BBMAs 2015: One Direction Accepts Top Group/Duo Award; Gives Zayn Malik Their "Brother" a Shout-Out

There's been a lot of firsts for One Direction with the recent departure of founding group member Zayn Malik. Winning their first award as a foursome at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards, the "Night Changes" band accepted the initial award of the night for Best Group/Duo, giving their "brother Zayn" a shotout in the process.

The boy band -- now consisting of Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan -- made their first award show apperance as a foursome, seemingly confident in continuing their success. Diehard Directioners have been left to cope with the absence of Zayn and the recent drama that ensued on Twitter between Malik, Tomlinson and producer Naughty Boy.

Upon acceptance, Horan praised the fans for their dedication while the rest of the band put the hasty Twitter exhange in the past with a quick statement at the podium. "As Niall says, this one is for the fans. But there's one more person to share it with: our brother Zayn," Payne said.

Directioners were sent into an immediate state of relief and heartache at the civil gesture and recognition of his old bandmate. Could this be the start to mending a broken relationship?

Tags

One Direction, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Billboard Music Awards, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne