Liam Payne Talks Zayn Malik's Split from One Direction

While One Directioners are still mourning the loss of former boy band counterpart Zayn Malik, and will most likely disagree, Liam Payne revealed that the singer's split from the group may have been for the better and has been totally amicable.

As E! notes, during an appearance with Louis Tomlinson on Good Morning Britain, Payne offered some cautious yet candid words describing Malik's decision to leave the group formed on The X Factor, "One Direction was never really Zayn's kind of bag, if you know what I mean. His taste in music's a bit different. And I guess that's kind of what drove him to do what he did in the end, which is not necessarily a bad thing."

Malik sent millions of fans worldwide into a state of panic when he announced his split from the boy band in March, citing privacy as his main reason for walking away. Months later, the singer revealed the real reason behind his decision by signing a solo recording contract with RCA Records.

Although it may have sparked drama during the initial separation, Payne, Tomlinson, Harry Styles and Naill Horan now maintain a positive spin on the scenario, using Malik's search for new opportunity as a way to thrive themselves.

"Everyone's come out fine from it, thanks to our beautiful fans. He's off doing what he loves as well," Payne noted during the interview. "Both parties are winners in the end of a disaster of a situation. So, it's all good."

Malik has yet to debut his first solo album, but One Direction is fresh off the heels of their On The Road Again tour and the release of their first single off of their fifth album -- the first without their fifth member. Payne's outlook seems to mirror a statement he gave in May concerning Malik's boredom and then-engagement to Little Mix's Perrie Edwards.

"Sometimes you have to move on because you're not enjoying what you're doing as much as you used to," Payne explained to the Daily Mail in May prior to Malik's departure. "He wanted to spend time with his family and his missus. That's cool with us."

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One Direction, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne