Zayn Malik
Zayn Malik, photographed at the 2016 Pre-Grammy gala in Beverly Hills, California, on Feb. 14, details his strained relationship with former One Direction bandmates. Getty Images

It's been just under a year since Zayn Malik left One Direction and while the "Pillow Talk" singer says there are no hard feelings on his end, it seems his former bandmates may be harboring some bitterness.

In an interview with NME, Malik, 23, revealed that he's tried to reach out to the remaining One Direction members several times, but hasn't heard back — from most of them, anyway. According to the publication, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles and Niall Horan have been ducking Malik. Liam Payne, however, remains close with the Bradford, United Kingdom, native.

Malik told NME that Payne, 22, wished him well after the release of his latest single, which he really appreciated. The "It's You" singer returned the favor, congratulating Payne after learning that he'd won a Brit Award. Malik says he and Payne are "the closest" out of the rest of his former bandmates, adding that they "talk on the phone" a lot.

"He congratulated me on my single. Which was nice. I congratulated him on his Brit Award," Malik said. "It was a good chat. We hadn't met in a long time so we want to meet up."

With the one-year anniversary of his exit from the British boy band looming, Malik has been answering a lot of questions about it as of late. On Monday, Complex released an interview with the singer in which he discussed some of the major reasons he decided to cut ties with the group. Malik revealed he and his fellow singers were held to strict guidelines regarding their appearance. He was specifically asked not to grow out his beard or dye his hair, which left him feeling inauthentic. Malik said that as a solo artist he's learned to appreciate his newfound freedom.

Malik left One Direction in March 2015. He announced his official departure in a statement, acknowledging the many fans that were surely disappointed to learn he would no longer be performing with One Direction. Malik said he simply felt it was "the right time" to branch out and do his own thing musically. He has since released several songs off his forthcoming album, "Mind of Mine."

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