Showbiz News
-
-
-
Loading
Loading
In a move that's sending shockwaves through the pop world, Zayn Malik has reportedly rejoined the globally-successful boy band One Direction, more than ten years after his dramatic departure in 2015. The news has reignited hopes of a full-scale reunion, and raises big questions about the future of one of the biggest music acts of the 2010s.
Zayn Malik first left the band in March 2015, citing his desire to “live as a normal 22-year-old” and pursue his own solo journey. At the time, relations between him and his bandmates, Harry Styles, Liam Payne (now deceased), Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan, were reportedly strained. His role as a director at their business entity had been terminated back in June 2016.
However, newly-published documents from Companies House show that Malik has been listed once again as a business director of the band’s company, PPM Music Limited, alongside Louis, Harry and Niall. According to sources close to the band, this development comes in the wake of Liam Payne’s tragic death last year, which is said to have helped the remaining members reconcile and reconnect.
One insider told a UK outlet:
“While heartbreaking, Liam’s passing has brought them together... it’s even more sad he was the biggest cheerleader of a reunion.”
Another stated:
“PPM was the original company they set up when they won the show. Since Liam’s passing the boys have been in contact.”
Fans will know that One Direction originally formed on the UK show The X Factor in 2010 and went on to sell more than 70 million records worldwide, before going on hiatus in 2016. The idea of a reunion has floated for years, but Malik’s departure and the band’s subsequent hiatus appeared to make such a return less likely.
Now, with this corporate change revealed, speculation is rampant. Is this purely an administrative move, or the precursor to new music, a tour or even a full-blown reunion? Earlier this year, rumours had already begun swirling when Zayn and Louis signed a multi-million-pound deal to travel across the US while reflecting on their One Direction journey.
Zayn is currently gearing up for his first ever Las Vegas residency starting January, showing that his solo career remains very much active. The question now is whether this new directorship signals that he will be splitting his focus again, this time with the original 1D lineup.
While no official announcement regarding new music or tours from the band has yet been made, the timing feels significant. With all parties now reportedly in business alignment, the possibility of a spectacular comeback show or special event cannot be ruled out.
For fans of One Direction, this could be the moment they’ve waited for, the five-member line-up finally realigning after years of individual paths. Whether this turns into new albums or world tours remains to be seen, but the re-listing of Zayn Malik as a director certainly feels like the first official step back into the fold.
