‘X Factor’ Judge: Fiancee Made Zayn Malik Quit One Direction
Fans are still processing the fact that Zayn Malik left One Direction. While both the band members and Zayn himself addressed the sad news, now Nick Jonas and X Factor UK judge Louis Walsh are chiming in.
"What I found in the past is as things get on, and as they get girlfriends, the girlfriends are whispering things in their ears and saying like, 'You should be a solo star,' 'You should be the lead singer.' That's usually the problem," Walsh told RTE Radio One (quotes via E! News).
Some fans are referring to Zayn's fiancée as the new Yoko Ono — a comparison with which Walsh agrees.
"Yeah, it happens in every band," he said. "Happens in every band in the whole world. But they've had an amazing five years."
Walsh also gave a little more insight into how the past few weeks have been for One Direction.
"I've heard the rumors for the last few weeks that everyone wasn't happy in paradise," he said. "The problem with these guys is they've been in a bubble for the last five years, pressure, working, a lot harder than people think, so something had to give. So Zayn was the first person just to crack up a little bit."
Nick Jonas — no stranger to sudden, emphatic fame — agrees. "It's always tough," Nick told E! News, regarding what he thinks of Zayn's decision to leave 1D. "You know, there's never an easy time to make a decision like that. I commend him for doing what he feels is right for him and you got to stay true to yourself."
While we're sad to hear this, it makes sense. One Direction are known for their incredible work ethic, but we can imagine they're under an insane amount of pressure.
"He's made a lot of money," Walsh added. "He's seen the world. He's had an amazing time with the other guys. That's the good side of it. The dark side of it is all the traveling, the airports, in a bubble, not really seeing real life ... They burn out, basically. The thing with One Direction is they were massive worldwide. They were going from continent to continent, right across America. Hotels ... he probably didn't see light of day, he was just working, working, working."
Revisit Zayn Malik's Happier Times with One Direction