Over the years, the shocking band has come to an end

Go your own way. Some music artists needed to leave their former bands to explore opportunities as a solo act.

Zayn Malik he did just that in 2015. He left his longtime One Direction band mates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne to embark on a solo music career and drop his debut album the following year. The singer found success with songs like “Pillowtalk” and “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever”, a song he performed with. Taylor Swift for Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack.

While speaking with British Vogue in 2018, he explained the reasons behind his decision to leave the band. “We went from theaters to arenas to stadiums – there was never a bridge in between. Just boom, boom, boom,” he told the magazine at the time. “I think that kind of progression in any mind — but especially when you’re 17, 18 — it affects you a little bit.

Malik added: “People take it in different ways – especially when there are five different personalities. Relationships have broken down.”

Despite fan hopes for a 1D reunion, the group did not reunite. Unfortunately, the remaining four members were another to see all together at Payne’s funeral in November 2024. (Payne died at the age of 31 a month before falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Argentina.)

Scroll down to see the many stars who have left their groups over the years.