The official reason given for his departure was “stress.” Zayn flew back to the UK where he reunited with his fiancée, Perrie Edwards. About an hour after Zayn arrived home, Perrie departed in a cab with an overnight bag. Some sketchy photo evidence pointed towards Zayn cheating with a groupie. Rumors buzzed about drugs. Other gossip spoke of Zayn’s discomfort in the face of blistering fame and an overwhelming schedule.
For several days, fans waited to hear whether Zayn would rejoin the tour. Many tales of fanfiction circulated. One report that seemed legit came from the Daily Star. The paper said Zayn was actively consulting with lawyers to see if there were any “get-out” clauses within his contracts. It looks like Zayn found the answer to that question. Yesterday afternoon, news swiftly hit the internet — Zayn quit the band. Here’s the statement from the 1D Facebook page:
After five incredible years Zayn Malik has decided to leave One
Direction. Niall, Harry, Liam and Louis will continue as a four-piece and look forward to the forthcoming concerts of their world tour and recording their fifth album, due to be released later this year.Zayn says: “My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. 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. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.”
One Direction say: “We’re really sad to see Zayn go, but we totally respect his decision and send him all our love for the future. The past five years have been beyond amazing, we’ve gone through so much together, so we will always be friends. The four of us will now continue. We’re looking forward to recording the new album and seeing all the fans on the next stage of the world tour.”
Simon Cowell says: “I would like to say thank you to Zayn for everything he has done for One Direction. Since I first met Zayn in 2010, I have grown very, very fond – and immensely proud – of him. I have seen him grow in confidence and I am truly sorry to see him leave. As for One Direction, fans can rest assured that Niall, Liam, Harry and Louis are hugely excited about the future of the band.”
[From Facebook]
Yep. Zayn has left the building. We could speculate all day (go ahead!) on the reasons for Zayn’s departure. Several stories dropped after the announcement, so let’s do bullet points.
* Twitter went crazy with the #ByeZayn tag. Teenager girls poured their emotions into 140 characters or less. Some of them called Perrie Edwards the Yoko Ono of 1D. People were really sad! Even Spice Girl deserter Geri Halliwell vague tweeted a “thinking of you” that may have been intended for Zayn.
* Us Weekly says the 1D band members felt it coming. Zayn “just wasn’t happy. It was now time to change his life and be away from all the craziness. He was always the more shy and introspective one.” He didn’t want a boy-band level of fame anymore.
* Harry Styles and Zayn are tight friends (who had no problem poking fun at their super close relationship). Harry’s having a hard time coping with the loss of his buddy. Harry broke down in Jakarta and started crying during a concert. Everybody loves Zayn!
* Aaaaand it gets worse. E! Online reports that Zayn’s exit presents a nice segue for another departure. That’s right. Now Harry wants to quit the band too. He’d like to go solo and “wants to get into acting.” If Harry and Zayn are both gone, then 1D will have absolutely no hair game. This is MADNESS.
Photos courtesy of WENN
I like their music and think they are all adorable. I’m sad Zayn left, he’s the best looking and had the best voice of the group.
I don’t follow this group except for that one big song they had so I was just about to ask if the loss was a big one (was he the most talented? Best writer? Best singer?). To me, he is the best looking so the loss is evident on a superficial level lol.
Zayn was definitely the most vocally talented. He and Harry sing the lead. I seriously thought he would be the break out star because it would be easiest for him to shed the boy band image.
I am not sure where the Harry and Zayn are close thing came from, all the boys are encouraged to “pair up” on stage and in interviews because the fans love that. These two never hang out outside of work. Harry is just the most emotional and the quickest to tears, Plenty of footage of Harry breaking down because of one thing or another. I havent seen that of any of the other boys.
Zayn and Louis were legitimately close though. In fact Louis was with Zayn when those pics were taken and his own four year relationship is now over as a result.
Totally agree that he has the best voice and he is sooo beautiful. Makes me feel like a dirty old woman just thinking about how lovely he is.
I hate to see him leave but wish him the best.
Haha, I feel kinda pervy too admiring his beauty. This dude is absolutely GORGEOUS.
he really is gorgeous, I would love to see more of him in the future, hope he is well.
I feel you.
Somewhere out there Taylor Swift is fuming because Harry Styles has now officially cried (at least) one more set of tears over Zayn than he ever did over her.
*Zing*
*snort* Good one
no i think she is too busy banging Calvin Harris’s hot body to care about that
Harry Styles is not that hot or important enough for her, never understood why he is considered hot by teenage girls lol Zayn was the one with the beautiful face and talented voice from what i heard
Now, one direction is not going to last forever, they are going to implode sooner than expected and the sooner the better.
@Angie Not that hot or important enough for her? Almost her entire 1989 album was about Harry. So yeah, I bet she still has feelings for him.
I read some of the tweets teenage girls wrote about this and I can honestly say I am worried about this generation of girls who thinks it’s the end of the world when things like this happens.
It’s very concerning, I’ve seen the #cut4zayn hashtag trending on Twitter and people saying that they’re breaking their own stuff because they’re so upset. It’s serious.
Yikes, that’s messed up. I think now with social media these crazy fans can gather together online and just validate each others feelings and wallow in it together. That’s what is worse today then in the past.
Yeah, that hashtag is so disturbing.
