14 DAY TRIAL // It’s the end of an era and chances are very good that the fans, the loyal One Directioners, might never recover from this, based on their reactions to Zayn Malik’s decision to leave One Direction in March. One Direction will go on indefinite hiatus as of March 2016.
The good news is that, until then, they will have released and promoted their fifth album. The really bad one is that they might never get back together, if their solo plans are successful.
One Direction breaks up
People Magazine confirms the news, saying that the deadline for the breakup is in March. Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, the 4 remaining members of the band, are still to make an official announcement regarding the hiatus, but seeing how it’s everywhere in the media (and not just in the tabloids or the glossies), it’s very likely that it will drop soon.
The boys have decided that they want to pursue interests outside of 1D, as solo artists, “just like the Rolling Stones,” the celebrity publication writes.
They will continue to work together and will fulfill their contractual obligation regarding their 5th album, which will also be their first as a 4-piece, after Zayn Malik’s departure. It comes out later this year and the leading single off it, “Drag Me Down,” got an official music video last week. You can see it below.
They will also promote the album through February 2016, but they won’t be going on tour to support it. Instead, they will be saying their goodbyes for an indefinite period, while they pursue other interests.
Not such a surprising move after all
While the decision of the 4 remaining members to go their separate ways might shock fans, it won’t really surprise industry players and industry watchers.
Zayn Malik left in March this year quite out of the sudden, saying he wanted to lead the life of a normal young man of his age. Later on, he would reveal that, in reality, he wanted to go solo and that the music he was making as part of 1D wasn’t his “real” creative self.
His departure also kick-started speculation on when the other guys might want to go solo as well. Rumors at the time said that Harry Styles would be the next one to leave, though they were never officially confirmed.
One Direction got their start on X Factor in the UK in 2010, and they lasted for 5 years as the best-selling and most popular boy-band of our time. Even as we speak, they continue to be a force in the industry, as Zayn’s departure did little to diminish their popularity or fanbase.
Many other boy- and girl-bands have been in similar situations through the years, and they all decided to go solo at their peak, in the hope that individual members could channel the success they had as a group into fueling solo careers.
It might turn out to be a bad move for 1D, but it’s the next logical step.
