Zayn Malik Distances Himself From One Direction, Removes '1D' From Twitter Handle

Zayn Malik is no longer a member of One Direction and he wants everyone to know it. Since quitting the boyband for good March 26, Malik has done his best to distance himself from his former boyband image.

Weeks have passed since Malik announced his departure from the British band, and he's finally making it official. Much to the dismay of his followers, the talented vocalist changed his Twitter handle from “@ZaynMalik1D” to just “@ZaynMalik.” Fans were heartbroken, sharing their thoughts using the hashtag “#YouWillAlwaysBeZaynMalik1D.” Not only did he remove the band name from his handle, he deleted any mention of it from the biography section of his page as well.

Since venturing out on his own, Malik has been focused on his career as a solo artist. He’s been spotted multiple times leaving the studio and released a rough version of a song he and producer Naughty Boy had been working on together. The song, titled “I Won’t Mind,” sparked controversy between Naughty and Directioners who were still reeling over his sudden exit.

when ur gettin hate for some thing u didn't do, a bit of love can go a long way, that's why I retweeted, time will tell the real story guys
— Naughty Boy (@NaughtyBoyMusic) March 31, 2015

let the music do the talking guys. thank us later. :) x https://t.co/j7V2c7v1Yl
— Naughty Boy (@NaughtyBoyMusic) March 31, 2015

Nearly a month after the song’s release, “One Direction: This Is Us” director Morgan Spurlock rushed to Malik’s defense. The filmmaker told TMZ’s cameras he thought the timing of Malik’s split couldn’t have been better, adding that he was “the most talented guy in that group.”

“He’s an incredible singer. All of them are talented singers – that’s why they were all put together – but to make the decision to leave and go off on your own and chase a solo career in the midst of being as famous as you are, as successful as you are – you can’t fault someone for that,” he said.

The 44-year-old added that he firmly believes there will be another member leaving the band before long. He said he thought One Direction would probably “stay together for a little while,” before frontman Harry Styles decides to follow in Malik’s footsteps.

Harry has neither confirmed nor denied that he has any intention of leaving One Direction in the future. The remaining four members of the band are still in the middle of their world tour and are hard at work on their fifth studio album.