I hear you but I don’t think this is the first generation of teen to take their fandom to an extreme. I remember being fascinated by all the footage of the crazed Beatles fans, wondering how someone could actually faint at the sight of their idols.
Even with that said this generation is taking it to the extreme.
Not just this generation. There were fan suicides after the death of Rudolf Valentino in 1926.
Exactly. And if I remember correctly, The Beatles were the first band to be marketed.
I think past generations were likely just as extreme in their fandom as this one. You just didn’t see as much of it because there was no social media.
Sinatra fans would stampede during shows to get close to the stage – girls were often trampled, scratched and bruised. There was at least one event where the police underestimated the bobby soxers and were barely able to control the girls. They screamed while crying hysterically, pulled out their hair and fainted.
The “Sorrows of Young Werther” published in 1779 was so upsetting to some fans that they committed suicide just like the character in the book. People took to dressing and speaking just like the protagonist. This level of fandom has been around for a long long time.
This. You may get the impression this girls are crazier for what you see on social media, but insane fanatics are as old as time. Shocking every time I see it, yes. But nothing new.
Nah, fans’ reactions were always borderline mentally disturbed.
I read they had to open suicide lines when Robbie Williams departed Take That. Geri Spice leaving was also a HUGE deal. I remember that f***ed me up good and we were talking about it for a long a** time. We could not deal. There wasn’t social media to vent to and expose our craziness. I had ugly Spice Girls platform shoes and I threw them away (still regret that!).
Not just music had that effect but for example Prue dying in Charmed and Paige replacing her had me and my friends raging. I was seriously not well until well in the middle of the next season. Kept crying when watching Charmed and couldn’t believe they could replace a sister etc. I don’t know man, the rage and tears were close to what 1D fans are feeling right now 😀
I think it’s easy to forget those big moments in pop culture when you grow older but I’m only 24 so it’s still fresh in my mind. Sadly enough.
That’s why there’s a conspiracy regarding Paul dying in a car wreck and that he was replaced by a guy who won a lookalike contest. The guy allegedly looked and sounded like Paul, and he had a similar sense of humor. Supposedly, the government was part of the conspiracy because they felt that there would be legions of fangirls killing themselves if they knew the truth. Makes for good reading anyway. 🙂
Lisztomania, 1843
MonicaQ & Jenna, your references have made my day.
I’ve often wondered why people almost seem to need to characterize ‘fan mania’ as some sort of new phenomenon?
Yes, and Byronomania during the Regency.
There has always been this kind of crazy fanatic behavior with teenage fan girls, it’s just that social media makes us way more aware. I remember when Hanson came to our local radio station, girls cut school and showed up in wedding dresses. The oldest Hanson brother was like 16. Some of it is funny, but of course some of it is disturbing (like someone mention cut for zayn being a hashtag).
Yep people used to go all crazy and intense over the composer Franz Litz and that was in the 1800’s. Like others have said this stuff has been around forever and is probably as old as dirt. Social media however has offered an opportunity to expand on fan obsession and transcend it to new levels.
social media just gives us a glimpse into peoples lives. Beatles fangirls were equally disturbing. after Take That and the like broke up there were several suicides and those girls that killed themselves could now be the mothers of this generation of teenage girls mourning over another boyband.
if there is one constant in our society is that we always believe things are getting worse.
When Take That broke up in the 90s, there were suicide hotlines due to distraught fans.
Oh pish. Women of a certain age felt the same when the Beatles broke up. They just didn’t have Twitter to pour their broken hearted prose into.
There’s a reason “fan” is short for “fanatic”.
Eh, I remember the histrionics (from boys and girls) after Curt Kobain died.
It has happened before; it will happen again. And it is certainly not a case of this particular generation being different than previous generations.
Their fans remind me a bit of Cumberbatch fans, just less crying, but more …itching.
Lol
I feel sorry for their teenage fans but I can’t understand twenty something’s and older people who are acting like he’s dead or something, I’ve heard stories about people not feeling like they can go to work today because of the news last night. I think that’s a little too much.
What??? My nine year old is a huge 1D fan and it sounds like she took the news better than some adults.
Yeah, I don’t think we need to discuss what went down in my house when Geri left the Spice Girls. Oooh, dark times.
I have a nine year old as well, and though she is a big fan her response was ” meh”, then she went back to reading her Harry potter book. I’ve never been prouder ☺
This is exactly what I was going to say. I can understand the tween – teen angst (my 13 year old self would have been DEVASTATED if one of the New Kids had quit) but for a grown woman to say “I cried for hours”…what? Maybe I’m a cold-hearted wretch now that I’m pushing 40 but I really don’t get it.
Mind you, some of these grown women probably lost their minds over Edward Cullen – Twilight Moms, anyone? – so I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised.
Yeah, I’m with yo on this one. Do you remember when Beiber was The Big Thing (and he was like fifteen ) that they showed all this footage of grown. ass. women. tween screaming over him like a bunch of flipping weirdos? I mean seriously. That’s the weird part.
The Twilight moms and adult Bieber fans had to be among the weirdest things I’ve seen in a while.
Those poor tweens. I’m so glad I’m past that age and that my daughter is not to that age yet. Not looking forward to it.
I remember how devastated I was over Geri Halliwell leaving Spice Girls.
