March 25, 2015 is a date that will stay with One Direction fans always. It was the day that member Zayn Malik announced he would be leaving the group. Rumors of why he left and if this would be the start of a solo career emerged. Fan lines were drawn--those that remained loyal to the remaining four members, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Niall Horan, whom fans renamed the 'Fantastic Four', those that were now officially 'Zayn Stans,' then those that found themselves in between.
Now, eight months later, Billboard has released their Perditions Issue for 2016, with a cover featuring Malik, the headline article mentioning that he is now going in his "Own Direction." The solo career is official, a release date for spring 2016 is set. If the fans weren't divided enough already, this article showed where the lines were definitely drawn and many questions regarding the bands overall history have been raised.
Tensions on Twitter have risen. Since the article, the hashtag #ZaynOnBillboard has started trending worldwide, with fans using it to tag their reactions to the article. The tweets show an evenly divided fandom, with many reactions varying from happiness to anger. One Direction fans have been known for their passion and this article is an absolute display of it.
One Direction fans have had their own conspiracy theories about the group for as long as anyone can remember. From secret relationships, such as the infamous 'Larry Stylinson' ship, to the boys not having actual access to their twitter accounts, the fandom has come up with their own theories, looking to see past the womanizer/old fashion boy band look that the media often at times portrays. While fans have been wise enough to look deeper than the Access Hollywood reports, hearing a member of the group confirm these restrictions that have been wondered about is making its mark on a completely different level.
If there was so much restriction in One Direction as Malik hints in the interview, then how much of the time with the band was genuine? What parts of the five years of One Direction were made up for the spotlight, and what parts truly came from the boys themselves? A concern that many fans have addressed is Malik's overall happiness in the group and when that happiness started to go away. It is a lot for fans to take in, to truly think about, it is one thing to have theories and suspicions, it is another thing to have those confirmed.
Not only has the article sparked questions in how well fans know the actual group, but it sparks talk of who their loyalty rests with as well. While many appreciate Malik's honesty, this article also provided him with a good amount of backlash. To many, it seems that he has thrown shade towards his former bandmates. When asked in regard to them, Malik mentions his attempts to stay in contact, but that it's possible "certain phone numbers have changed" and saying "I've reached out to a few of them and not got a reply," showing the (not surprising) tension between the new solo artist and top selling boy band — there is also recorded twitter fights between Malik and Tomlinson, often over the mocking treatment from producer Naughty Boy, back when Malik first left the group. He also reports that he has not listened to the new One Direction album, "Made In The AM," saying in the interview that he has to listen to the first single, but afterwards, lags off, appearing to have no interest. Many fans take this as a slap to the face towards One Direction, spiking more outrage.
While predications for Malik are high in 2016, fan reaction to the article shows that despite having still many loyal followers, he has ruffled a few feathers in the loyal 1D fans, and the fans that would still question where their loyalty lies. Is this truly the year of Zayn Malik, or will he fail to escape the ghosts of boy bands pasts? One can only wish him best of luck, and leave this decision in the hands of the fans.
