One Direction, the iconic boy band that took the world by storm, made headlines with their debut single, What Makes You Beautiful. The song quickly climbed to the top of the charts worldwide, propelling the band to stardom. Their first album, Up All Night, sold millions of copies and solidified their place in music history.

In 2014, the group released their fourth and final album together, titled Four. However, shortly after the album’s release, Zayn Malik made the decision to leave the band. This came as a shock to fans and the remaining members of One Direction, including Liam Payne. Despite the loss of Malik, Payne and the rest of the group continued to create music and released another album the following year.

Reflecting on Malik’s departure, Payne revealed in a 2015 interview the impact it had on the band. He expressed his disappointment in the way Malik chose to leave, stating, “He didn’t even say goodbye, if I am being honest. It was a really sordid scenario, from our side certainly. A bit strange. It’s difficult.”