If you know me in person, or read this blog, you should know by now that I am a massive One Direction fan. When the news broke that Zayn was leaving, I wanted to write a blog post right then. I'm glad I waited, though, because more information has been uncovered and has altered my feelings. **Apologies in advance if this become a lofty text post**
If somehow you haven't heard the story, I'll give you a brief synopsis. Back around March 20 Zayn announced he was taking a break from the world tour for around a week because of stress. However, on March 25 One Direction's Facebook page released a statement saying Zayn had officially left the band; One Direction would continue out the remainder of the world tour as a 4-piece band.
My first reaction: I was upset, obviously, I have been a fan of One Direction for 4 years. They have been a huge part of my life. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm a massive fan but I recognize that they are just people. Zayn said in the statement that he was doing something that "wasn't real" and basically wasn't making him happy. My first thoughts were, do what makes you (Zayn) happy because it's your life. He wanted to go back to London and live like a normal 22 year old. My only problem with this bit of information is that he has already been apart of the world's biggest boy band for 4+ years, he can't just quit and expect no one to ever bother him again. My other problem with his decision is that fans spent hundreds, of thousands of dollars on tickets for the 5-piece One Direction. If anything I felt like he should've stuck it out for the rest of the world tour. There weren't that many dates in the U.S. to begin with.
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| 2012 One Direction |
Secondary reaction: As time continued, more and more information was revealed that Zayn was working with rapper "Naughty Boy" and would be releasing music solo in April. Honestly, that really angers me. I understood him wanting to get out of the limelight and just chill for a little. Heck, if it was me I wouldn't be able to do it to begin with. Performing on stage in front of millions of people who've been supporting you for years? Yeah, not for me, I don't think I could handle that pressure. But he, in a way, chose to do it and made him millions of dollars. But the fact that he left and is going to be releasing music (supposedly) makes his reason for leaving a complete lie. If you want to leave One Direction because you can't handle it anymore, that's okay, but fans deserve the honest truth. Being in the band isn't right for you anymore, sure, but don't tell people you're going to try to live a normal life again, and then go on making music. If you truly left for stress and wanting a break, you can't be releasing new music less than a month from quitting the band.
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| 2013 One Direction |
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| 2014 One Direction |
Other fan reactions: If you go on Twitter be wary of the crazy fan girls. Again, I have always viewed One Direction as 5 guys who are just people. Other parts of the fandom are going insane. They overact. Then when other fans point out that they are overacting, they say it's rational because the boys have been there for them for so long. But again, fans think they "know" all of the guys personally. But they don't, they seem a lot of their lives, but they don't truly know them. These girls keep trying to get Zayn to come back, but he isn't going to. Even at the concert in August that I went to, I could tell Zayn didn't want to be there.
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| Early 2015 One Direction |
The future: I will continue to support One Direction until I think otherwise. I still am going to go to the concert with my friends Danielle and Ronnie in July. However, I think that after this world tour the guys need a break. An actual, real break. Management has constantly pushed the guys to be on tour, write on tour, produce music on tour. I'm sure this is how Zayn got so "stressed" because there was never any real down time. All of the fans who supported One Direction in the beginning are now in college and don't have money to spend on hundred dollar concert tickets for the fifth+ time. I know that after this concert in July, I will not be going on the next tour. I have to save money for college and other things in my life. I know that Harry, Liam, Niall, and Louis are all super talented guys and will continue to do great things beyond One Direction. I don't want One Direction to fall apart, I want them to end on a good note. So once their contract is up through 2016, I feel like that's the right time.
Okay, I'm done. If you read all of this, thank you. What are your thoughts?
Until next time,
Taylor xx