Teenage fans make sense because they don’t have the maturity level to realize that a) this person is not really much more than a pretty face b) that particular YA book series is rubbish or c) they are acting hysterical. Grown adult women should know better, and yes it is freaky!
*cough*Lainey*cough*
Ok?? Like CHILL he is alive, He CHOSE to walk away from this type of life/money and fame for his own reasons, No One Died FFS
That said, a much less interesting group cause like I said a Few days back, what is appealing to me about these twinks besides the fact that is kinda cute/homoerotic/novel that they aren’t in any way threatened being so fun and tactile with each other in public and such, and their random clapbacks to people online was that This is a Boy of Color, a Muslim Pakistani boy being in a Boyband, thought of as attractive, thought of as a full person, and THAT is not something you see every day
This is a Boy of Color, a Muslim Pakistani boy being in a Boyband, thought of as attractive, thought of as a full person, and THAT is not something you see every day
The only interesting thing about him tbh and he didn’t do anything with this unique status imo. He could’ve made an impact on pop culture. Except for his cheating and his FACE, he’s blander than oatmeal.
They’re the worst boyband ever and my teenager self would never been a fan because I like my boys active and engaged. 1D bring nothing new to the table nor are they exceptional as they don’t even dance (or sing properly for that matter).
He did do something with that, Artemis. He’s not going to pretend to be uber religious but he was fasting during Ramadan and fans actually wished him good luck with the fasting and said Ramadan Mubarak and Eid Mubarak. Had he been too religious it would have been a problem (and probably fake).
When Jon Stewart announced his departure from TDS the reaction prompted him to ask ‘did I die?’ the following day. So all ages can be a little melodramatic about departing entertainment figures! Just hoping the older ones can hold it together, a crying 28 year old stuttering that Zayn is lost to them is slightly more disturbing than a 14 year old for sure.
Tbh I can’t understand the teenage fans either. Like Jesus get some hobbies! I understand being sad, I understand shedding a few tears, but the nonsense happening on the Internet yesterday and today just makes me mad. I’m not blaming the parents but seriously…don’t parents raise their kids not to become so devoted to meaningless stuff like this?
I also feel kind of bad for Zayn since he quit to pursue normalacy and people must be making him feel horribly with all their dramatics.
This!
How refreshing to read someone is recognising a change of life would be healthier and more rewarding-even if they were walking away from millions?
B Spears and countless child actors shoud have done the same, me thinks.
I agree. I remember when Geri left the Spice Girls; I was young and she was my favourite. I was sad but then I carried on with my life.
Zayn needs to sort himself out, I doubt he will disappear into obscurity forever.
Those boys need a break, the level at which they’ve worked these past five years is crazy. It’s actually really interesting (and concerning) to look into the goings-on behind the scenes with this band, I wish more people would.
I don’t know much about them but it does seem like a break for him and maybe even all of them wouldn’t be the worst thing. I’m sure their management would never want their cash cows to let up but hopefully the guys can do what they want to do to stay sane and healthy.
Can you elaborate? The only thing I remember hearing right around when they first really blew up was that everybody involved — their label, management, even the guys themselves — knew that the boy band shelf life is really limited so they planned to tour and pump out albums nonstop for a few years to make as much cash as possible before their fans grew up and moved on. And it seems like that’s really been their MO.
Basically, they’re very overworked – four albums and world tours in four years. Also, they’ve been subjected to some pretty dirty marketing tactics and stunts considering they were all only 16-18 when all of it started. It was only a matter of time until something like this happened. There is a lot to be said for their management, Modest Management.
Also, there is the whole thing surrounding Harry and Louis (that they’re in a relationship and have been heavily closeted, which I think is true). Many people write it off as stupid/overzealous ‘shipping’, but if you actually look into it, it’s quite obvious.
@aligoat summed it up nicely, but the general gist is overworked to the max for 5 years with a side of abuse by their management team, Modest. The mistreatment of Modest’s artists has been well documented. I would suggest starting with Rebecca Ferguson.
Zayn had to change his name (Zain) to whitewash it, cover his religion, endure racist attacks with no retaliation, and work 5 years in the spotlight with no breaks. At least 2 of the boys have had their sexualities covered.
It really does go far beyond being mismanaged.
Aligoat, agree with you totally. 36 years old and not ashamed about liking them.:) Their music is great when jogging, and Harry is a beauty.
But what teens cant see is Zayn obviously has drug problems and i really think that management forced him to leave beacuse of drugs. And Larry is real, you can see it easily if you watch 5 minutes of youtube videos from 2012-2013. (Also Harry’s “dont knock it till you try it comments) But i guess they are not togetjer anymore…
One example, they don’t get a break to record their albums. They record albums on tour. They basically prep for the concert during the day, do the concert, then they go in and record vocals for the album after the concert. That’s an exhausting schedule.
@Brown How does changing Zain to Zayn whitewash his religion? I know lots of Christian/nonreligious guys with similar names. ‘Zayn’ just looks better, in my point of view – the ‘y’ is cool. If he’d really wanted to hide his heritage, he would have changes his name entirely to something more Western, or at the very least changed his last name, which is a common Pakistani surname. And I don’t think he ever did go out of his way to hide his heritage. I believe he’s even tweeted some Muslim prayers from time to time. I don’t doubt that there were some racists who occasionally gave him problems, but I think there were probably a lot more people excited to see a guy like him in a popular boy band.
