INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

Will Zayn Malik’s Book Blow The Lid Off One Direction?

By Alan Ewart
Published on: 22:42 PST, Oct 27, 2016

For many One Direction fans, Zayn Malik quitting the bands last tour and leaving the band was a huge blow. Most One Direction fans are hugely supportive and protective of the band members, but many really struggled to know how to react when Zayn walked out. Of course, fans have wanted Malik to do well on his own, but at the same time, deep down, many were unhappy. The sense of confusion that many fans experienced, grew when Zayn gave interviews to Fader and Billboard magazines.

The Fader article suggested that Zayn quit One Direction because he was “living someone else’s fantasy.” It is doubtful that any One Direction fan could ever accept that Zayn meant any disrespect to his former bandmates when he said that One Direction’s music was “as generic as f**k.” Zayn was clearly saying that he felt unable to express his creativity.

“There was never any room for me to experiment creatively in the band. If I would sing a hook or a verse slightly R&B, or slightly myself, it would always be recorded 50 times until there was a straight version that was pop, generic as f**k, so they could use that version. Whenever I would suggest something, it was like it didn’t fit us.”

There can be little doubt that Malik needed to move on from One Direction. The solo album that Zayn released earlier this year showed a totally different creative direction, one that showed Malik more comfortable in his own skin. Zayn has also revealed the lengths that One Direction’s management went to in controlling the bands image. Zayn has claimed that he wasn’t even allowed to grow a beard. It seems that when you are part of a $1 billion brand, nothing can be left to chance.

Malik found himself in a very delicate situation. To be a success as a solo artist, Zayn needed to put clear space between him and One Direction. At the same time, Malik had a huge fanbase made up almost entirely of One Direction fans. The secret to his solo success was always likely to depend on creating that distance without upsetting One Direction’s huge fanbase.

That will be a difficult line to navigate safely, so it will be fascinating to read what Malik has to say about One Direction in his forthcoming autobiography, due for release on November 1. Whilst the book, titled Zayn, has been widely hyped, the content remains a closely guarded secret. In one of the few excerpts published to date, Digital Spy reveals that Zayn has much to say about One Direction’s fans. As could probably be anticipated, Zayn has mixed feelings about fans enthusiasm.

“”When I was still in One Direction fans would write stories based on me and the other lads and publish them online. I’m not gonna lie, it’s pretty unnerving reading things about yourself as a character from somebody else’s imagination. But it’s cool to see that so many fans engaged with the band on their own terms like that. It’s crazy to think that we inspired so many different stories and the opportunity for so much creativity from so many people all over the world.”

According to MTV, Malik reveals how much he enjoyed seeing the artistic endeavors of some fans and is expected to recount personal stories and to talk about his breakup with Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards. Given that Malik has already expressed how stifled he felt as a member of One Direction, it is reasonable to assume that Zayn will talk about this in more detail in the book.

Complex reports that Zayn has said that he will reveal “as much as I can so that you can judge me on my own terms, not on what the press or anyone else says.” If Malik is true to his word then we can expect some startling revelations. Fans will be hoping that Malik will lift the lid on One Direction and reveal exactly what goes on behind the scenes. Zayn needs to achieve this without alienating One Direction’s fans. Many of those fans will be hoping that Malik will tell them that One Direction truly is a band of brothers and that overbearing management stifled the boys’ true personalities.

You can be sure that One Direction fans will be looking closely at what Malik has to say.

[Featured Image by John Salangsang/Invision/AP Images]

Share this article: Will Zayn Malik’s Book Blow The Lid Off One Direction?
one direction zayn malik perrie edwards
More from Inquisitr