‘He has matured’: Zayn Malik looking to ‘make amends’ and reunite with One Direction bandmates almost 10 years after bitter fallout
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Singer Zayn Malik is reportedly eager to reach out to his former One Direction teammates—Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson—10 years after quitting the band amid a bitter fallout.
This comes after Malik admitted in the 'Zach Shang Show' that he now finds greater fulfillment in his life and regrets not giving his engagement with the British boy band more thought, believing that he "took things seriously".
Zayn Malik reportedly looking for 'forgiveness and friendship' from fellow One Direction bandmates
The 'Pillowtalk' singer, 31, stunned fans a decade ago when he quit the famous boy band in March 2015. He started working on his own and has been out of the spotlight in recent years.
The band announced they would be taking an indefinite break less than a year later with the dissolution of his former bandmates, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson.
Insiders now claimed that the British singer—who cited "stress" as the reason behind his shock exit—is now willing to reach out, stating that he is seeking "friendship and forgiveness" from his fellow ex-members of One Direction.
Malik is apparently trying to mend the friendship after almost 10 years of distance and sour remarks, and is open to the idea of getting back together, per Daily Mail.
"He is trying to figure out the best way to reach out because it will be odd, weird, and uncomfortable, but it is something that has been on his mind," an insider revealed.
The source added: "He doesn't know if it will ever happen, or when, but he would love to start a conversation with the other guys from One Direction and try to make amends with all of them."
The insider maintained that the decision had nothing to do with the band coming back together to perform but rather with mending ties.
"Whether that leads them to working together again musically is one thing, but Zayn's reasoning is to become friends with his mates that he did so much with," the source continued.
"Zayn wants to approach them for forgiveness and friendship. Working with them is not important to him right now."
The source remarked of Malik, "He has matured and wants to show the rest of the guys this. To be friends again would be amazing."
Zayn Malik earlier claimed he didn't 'make any friends from the band'
With more than 70 million records sold worldwide, One Direction was the largest pop phenomenon of the generation.
The band's most ardent advocate, singer Louis Tomlinson, proposed that they take a break for 18 months after Zayn exited, but years later, there is still no sign of a reunion.
Malik was 17 years old when the group was formed. He has been outspoken in the past years since his exit, saying that "nobody reached out".
He also mentioned that did not have a connection with Styles and that he "didn't really, like, make any friends from the band," characterizing them as "generic as f**k."
Malik eventually admitted that he doesn't communicate with his One Direction teammates. "I ain't spoke to any of them for a long time, to be honest with you," he stated, per The US Sun.
"There was obviously underlying issues within our friendships, too. We'd got sick of each other if I'm being completely honest," he added.
In 2020, Niall stated about Malik: "I don't particularly talk to him a lot. I mean, if he's got something coming out or something I will text him. After the band, he left for his reasons and then he never really spoke to us much afterwards."
