Zayn Malik opens up in his most emotional interview ever: ‘You’ve got to hold on to what you are and not let things get to your head’
The former One Direction star spoke about leaving the band and how Taylor Swift made him blush
IN his most emotional interview ever, Zayn Malik has opened up about the pressures of fame.
Last weekend, the 23-year-old cancelled his appearance at the Capital Summertime Ball moments after being due on stage due to “anxiety”.
Speaking to , Zayn revealed he hasn't fully acclimatised to his new world since soaring to world fame as part of One Direction and then as a solo artist.
He said: "I’m just staying the way that I am. I think that’s the best way to keep your sanity.
"You’ve got to hold on to what you are and not let things get to your head, because if you do, that’s when everything comes crashing down terribly.”
Shortly after he pulled out of what was to be his first solo gig in the UK, he posted an explanation to his Instagram account.
He wrote: "Unfortunately my anxiety that has haunted me throughout the last few months around live performances has gotten the better of me… with the magnitude of the event, I have suffered the worst anxiety of my career.
"I cannot apologise enough but I want to be honest with everyone who has patiently waited to see me, I promise I will do my best to make this up to everybody I've let down today.
"I know those who suffer anxiety will understand and I hope those who don't can empathise with my situation."
The Yorkshire native has mixed in even more exclusive circles since he started dating supermodel Gigi Hadid but says keeps a small group of friends and doesn't have a large entourage.
He said: "I don’t tend to go out much.
"I stick to my own bubble, as it is. Creatively and socially, I think, as I’m getting older, that’s just the way I am.”
He's gone from boyband heartthrob to a respected solo artist but Zayn still appreciates support from other musicians including Taylor Swift.
He said: "I don’t get much feedback from my peers. I spoke a bit to Taylor.
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“At Gigi’s house we briefly spoke and she told me she really enjoyed the album. It was nice to get some feedback.
"She said she thought I was cool and I kind of blushed a bit and didn’t know how to take it."
He sensationally left One Direction in March 2015 and admitted he was worried about how his fans would react to his new sound.
He said: "I didn’t know what to expect. I wanted to make that statement, that this was something completely separate from whatever was out there before.
"I kind of expected the fans that followed me before to be a bit freaked out by it. It was nerve-racking for me but it worked out for the best, because people started listening to it in a more mature context.
"The fans took things they liked from it... and made sure to tell me about things they didn’t like, on social media. But just getting it out there was the main thing.”
Zayn left One Direction's label Sony for RCA and said they treated him differently from the start.
He said: "They seemed to treat me as though I was an artist for the first time, which felt really cool. And they respected the music.
"I had written a lot of it before I went with RCA and they liked where I was going and wanted to give me freedom so I was like, ‘Cool.’"
Speaking about his decision to leave the group, he said he just "didn't feel good".
He said: "I know that musicians are seen as one-sided people a lot of the time.
"But we do have other elements to us as well. I didn’t feel good. Do you know what I mean? And if you don’t feel good…
"You need to be able to express what it is that you are...I’m free at last."
He also apologised for the hysteria he caused when he left the supergroup.
He said: "Everybody was just crying. Yeah... Sorry about that."
The young star, who cites the late Prince as one of his greatest inspirations, said he now focuses on getting involved in every part of the creative process of his career.
He said: "I’m just trying to do more and more. I’m excited to get more involved in every way that I can.
"Whether it’s producing or the creative for my stage direction, I just want to get down to every detail.
"That’s my progression, learning my craft as a solo artist. I’m kind of itching a little bit. I want to work.
"I’ve learned over four or five years that it’s good to work because you’re earning, not spending."
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