Zayn Malik says he “took things too seriously” in One Direction
The singer, whose fourth solo album is imminent, says he regrets “not enjoying” his time with the boyband.
Zayn Malik has said he regrets taking things “too seriously” in his time in One Direction.
Malik left the boyband in 2015, launching a solo career the following year. This month, he will release his fourth solo album, Room Under The Stairs.
Speaking on the Zach Sang Show, Malik said that he believes he should have had more fun in his time with the band, saying: “The main thing that I always feel bad about when I look back over my life is not enjoying the band enough.”
He added: “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.”
“I had this teen angst thing going on — chip on my shoulder,” he said, adding that he “didn’t understand the importance of just trying to be happy.”
Zayn said: “I’m like, ‘It’s really cool to be moody as fuck all the time.’ It’s not. You’re just a loser. Let’s be honest, you know what I mean?”
This weekend (May 17), Zayn will play his first ever live show to launch his new album, taking to the stage at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
Rolling Stone previously confirmed the impending release of the album, which was co-produced by Dave Cobb and was written over the course of several years at Malik’s home in rural Pennsylvania. “That’s why it’s raw,” the singer added. “It’s just me writing this I didn’t want anybody else to be in between me and the music and the music and the people listening to it.”
Room Under the Stairs marks Malik’s first album with his new label Mercury Records. “What got me about Zayn was his voice, you can hear love, loss, pain, triumph, and humanity in it. I feel as if this record is removing the glass from his spirit directly to his fans,” Cobb — who previously worked with Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlisle, Lady Gaga and Jason Isbell — said in the teaser. “Zayn has really created his own universe on this record, he really has no fear and is speaking straight from his soul.”