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One Direction arrives in South Africa missing a member

One Direction has landed in South Africa this morning, but without Zayn Malik? His absence is noted, and not just by fans. Harry Styles burst into tears during One Direction’s first official gig without Zayn.

The 21-year-old singer was captured crying on video while he and remaining bandmates Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne were performing in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday, 25 March 2015, just hours after Zayn confirmed he was leaving the group after five years.

The British heartthrob made no attempt to hide his pain as he wandered around the stage in a black T-shirt wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

Louis, 23, was also photographed with tears in his eyes during the emotional concert. Zayn’s reasons seem solid though as he announced he had quit the boy band to lead a “normal” life out of the spotlight.

In a statement, he said, “my life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band. I’d like to apologise to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22 year old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.”

Louis Walsh, The X-Factor judge, said that he knew “the problem with these guys is they’ve been in a bubble for the last five years, pressure, working, a lot harder than people think, so something had to give. So Zayn was the first person to crack up a little bit.”

It is also said that Zayn spoke to each member of One Direction personally before quitting the band.

The 22-year-old star, who announced he was leaving the group yesterday 25 March 2015, reportedly wants to get “away from all the craziness” of fame because he “just wasn’t happy.”

A source said, “He felt he had gotten everything he can out of being in the band and that it was now time to change his life and be away from all the craziness.”

The British singer’s bandmates, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson, weren’t surprised when he broke the news to them on Monday morning, as they “knew it was coming” after he left their ‘On the Road Again’ world tour last week due to stress and rushed back to the UK to be with fiancée Perrie Edwards after he was photographed holding hands with student Lauren Richardson in Thailand.

The insider told UsMagazine.com, “Zayn announced his decision yesterday morning. He apologised for putting everyone in this situation and he spoke to each band member personally. Everyone will miss him.”Another source said the star has had a “very hard time adjusting to this level of fame” since joining the group during The X-Factor auditions in 2010. The friend added, “he was always the more shy and introspective one. The stress got to him and he just realised he wanted a normal life. It just got to be too much.”

But Zayn feels “at peace” after quitting One Direction.

A source close to him claims that he said, “I’ve made my decision, and I’m at peace with it. I don’t want to live a life where everything I do is put on the internet and dissected. I don’t want to be photographed every second. I want to disappear for a while. I want to live a normal life. I’m going to be happier. There’s no bad blood between me and the boys, though – it’s nothing to do with them and I wish them all the best.”

The star first contemplated leaving the group while they were rehearsing for their current ‘On the Road Again’ world tour earlier this year, but the other members were “devastated” when he told them he wouldn’t be returning after taking time off due to stress last week.

The insider told the Daily Mirror newspaper, “Zayn was adamant that this is it. At the start of the year, during rehearsals, he didn’t want to be there anymore. But then once the tour got going he really enjoyed himself. But ultimately, the fame side was just too much for him. He had a few days to rest and everyone thought he’d rejoin the band. But as the South Africa dates approached, he knew his heart would not be in it. He had to call the boys and let them know. They were devastated but really understanding.”

Zayn also consulted his family and fiancée Perrie Edwards before confirming his departure. The source said, “he made this decision with the full support of his family and Perrie, who are with him.”

Now comes the question raised by Louis Walsh, The X-Factor judge: Will Zayn launch a solo career in the future?

 

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