Zayn Malik shares ‘the main thing’ he always felt bad about with One Direction

Solo musician admitted he had this ‘teen angst’ thing that prevented him from enjoying his time in the pop group

Zayn Malik looks back on his time in chart-topping boy band One Direction.

The British musician rose to fame in 2010 when he appeared on the reality TV show The X Factor, after being paired with fellow contestants Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne. Despite not winning that year’s series, One Direction became a global phenomenon, embarking on world tours and releasing a string of Top 10 albums.

Malik made headlines when he unexpectedly announced his departure from the group in 2015; One Direction also announced an indefinite hiatus the following year.

In an interview with The Zach Sang Show, Malik expressed regret at not appreciating his time in the group.

“The main thing that I always feel bad about when I look back over my life is not enjoying the band enough,” he told host Zach Song.

“I feel like I just took things too seriously. I’m grateful that I’m able to be happier now. I can actually enjoy things and own my own perspective a bit. Like, glass half full versus it being half empty. That’s my choice.”

He confessed that he had “this teen angst thing going on… chip on my shoulder. I’m like, ‘It’s really cool to be moody as f*** all the time.’ It’s not. You’re just a loser. Let’s be honest, you know what I mean?”

While Malik has shared mixed feelings about One Direction’s music in the past, he told Song that he felt they made “some good music as a band. We were pretty good.”

In an interview with The Big Issue last month, Malik spoke of how his upbringing in Bradford, Yorkshire, has “heavily influenced” his life.

“I always initially knew how much Bradford had influenced me, even when I came to London,” Malik, who currently resides on a farm in Pennsylvania, US, said.

“I was instantly introduced to many different characters that I had not come across before and quickly realised that my personality and the way I am is very northern.

“Now as a 31-year-old man, after living in America for 10 years, I’ve definitely come to terms with the fact that I’m a very northern man, which heavily influences my personality and decision-making on a daily basis.”