Zayn Malik was the first member to leave One Direction in 2015 to pursue a solo career. But 10 years after his departure—and nine years after the band broke up—the singer-songwriter is speaking out, seemingly hinting at racism within the group.
Malik is British-Pakistani, born to a Pakistani Muslim father, Yaser Malik, and a White British mother of English and Irish descent, Trisha.
Among the group, also composed of Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and the late Liam Payne, Malik is the only member of Asian descent.
Now, in a preview of his new song, “Fuchsia Sea,” the “Pillowtalk” hitmaker appears to allege that he faced racism during his time in One Direction.
Did Zayn Malik Experience Racism in One Direction?
Malik teases the arrival of “Fuchsia Sea” in an Instagram post, showing a glimpse of what appears to be its music video.
“FUCHSIA SEA COMING SOON,” the text in the sneak peek reads. While the clip has no caption, the snippet of lyrics is enough to intrigue fans.
“Got my back against the wall so much they think I got a brick fascination / Do you remember every conversation?” he raps.
“Cause I have been conscious of every connotation / And while they concentrate on their elevation / I’ve got a round trip to the constellation / I’m a convert to the concert, and I did that for inflation, ‘cause I worked hard in a white band, and they still laughed at the Asian.”
Malik doesn’t directly say he experienced racism during his time in One Direction, but the group was the only “white band” he was a part of.
That said, this marks the first time the 32-year-old has publicly suggested racial issues within the band.
While he has previously spoken about mental health struggles and the pressures of fame, “Fuchsia Sea” seems to offer a pointed reckoning with the racial isolation he endured during his rise to stardom.
The song also touches on themes of alienation and finding his voice.
“If my grandad could go back... I know he dreamed hard, ‘cause they’re my dreams, and I grabbed hard with these two hands,” he continued. “As one flame can be turned to another, I never felt shame like Mufasa, my brother.”
Why Did Zayn Malik Leave One Direction?
Back in 2015, Malik revealed he wanted to be “a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight” when he left One Direction.
However, in his rare interview with Call Her Daddy podcast (via The New York Times) in 2023, he admitted that the band were already having “difficult times” before his exit.
“We’d been together every day for five years and we’d got sick of each other, if we’re being completely honest,” he said. “I look back on it now in a much fonder light than I would’ve as I’d just left.”
So while he had great experiences and times with them, he confessed they had run their course.
“I don’t want to go into too much detail, but there was a lot of politics going on. People were doing certain things. Some people didn’t want to sign contracts, so I knew something was happening.”
From there, he realized it might be the right time to leave and others might do the same.
Before that could happen, he wanted to be the first one to release solo music and it happened with his 2016 hit, “Pillowtalk.”
By the looks of it, his new song, 'Fuchsia Pink,' won’t just be another big hit—it’s likely to stir controversy as well.
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