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Zayn Malik left One Direction in 2015, but that doesn’t mean he still doesn’t support his former bandmates. The “Pillowtalk” singer shared in an interview who he thinks makes the “best music” of all the men he was in the band with. And yes, he thinks someone else from One Direction makes “better music” than he does. Find out which One Direction star — Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, or Liam Payne — has music that Malik likes the most.

One Direction band members Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Harry Styles
Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles of One Direction at the BBC Music Awards in London | Zak Hussein/Corbis via Getty Images

Zayn Malik left One Direction in 2015 after 4 albums with them

March 25, 2015 is a date that One Direction fans will remember forever. It was the day that One Direction announced that Malik would be leaving the band for good.

“My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined,” Malik said in the band’s statement on Facebook. “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.”

He expressed that he wanted to be “a normal 22-year-old” and have “private time out of the spotlight.”

“I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall,” the singer continued. “I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.”

Following his departure from the band, Malik released his own album, Mind of Mine, in 2016. Two years later, he put out Icarus Falls. And most recently, in January 2021, Malik gave fans his third album, Nobody is Listening.

But while Malik has his own career, he is still supportive of the other boys he worked with for so many years.

Zayn Malik said this One Direction member makes the ‘best music’

Malik stopped by SiriusXM on March 17 to promote his new single with Ingrid Michaelson, “To Begin Again.” While there, Malik revealed who makes the “best music” from One Direction in their solo careers.

“I’ll tell you what, Niall is my favorite,” Malik said in the interview. “How about that? There you go. Niall makes the best music, there you go. Yeah, I will say that he makes better music than me. Yeah, I’m a Niall fan.”

All of the One Direction band members have released solo music since their last album Made in the A.M. in 2015. But Malik said it — his favorite music is Horan’s.

Niall Horan put out ‘Flicker’ and ‘Heartbreak Weather’ after 1D

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Malik certainly isn’t the only fan of Horan’s.

The former blonde bandmember was one of the first people from One Direction to release solo music after Malik. He put out his first single, “This Town,” in September 2016, which was less than a year after Made in the A.M. Horan’s first solo album, Flicker, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart in 2017, per Billboard.

Horan’s second album, Heartbreak Weather, came out in March 2020. The singer has worked with fellow artists such as Maren Morris, Julia Michaels, and Ashe. He also continued to work with One Direction songwriter Julian Bunetta on his solo music after the band’s hiatus.

After Styles’ Grammy Awards win, it’s good to see some vocal support and praise for another One Direction member’s music.

You can stream Heartbreak Weather on Spotify and Apple Music.

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