Liam Payne Says One Direction Wasn't Zayn Malik's "Sort of Music," So He Quit

As both One Direction and Zayn Malik move on from the latter's shocking band departure earlier this year, both parties want fans to know there are no hard feelings. Today (Aug. 3), Liam Payne gave an interview, admitting that Malik leaving the band came as no real surprise after all.

Speaking to Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio 1 (via Billboard), Payne admitted that Malik was never a big fan of 1D's sugary pop-rock hits.

"One Direction was never Zayn's sort of music so he kind of always wanted to find something else," Payne said. "If your heart's not into something you can't just carry on doing it because of fame and stuff. You have to go and do what you want to do."

Despite earlier tensions between Malik and his former bandmate Louis Tomlinson earlier this year, Payne noted that there's "too much history for there not to be love" between the remaining 1D guys and Malik. However, he feels that One Direction has been doing its best work as a four-pice.

"But it's nice that we've banded together and I feel like we're stronger than ever now actually, which is strange but it's worked out really nicely for everybody," he said.

Payne's kind words toward Malik are just the latest niceties between the boy band and its former members. Payne recently thanked Malik on Twitter for five years together as a band, and Malik complimented the boys' new single "Drag Me Down."

Tags

Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, One Direction