One Direction fans were fuming earlier this week when Zayn Malik failed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the band – but it seems this was no mistake on the singer’s behalf.
Thursday marked 10 years to the day that 27-year-old Zayn was matched with Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan by Simon Cowell to create the chart topping band.
The boys celebrated the landmark by launching a website that marked the anniversary while the band members and fans the world over rejoiced on social media and reminisced about the band’s past success.
However, many were left disappointed and enraged when Zayn completely failed to mark the event himself – but it seems the singer did so to avoid tarnishing his solo success.
A source told The Sun: “Zayn is of course grateful for One Direction for giving him the platform it did, but he’s a solo artist now.
“He’s working on new music and wants to cut ties so he’s taken seriously in his own lane.”
Zayn famously quit 1D in 2105 citing he wanted to be a “normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight” following five years of astonishing global fame.
However, within a week he was spotted entering a recording studio with music producer Naughty Boy, and had signed a solo record deal with RCA records by July.
He has since gone on to enjoy considerable success as a solo artist, with his debut album, Mind of Mine, topping album charts around the world in 2016 – including the UK and USA.
While he has released high profile singles Pillowtalk, I Don’t Wanna Live Forever with Taylor Swift and Dusk Till Dawn with Sia.
His second album, Icarus Falls, was released to critical acclaim in 2018, however stalled in the music charts.
Zayn has previously slammed the music of One Direction, telling Fader magazine in 2015 that the band’s pop records were “generic as f***.”
While in an interview with British Vogue in 2018, Zayn hinted he had fallen out with his former bandmates after they made “snide” comments about him.
He said: “I ain’t spoke to any of them for a long time, to be honest with you.