Zayn Malik reflects on his time in One Direction, the biggest boyband of all time. He explains how he decided to leave the group because it was "overexposed", both professionally and personally.

Zayn malik is letting you know that he has never been the mysterious, brooding or serious person he was labelled as during his time in One direction. He's actually just chill.

Former boy bander, Alex Cooper dropped by "Call Her Daddy", a podcast hosted by to talk about his rapid rise to fame and how he was able to know when to leave the band. The rest of the band would also split up less than a year after the first.

He talked about his anxiety and how daughter Khai helped him overcome it. The singer spoke about his co-parenting relationship with Gigi hadid, and even touched upon the infamous 2021 charges of harassment for which he pled not guilty. All about it can be found here.

Zayn malik talks about how his daughter changed him, co-parenting with Gigi hadid and 2021 harassment charges

He also found that stepping away from One Direction and the chaos of New York City, where he could not step out without being recognized, helped him deal with his anxiety.

"I wanted a break from city life," he said to Cooper when explaining his decision to move to suburbia Pennsylvania. "I had lived in New York City for three years. It was a little overwhelming, you know. Like going out every night with craziness. "I just wanted to be in a more familiar environment."

He wanted the same for his daughter. He said he did not want to overwhelm Khai with a life of fame that she had never chosen. He wants to give her the freedom to choose whether or not to interact with the fame of his parents and to pursue her dreams, regardless if they are in the spotlight.

Malik was "chill" throughout the interview. He described himself this way a lot. This is why he enjoys the quieter lifestyle outside of the city. He explained, "I enjoy my own space." I like my thoughts and quiet surroundings. When there are a lot people around, I find it a little hectic. "I like to relax by myself every now and then."

When he was a member of One Direction, his "chill" demeanor caused him to be labeled as the mysterious or brooding. Cooper pointed out that people like to label parts of something. The Spice Girls were the perfect example, as they developed their own one-dimensional identity. Malik argued that people are complex and multi-faceted. Labels like this are therefore inaccurate.

He said, however, that the pressure of being in the limelight and having this strong sense of himself projected by media and fans alike took its toll. This is also why he chose not to reconnect for so long. According to his calculations, it has been six years since he last did a complete interview.

He did it partly to prove to his daughter that he was able overcome his anxiety. Plus, with the release of a new album and single, he had to promote. He also feels that enough time has passed for him to feel fresh and interesting.

He explained, "I feel that we were overexposed as a band. It takes a little time for you to evolve as a person and have something new to say." "You don’t want to sit there and repeat the same thing day after day."

He believes that "a good healthy break" both personally and professionally is what is needed. This is exactly where he is coming from.

He said that the only way to discover your identity as an artist is to live it. "You can't expect to be on a conveyor belt, and have any new experience you want to give people," he said.

Malik believes he has finally found his voice after stepping out of the music industry and spending years establishing himself as a person and an artist. Malik promised that his new music would be more meaty and have a deeper sound than anything else he has recorded.

He teased that his music was more personal than before, and even his daughter made it onto the album more than once. He found himself by stepping away from work to be with his daughter and live life.

This journey began in many ways after he took the fateful decision of leaving One Direction. He said that it was both on his brain for a while, but almost impulsive the moment he pressed the button.

He remembered that he had called his mother the same day that he told them he was finished and asked if she could give him a place to sleep if he returned home. He laughed and said that his dad wasn't too supportive of him leaving the group, but that his mother was happy to see her son again.

Malik hinted that things were changing and he was beginning to see the writing in the wall. He said, "I won't go into detail but there was a great deal of politics going on." "I knew that something was going on because certain people were doing certain actions, and certain people refused to sign contracts."

He continued, "So I got ahead of the curve." "I thought, I just want to get out of there, this is all done. "I just saw it."

There was also a personal side to it. The group was at the top for half a decade, which is an incredibly long time for young boys in their formative years.

Malik admitted that they had grown tired of each other after five years together.

Malik, with the benefit of hindsight and almost eight years' experience to reflect on, says he sees his time in Afghanistan "in a more positive light" now than when he first left. How could anyone cope with the rapid rise of the band from auditioning to be on a reality TV show to selling out stadiums within a few months?

"I don’t think I understood it at all." Malik remarked that living in the maelstrom was "just a rush. You know, it was fun." "And then repetitive fun, over and over again is going to take its toll."

"You look at it in a different way when you are there and it becomes overwhelming," he said. "Now that I think back on it, it was an amazing rush. It was also fun. Of course, I didn't understand it. "It's something I never expected to do in my life, but it was fun for sure."

Malik, who felt that 1D was over, also acknowledged a selfish aspect to his decision to leave, saying, "I wanted to be the very first person to make my own album. Malik also admitted to a selfish angle in his decision to walk away, saying he "wanted be the first person to go and make my own record...

He continued: "I am serious and competitive, so I wanted to be first to leave and do my thing." He also has no regrets. "I don't think I left at the wrong time," he said. If I had stayed longer, I believe it would have affected me more. "I think we did just the right amount."

After his departure, all five members of the band embarked on solo careers that were successful. This is a rare feat for any group.

Malik's life has been filled with more than most people do in a lifetime. From his audition on "The X Factor" singing Mario's song "Let Me Love You," Malik cringes and wishes he could go back to give himself a big hug.

He feels like he has landed in a much better place. "I've had a complete mental rehaul, in the best possible way, because of my child, and I can now see things from a new perspective," he said.

He said he won't wait six years to see his fans, and that he will "be a lot more active" in the next chapter of his musical career. The summer single, "Love Like This," will be released on July 21, ahead of the release of his new album. It has no name or date yet.

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Title: Zayn Malik Felt ''Overexposed' with One Direction, How He Knew It Was Time to Leave
Sourced From: www.toofab.com/2023/07/12/zayn-malik-overexposed-one-direction-why-he-left-when-he-did/
Published Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 11:45:03 +0000

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