Can’t speak to the name change but the racist comments against Zayne over the years have been markedly brutal. They make the FKA Twigs comments look like Hallmark greetings.
I really disagree with this idea floating around that they are over worked. They have it much easier than pretty much all the really big acts. Remember that they dont dance. They share the singing work load four ways, poor Louis. They dont write, they dont produce. A 1Direction concert is just them walking around the stage, They dont have elaborate numbers or costume changes, They literally just pace back and forth and sometimes have a couch on which they sit and croon. A really tough day is when they are required to answer pre-arranged questions from the fans on stage. Can I also point out that Rihanna did 7 albums in 7 years. Beyonce was touring virtually non stop before Blue was born and she is back at it again. Katie Perry and Taylor Swift are on that beat too.
I dont think this has to do with work load, they definitely have it easier than the other big acts in the game. I think it has to do with them growing older and dissatisfied with bubblegum image and music they keep putting out.
They actually do write their own music, especially the last two albums. At least one of the members is credited on almost every song. Up to 120 two hour concerts in a tour isn’t exhausting? Near constant global travelling isn’t exhausting?
@Brown changing the spelling from Zain to Zayn is not whitewashing his religion or his name. Zayn is also a popular spelling for the name, as “i” as a vowel in Arabic is sometimes translated as “y” in English (see Laila and Layla).
@leona. Good point. There’s no comparing what they do with the kind of pressure that’s put on female performers. At the very least they have less makeup, hair and costume requirements which gives them at least three hours daily that girl pop stars wouldn’t even have. And do they really not dance? What kind of boyband is this?
The Harry and Louis closeted thing is such garbage. Like, i don’t even have the energy to go into it but aligoat couldn’t be more wrong
Like what marketing tactics? Just curious.
Planted stories about Harry having sex with 400 women in one year (I think he was about 18 when that story was published), Zayn having a drug problem, the purposeful alienation of LGBT+ fans.
@aligoat, oh wow, I had no idea. That’s very sad.
Yeah, these guys have gone through A LOT. The fact they remained overall well-behaved and that Zayn’s departure is at least giving the impression of being peaceful says a lot. That’s why I love 1D. It’s remarkable how they have kept their sh*t together.
I worked at Sony Music when One Direction started, and I was surprised at how fast they released new records. Sometimes TWO in the same YEAR. Add to that studio time, press time, rehearsal time, junkets, endorsements, filming music videos and movies, shows, WORLD TOURS. I was exhausted just thinking about it.
I know these kids are rich now, and successful and most probably living their dreams, which few of us get to do, but they’re still being worked to the ground. And in this industry, the more famous you are, they harder they will work you and give you access to whatever you want. The sex, drugs and rock n roll phrase exists for a reason.
Harry will never leave Louis
I have a feeling he’s on some hard drugs
He certainly doesn’t look healthy. He looks extremely thin.
Oh he is. If you see the 1D tour rider, which came out a few days ago, you’ll find, for the talent, 1 large suite that allows smoking + 3 other large rooms. The smoking room was for Zayn without doubt. And I read some fan speculation that Louis and Harry share a bedroom.I dont know but it could be possible, you know.
In the band, I believe Louis and Zayn are the only smokers. And they do drugs. There is a video that came out quite a while back showing Zayn on camera smoking while Louis (allegedly, but I believe it) was filming it, while the boys were touring Peru or some other South American country. It is sad but that’s the reality.
And I believe it starts with small stuff like hookah,etc . The weak (for lack of a better word) get sucked in much faster as opposed to those who just try it out and know when to leave it. Plus, this guy always seemed to have issues.
I don’t know if he’s on hard drugs but both Zayn and Louis had to post a bond for their Malaysia tour of some crazy sum swearing that they won’t get high and if they do they lose the money.
Anyone here remember the apocalypse accompanying the implosions of New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, N*Sync or Take That? It was this epic, there just wasn’t the social media presence and saturation we have today. Teenage girls are always going to be over-dramatic. They just have more outlets to express their despair than just crying over back issues of Bop! or Tiger Beat with their friends via *gasp* a land line!
Mmm. Take That. Robbie Williams. *swoon*
Sorry, flashback.
Lol. in my case, not just a land line but a land line with its cord stretched as far as it could go across the kitchen and into the nearest closet…”Can’t a girl get some privacy around here?!”
Sorry, having a flashback of my own.
Lol…. Same here!
Ah, sproingy cord phones. And there was always that one spot that never quite got with the program, and it would make the receiver want to recoil back.
All I need to know is someone else remembers things like the neon-pink glory that was Debbie Gibson’s “Electric Youth” perfume.
Back to topic…Zayn seemed the least grating out of all of them. Harry just irks me for no particular reason, and the rest are just…meh. But I get the tweeny-bopper emotion. It’s fine when you’re a teenager and you grow out of it in a year or so. But it’s when grown-ass women act that way that lines get crossed.
delphi, Sadly I don’t remember that. Love’s Baby Soft, Heaven Scent and later Anais Anais were my faves. 🙂
I’ve said elsewhere on this thread that I don’t know 1D all that well but I can see why so many love Harry. He has an appeal that reminds me of a young Michael Hutchence.
Yes! I remember a helpline set-up in the UK for grieving Take That fans! Of course, I never called in, *ahem*, just cried A LOT in my room.
