One Direction fans were truly heartbroken when Zayn Malik left the band in March 2015. His departure sealed the band as a quartet which is sad to say, on a hiatus right now. On the other hand, the 23-year old boy band member-turned-solo artist reportedly said that he was thankful for leaving.

Speaking to Elle UK magazine, Zayn opened up about everything regarding his career, from his experience with 1D up to his solo stint. According to the singer, he felt the need to change his direction so he left.

"At that time in my life, I felt I had done everything I could do there and I just needed to change it up." He said that he's glad that he could wear everything he wishes to.

Then, the singer added that being able to finally express himself through music and fashion gave him relief, "I had something to get off my chest," quotes the magazine.

However, the singer admitted that he did not expect that pursuing a solo career was harder than he thought. In June, Malik had to cancel his set at London's Capital Summertime Ball.

According to the website, Zayn's anxiety is to blame. Soon after the decision, the "Pillowtalk" hitmaker apologized to the fans.

But of course, pursuing a career in the industry was never a straight line. So, he is thankful for girlfriend Gigi Hadid and his mother and three sisters for all the support he is getting, especially through the hard times.

On the other hand, Us Weekly has been contemplating whether Zayn will follow One Direction member Harry Styles in pursuing an acting career. The featured artist stated that he may want to try if given the right role.

Zayn released his first album "Mind of Mine" a year after his departure from One Direction.

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