When Zayn Malik Called One Direction’s Music Generic & Revealed His Suggestions Were Never Taken Into Consideration ( Photo Credit – One Direction / Instagram )
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One Direction – the English-Irish pop boy band formed in London in 2010 was the biggest boy band till they took an indefinite hiatus starting in December 2015. Originally formed with 5 of The X Factor contestants, in March 2015 Zayn Malik left Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson to begin a solo career.
In an interview for a magazine the same year of his split from 1D, the now 29-year-old solo artist called out the music the band made and sold. From saying it was “genric” to revealing that his suggestions were never considered and more, read on to know all the Dusk Till Dawn singer had to say.
During a conversation with Fader Magazine for their December 2015/January 2016 issue, the then-newly solo Zayn Malik opened up about the music One Direction created. Calling the music generic and saying he couldn’t experiment, the now-solo artist told the magazine, “There was never any room for me to experiment creatively in the band.”
Zayn Malik continued, “If I would sing a hook or a verse slightly R&B, or slightly myself, it would always be recorded 50 times until there was a straight version that was pop, generic as f*ck, so they could use that version. Whenever I would suggest something, it was like it didn’t fit us. There was just a general conception that the management already had of what they want for the band, and I just wasn’t convinced with what we were selling.”
The ‘I Don’t Wanna Live Forever’ singer added, “I wasn’t 100 percent behind the music. It wasn’t me. It was music that was already given to us, and we were told this is what is going to sell to these people. As much as we were the biggest, most famous boy band in the world, it felt weird. We were told to be happy about something that we weren’t happy about.”
In response to these statements made by Zayn Malik, Simon Cowell, whose record label Syco had signed One Direction, said “I think once he has had a chance to reflect on everything he will probably reconsider what he’s said because it was a very, very democratic process in the band. It is a bit rude to the people who wrote all the hits with them.”
Since going solo, Zayn Malik has released three studio albums Mind of Mine, Icarus Falls and Nobody Is Listening. He has also since won an American Music Award, Billboard Music Award, iHeartRadio Music Award and MTV Video Music Award.
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more interesting trivia and interview snippets of your favourite stars.