Teenage fandom has always been this crazy, we’ve just never had social media to document the madness before.
Those Directioners will now feel what I felt when one of the members of Il Divo left the group.
We didn’t even get an official breakup for N*Sync. Just that they were on “hiatus”. THANKS JUSTIN YOU STUPID ACTING JERK AND YOUR RAMEN HAIR /reverts to 15 years old again
Oh my god, I can’t breathe for laughing over “ramen hair”! That describes it perfectly!
*snort* *giggle* *snort*
Just want to make a couple points:
1. Harry crying on stage was actually due to being hit in the eye by a flying projectile tossed at him (hair clip I think?) either way, debunked.
2. Please think hard before berating young fans for being upset over this. For many girls, 1D gave them a sense of belonging and acceptance. Even if you find it ridiculous, it is very real and very painful to them.
3. They are all extremely overworked… have been touring and recording albums on the road for the past 5 years straight. Would be very difficult for any young person to deal with that grueling schedule, on top of that having to live life under a microscope.
I think I really want to stress my 2nd point, though. I have seen so much mocking of the fans who are genuinely upset over this and it really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Someone up thread cited a Twitter tag about cutting for 1D. It may seem crazy to us that someone is considering self harm over a boyband, but for a young girl who is struggling with anxiety or depression and has the urge to self harm, but was able to overcome it by being invested in a band…. well, if said band was “breaking up” or something similar, her world is falling apart. On top of that, the attitude that being upset over this is any more ridiculous that being upset over your favorite TV show ending or favorite athlete leaving a club… well, it is gross. Their pain is no less valid than anyone else’s just because they are young girls.
I agree that other fans can be just as “crazy.” Sports fans in particular have been known to go to ridiculously emotional extremes — starting a bonfire to burn their Lebron James jerseys when he left Cleveland is one relatively tame example I can think of — and I think there are probably a lot more crazy sports fans than heartsick teenage girl fans.
I agree with all your points, I will also say that I never mocked young fans, my point up thread is that I don’t understand how mature adults are taking it at the same level.
Also, there needs to be mass condemnation for the vilification of Perrie Edwards, I’ve seen way too many tweets wishing death on her and threatening her, that’s not okay, teenagers also need to be taught that that is not okay.
And the #cut4zayn hashtag isn’t just about people who used to self harm falling back into that, it’s also about some very young fans and zealous fans who think that cutting themselves will get Zayn’s attention and make him come back into the band. I find that really unsettling.
I just thought I’d latch on to your points.
Agree with everything you said.
as you may have guessed from my post, I am a “closet” One Direction fan. Also 25 years old. I’m not having breakdowns, but I am sad over the news. This band has been royally mismanaged and abused over the last 5 years. I also worry for the fans who are going and feel as though this is the end of the world for them, and they are being told those feelings are less valid and silly because it’s a boyband. Not the message we should be sending young girls.
Brown. they havent been “mismanaged” every boyband has a shelf life and the management wants to squeeze as much out of them as possible. boybands exist to make the people controlling them rich.
if this was Adele i would agree, she can take a break and come back, 1D cant.
Absolutely every boyband has a shelf life. That’s not up for debate… and that’s not what I’m referring to when I say they’ve been mismanaged (although I do believe 1D has/had the potential to break the mold, their new music is much more adult oriented, but I digress.) The mismanagement I am referring to goes beyond that. Easily researchable…. like I said up thread, the actions of Modest Management toward their artists is well documented.
I think the fans obsession with Modest makes it harder to take them very seriously. Those girls are obsessed with tracking the management companies employees and ofcourse proving how this sinister force that is Modest has stiffled the greatest love of all time (Harry and Louis). Dont get me wrong, I get off on Larry Youtube videos as much as the next gal but the tinhatting is really off putting.
Leona,
I understand what you’re saying, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t truth to the fact that Modest! has proven (beyond 1D) that they are a questionable entity in the industry. This is their fifth tour. They announced this worldwide stadium tour DURING their last worldwide stadium tour. Five tours in five years. Five albums in five years (they are slated to release another by 2016), recording said albums in hotel rooms and on buses because they are on the road and do not have time to allocate to a proper studio session to record. A movie. Multiple books. Fragrances. Thus is the nature of the beast, I realize that… boybands are $$$ cows, get in while the getting is good. But that does not change the fact that that is a LOT for five kids in their late teens/early twenties to be thrust into.
Thank you for saying this. 1D was the escape of many teenagers who are struggling (same as are kpop and jpop bands for 20 somethings). And even if there are adults 1D adult fans, they obviously have severe issues going on in their lives that they are having a hard time dealing with.
It’s good to see sites like this one have less judgmental readers.
My take is that this guy just wasn’t cut out for fame, let alone international superstardom. He’s a shy, quiet person who had to be encouraged to even try out for X-Factor. Most big stars work for years to get noticed – Beyoncé, Mariah, even Taylor Swift or Elvis or the Beatles – and that tends to shake out individuals who aren’t really up to the pressures of being watched all the time. Instant X-Factor fame circumvents that process and makes stars out of people who aren’t ready.
That seems to be a common opinion these days. It seems he was pressured and I guess nobody really thought he was going to get that famous. Lots of X-Factor participants are now forgotten.
