LONDON - Ever since Zayn Malik left One Direction, he's been pretty quiet about the reasons behind his exit and how he felt as a member of the group. But now, in an interview with Beats 1's Zane Lowe, the former band member has admitted it: "I never really wanted to be there."
In a preview clip, Malik gives a more detailed perspective explanation for why he left the chart-topping boy band.
"I think I always wanted to go, from the first year," says Malik. "I never really wanted to be there, like, in the band. I just gave it a go because it was there at the time and then when I realised the direction we were going in -– mind the pun –- with the music, I instantly realised it wasn’t for me.
"I realised I couldn’t put any input in, I couldn’t give my opinion on this or not, because it didn’t fit the grain of what we were as a band and what we represented. That’s when it became frustrating for me."
His decision to leave the group came as a shock to everyone, including his fellow band members -- but Malik also says that none of them tried to stop him: "When I was leaving the band, they didn’t want me to leave, but they couldn’t talk me out of it at that point. I had already made my mind up."
The full interview will be broadcast later Thursday on Beats 1.