Zayn Malik’s nearest and dearest are reportedly feeling “misled” after he was seen arriving at a recording studio one day after quitting One Direction.
The former boybander announced on Wednesday that that he had left the pop group as he wanted to “have some private time out of the spotlight” in order to be a “normal 22-year-old”.
However, those close to him were reportedly left reeling after photos emerged of him entering a recording studio in London on Thursday, which certainly seems to contradict his previous statement. That same day he also took to Instagram to share a fresh-faced Throwback Thursday photo of himself, which is in stark contrast to his current bedraggled, hairy appearance.
"He told everyone in the band and management that he wants to live a normal life and the next thing you know he's going into music studios and doing interviews with tabloids," a source has told People magazine.
"Everyone feels a bit misled and thinks he was lying about wanting to live a normal life.”
The remaining members of the British band – Harry Styles, Liam Payne and Niall Horan, all 21, and 23-year-old Louis Tomlinson – have insisted they will produce a new album as a foursome and will not replace Zayn. However, it’s unclear whether they had anticipated their former bandmate recording his own solo music, which would be in direct competition with theirs.
Despite the group releasing a statement insisting the five of them “will always be friends” in the wake of Zayn’s departure, the insider has revealed to the US publication that now seems to be an unlikely scenario.
“Everyone feels played by him. Louis and Zayn are friends and will talk but the rest probably won't,” the source divulged, adding that the star is "very easily led" and speculating that the reason for his actions may well be due to people around him "trying to get him to do stuff and manipulate him".