Showing my age here. Can anyone please tell me how to pronounce Zayn and Niall? Like Zane and Nile?
I feel ya (32 here). I think it’s Zane as you said and Nee-all? I don’t know, I haven’t ever heard that name before.
All their names sound made up. Like they were all John and Mark but their handlers decided those names weren’t sexy enough or something.
It’s NIGH-ull. ‘Nigh’ like ‘night’.
Niall is a traditional Irish name, pronounced Nye-al.
Waves patriotic shamrock. Sips Guinness.
Yes! Thank you! At 29 I feel like I should be with it enough to know what they are. And they DEFINITELY sound made up to me. In 10 years there are going to be a lot of little boys with these names I think.
Niall (Ny-al) is a fairly common name in Ireland. My daughter knows two boys with that name.
Also, it’s apparently Louis, like lew-ee, and not Louis like lew-is, which is how I’ve been pronouncing it in my head for the past 5 years.
I think, lew-ee is how the french pronounce it. He British. I always imagined it would be Lou-is. But I guess that’s how he pronounces his name too.
I’m 24 and couldn’t figure out how to pronounce Niall. I thought it was Knee-Al. Oops.
Ok. If he’s really talented as an artist (what I highly doubt), he did the right thing. One direction sucks, just like BSB sucked. About the fans… Man, I don’t now. I really don’t empathize.
He really does have a fantastic voice.
I’ll check on youtube, I like being surprised. Although it takes much more than a great voice to be an artist.
Agree! Best voice of the group!
the first 3 albums are pure pop and great workout music for me. But the last ones not that bad. Truth to be told, as an ex boyband fan, they are better than BSB and NSync.
Not better than NKOTB from back in my days
Their latest album is actually their best.
Hey! Don’t you dare bring BSB into this. They were freaking awesome. Don’t hate lol
Lmao. I didn’t see your comment, and I just typed something similar. I was like wait, WHAT?!!!!! I was and am a BSB super fan. I still remember begging my mom to buy their cd’s when they came out, and I still have their first behind the scenes doc, BSB: All Access on vhs. I wish I’d kept my posters. #Kevin4Ever
BSB didn’t and still don’t suck.
I remember being really upset over Geri leaving The Spice Girls, but I was young, not even a teenager I think. But I quickly got over it. So I can understand a young child or even a teenager being upset, but I’m also seeing people in their twenties (a couple I believe, in their early thirties) crying about how devastating this is. Really?! And the cutting tag really scares me. What is this world coming to where young girls are cutting themselves because someone left a mediocre band? Frightening.
Funny – who would have believed at that time that Geri would become a C-list celebrity and Posh would become A++? By One Direction standards, that would mean that Louis Tomlinson will be a superstar somewhere around 2032. Both are mediocre singers and pretty much afterthoughts in the band. Louis, like Posh, usually gets about one line to sing per song.
Zayn was the best looking of the bunch. My girls have tickets to an upcoming show and they are not really upset, just a little bummed. The older wants to sell hers because she was all about Zayn.
Ace over at BG has posted a blind suggesting that he was actually fired because of drug issues and the inability to get insurance for him. Much like any big corporation it was You’re Fired but we will let you say you quit to save face. Sounds about right.
The contracts those boys have signed would be water tight. Simon Cowell is no fool when it comes to making money and protecting his investments.
I don’t believe he was fired.
Producers and agents push their acts beyond the limit just for the sake of money. Look at Whitney! Or Amy Winehouse.
No sane person would have fired a member of One Direction.
The Blind Gossip piece is pure rumor, but it certainly sounds believable. I was amazed that Zayn was able to travel to countries with very strict drug laws, such as Japan. It would be difficult for an addict to get a supply there, unless they kept him going with prescribed pharmaceutical morphine for the length of his stay. Who knows.
I believe the Phillippines was actually going to run a drug test on him, which may be why he departed the tour at Bangkok, right before the Manila stop.
It’s not that he just quit the band. It was expected that one of them would eventually leave. But he quit the band, high and dry, during a world tour.
It seems like something unexpected happened behind the scenes, for him to quit mid-tour and for management to not throw the mother of all hissy fits and sue him for breach of contract or something.
The media is blaming this on Zayn’s gf.
All this seems crazy to me..
I think Zayn coped with the lifestyle as much as he could but 5 years under the microscope would have freaked me out too! I don’t think I would have lasted a year!
They seem good people and i’m sure their friendship will go on despite their job and maybe if the producers/managers/agents and co. would allow them to slow the pace maybe Zayn will go back in the group.
Not a fan of the group, but I’m 24 and cried like a baby when my favorite character died on TWD. I was so emotionally connected to that character, and having spend years on a journey with them – I was a mess for a week when they killed them off. So – it’s perfectly possible to be in a genuine grieving process for a fictional characters or band members or death of an actor.
It’s natural and normal, and certainly more therapeutic than holding it in. Let them mourn the loss of their favorite band – bc it’s pretty obvious the group will not last long, after zayn left, others will follow.
You did?? It happened to me as well, with a character. But I went to see my therapist right away, because I felt like a crazy freak, I just couldn’t accept this reaction at the time.
Was it Hershel? Coz that messed me up too 🙁
The only fictional characters I cried over were the Harry Potter ones ( Dobby anyone?). But I was around 15 then.
I can’t really imagine feelng like the world is ending when a member of my favoirite band leaves ( when Fruciante left the RHCP I was a bit upset, but nothing major).
My sister is a 1D fan and she’s also just a nit sad. I’m not being judgemental, but I just cam’t imagine being that invested.
I cried over Dobby too 🙁
I did stop reading a series once, because one of the characters got killed off and I was po’d about it.
I was a Duranie. Nick, to be precise. If he had suddenly left Duran Duran in the middle of a tour, at 11, 12, I’d have been devastated.
After dumping 300+ hours into the Mass Effect universe, you better believe there were ugly tears when all of the characters started dying. Oh and reading the Green Mile and American Gods. That ended poorly for me. My husband went out and immediately bought me a burrito all three times to console me.
A friend’s teenage daughter commented upon hearing the news that, “Too bad, One Direction just lost its only non-Caucasian member.”
Yeccch. I don’t like it when people are reduced to only their skin color. There’s a lot more to this guy as an individual than that.
Doesn’t she know his name? I’m more than a black person
I get what the OP’s daughter means in terms of representation, its important that young people and people everywhere see people that look like them achieving feats like 1D have. I took my niece to see Rihanna’s movie that came out last week and she kept pointing to Tip (Rihanna’s character) and saying “Krissy” because Tip has curls just like she does. It’s a positive thing.
Representation is a positive thing. Reducing someone’s identity to their ethnicity is not.
Except he IS caucasian. May not be western european but he’s still white.
Who are these people who don’t know what Caucasian means? People are so ignorant (Oxford AND urban dictionary definitions)
Where’s QQ? Here’s my shoulder for your wailing and crying.
I saw some very Islamaphobic twitter comments about how Zayn is leaving the band so he can join ISIS, people are gross. I’m not a 1D fan at all, but I feel bad for the young Muslim fans who identify with Zayn.
I’m guessing they thought they were funny, much like the Dakota Johnson skit on Saturday Night Live had her joining ISIS as if it were funny. Personally, I don’t think anything about ISIS is funny. This is a group that ties up gay people and throws them off buildings.
I think the joke is more about Zayn’s Middle Eastern ethnicity. He’s Pakistani. Pakistani = Muslim = extremists.
Adrien: very good point except that Pakistanis aren’t Middle Eastern. They might share a religion, but they are completely different. In ethnicity and region.
For the record, Zayn is mixed race. White English/Irish mother, Pakistani father.
Jesus Christ! That’s disgusting! Can’t believe racist tweets are allowed but political opinions get censored all the time.
I think it also brought more knowledge about Islam. For example, if Zain was celebrating Ramadan, he’d get plenty of wellwishes from fans. Would those fans have bothered to look Islam if it wasn’t for Zain? I doubt. Anyways, the South African fandom over here is even more devastated because only 4 of them touched down at the Lanseria airport in Jo’burg today instead of five.
I saw that too and it really p*ssed me off.
I don’t believe there are grown women here who just wrote they think Harry and Louis are together. When they are on a break they are on two different continents and have grown into two completely different people. You guys are just as awful as the J2 crew from Supernatural (Who repeat the same exact theories). That being said, I feel sorry for the young fangirls of 1D, especially since this is probably their first fandom. I’m glad social media wasn’t around when I was a kid. But, I do agree with people, the people who are in their 20s are scaring me. Some are acting like he died and are crying. I don’t know what is up with Zayn, but it really wouldn’t shock me if at the end of the year, he’s releasing some music with Naughty Boy.
Thank you! I don’t understand the gay rumors. Most of the evidence is “they look longingly at each other”. Right. Every time they are on break, Harry is in LA and Louis is in London or at home. How can they keep up a relationship like that. I don’t know about you, but when I was in high school/college, boys were always jokingly affectionate towards each other. People take things way too far.
well i think they were together for a while but not anymore. 🙂 and some videos are beyond looking ath each other.
From a distance I was really starting to like 1D (I am 35 and am not their target audience). It was a interview with Glamour a year back when I realized why they were so well liked and even crazed. They really did have a message of it is okay to be different and acceptance should be for all. This is different from the boy band message of my day so I can see how fans can be upset at this news. When I read I was surprised, can you imagine a fans reaction.
I watched that special about them on NBC last winter and as a commenter mentioned, those kids are overworked and micromanaged to the max. I also noticed that they get to travel the world and never see it because of the pandemonium or there is no time. That also has to suck. Four hugely successful albums and four sold out world tours, they should be worth a hell of a lot more than 5 million each.
I don’t know much about 1D but there seem to be interesting parallels to the Beatles (not that their music is comparable but clearly the level of adoration they get is similar). They started to hate the fame and being trapped in hotel rooms not being able to go anywhere or see anything. And their breakup was blamed on John’s girlfriend, Yoko Ono. So the threats to Zayn’s gf aren’t surprising to me, just history repeating itself. 🙂
Harry and Liam are worth the most (Harry is projected at $20+ mil and Liam is at $15+ i think) and Niall, Zayn and Louis are estimated at around $10mil each.
Even that seems low and if it is true it reeks of exploitation. Between the albums, the huge tours and all the merchandise, everything from school supplies to toys to perfume, someone made a ton of $$$.
@aang. I did not even think about the merchandise with their faces plastered all over. Don’t crap like t-shirts and programs sold at concerts factor into that as well. You are right, the numbers are low.
Oh, kids. They will eventually break up. I like them. I want them to stay longer in the limelight because I don’t want the 5sos to take over. At least long enough to age out that Australian group.
Who on Earth are 5sos and what is wrong with them?
Aussie kids banging on instruments, basically. At least 1D had a bit in the way of talent.
5 Seconds of Summer. I have no idea what they sing or do but they’re going to be at the Nick Kid’s Choice Awards and my baby cousins are freaking.
They seem like nice enough blokes, but I really doubt that any of them has the talent to make it outside of 1D. They don’t play instruments or write music, they just kind of stand on stage taking turns singing love ballads to young girls. Not to mention they are getting a little old for this boy-band thing. They could replace this dude with another good looking guy who can sing a little bit and the girls would forget all about whats-his-name. It also seems like the record company is running these poor chaps into the ground with the constant touring and insane schedules. Hope to are making their fair share of all of the loot
There is now way Simon Cowell would thanks someone for quitting during the middle of a world tour. This band prints him money. This guy was obviously a liability. My guess he was fired. Probably because he couldn’t be insured. I’m guessing drugs are his real issue. So sad. They just work these kids until they snap. I hope he gets te help he needs
You’re guessing he was fired…why? Care to elaborate?
Meh. These guys are rapidly approaching the sell by date for boy bands anyway. Give it a year or two and Cowell will find another handful of kids to exploit.
This has become a huge international story. I had no idea they were so popular.
Meh. Just let the band end. Their time has come.
Yep, the same script over and over again.
…sigh.
Seriously whatever the story is behind his leaving it really sucks for him the ridiculousness of this reaction. I understand people have their reasons for becoming overly attached but I can’t help but wonder if they ever really think of the people they’re obsessed with or just love on small image that is presented for public consumption. If he really left for the reasons stated then I’m guessing he feels worse than crap today. He wants to be normal and have some semblance of peace and instead the whole world is caterwauling over him.
Worse yet they really are acting like he died. It makes me think of how many celebs/singers actually DID die and how you’ll never see them represented in any form or media again. He’s still alive. He has a future and some plans I’m sure. Try to find some peace and be happy for him, but considering the specials I’ve seen lately on moderately obsessed fans I believe that’s hopeless. Whole thing just creeps me out.
He put himself first. Nothing wrong with that. I just hope he doesn’t regret his decision. Mind you, I do think 1D will only do one more album before the group splits up anyways. Zayn was my favorite. It was nice seeing a Pakistani boy from good old Bratford make it big ! He was always shy. He loves to sing, but he didn’t like the fame. He was on X-Factor as a solo act, but Simon decided the boys would be better as a group. He sort of fell into this. I don’t think it was his dream. He’s made enough money so he’s set for life. I see him doing a solo album in a year or so and it will be good. He has the best voice in that group.
What I don’t understand is how he thinks he’ll ever get to be a “normal” 22+ – year-old with the level of fame he’s already attained and if he does marry Perrie, who’s a UK pop star in her own right. That reasoning sounded dumb to me.
After seeing all of the “jokes” about Zayn leaving 1D to join ISIS, I don’t blame him for not being able to handle the fame. There’s good and bad to fame, couple that with a gruesome work schedule, and it’s explosive. Not everybody can handle it and if he really is that shy, there’s no reason to stay. Good luck to him and I hope he feels better.
What? Are people really making disgusting jokes like that? Wow. Racism alive and well.
I dont follow this band or like their music, but from the last article it seems the situation is horrible for his girlfriend, first got cheated and humiliated, and now getting blame for his depature….
Boy band fame is pretty brutal, so he’s doing the wise thing if it’s really making him that unhappy. No amount of money makes misery worth it. It’s touching to see how close he was with his bandmates, though. At least it wasn’t interpersonal relationships that forced him out.
Er, Harry Styles didn’t break down and cry about Zayn on stage – he got hit in the face with a glowstick someone threw: https://twitter.com/ejaewrecks/status/581062462587289602/photo/1
Ouch. I’d cry too
I think if Harry leaves too, the band is doomed.
Im not a 1D fan but I know someone who taught zayn at school and he genuinely is shy. He was apparently a sweet and good kid, not interested in fame but really arty, enjoyed singing, dancing and he drew a lot.
He had a lot of racist and islamophobic abuse directed at him, none of his band mates backed him up and neither did management. He was expected to just take it. He had to leave Twitter for a while because of the abuse, none of the other white members of the group got this abuse. He was the best looking one of the group but it was harry that was pushed to the forefront.
He was a kid when all this started, an adult couldn’t cope with that type of pressure. I’m glad he’s left and hope he can have a less pressured and manipulated life now
“Im not a 1D fan but I know someone who taught zayn at school and he genuinely is shy. He was apparently a sweet and good kid, not interested in fame but really arty, enjoyed singing, dancing and he drew a lot. ”
If that’s true (and I don’t doubt it is), it’s amazing he stuck it out as long as he did. Must have been sheer torture by the end. Poor thing ):
I always thought Zayn was the most talented and best looking yet he was always put in the back. He rarely had any solo parts. The management probably thought Harry would be better as the lead (not saying Harry isn’t talented, he is and he seems like a nice guy as well). It just wasn’t a fair deal for Zayn. I hope he goes solo and kicks ass !