On Friday, June 10, the unthinkable happened for One Direction fans. Band member Zayn Malik decided to drop a shocking —although pleasant — surprise bomb by belting out his section of the chorus from One Direction’s 2013 single, You & I. The black-and-white clip showcased several of the band’s accolades, including a Brit Award and an honour from BBC Radio 1.
Even after six years, the eight-second-clip was enough to reignite all hopes and desires for fans to dream of a reunion once again for the band that parted ways indefinitely in 2016. Fellow band member and singer, Louis Tomlinson, liked the clip on Instagram, taking fans’ dreams to another level.
The unexpected video “broke the internet” and Malik is still trending on the microblogging site. Directioners couldn’t believe that he actually sang the verse “Cause you and I” along with his high note and took to Twitter to share their shock, excitement, joy, happiness among a plethora of other emotions.
"zayn malik broke twitter" yea well he broke me too
— am ☽ ely's wife (@champxgnelovers) June 11, 2022
Reportedly, the 30-year-old singer also gained over 100 followers just in a day after posting the video. The fandom keeps on growing even after all these years.
If Zayn Malik has 5 million fans,
— The woman (@Tarmeim) June 12, 2022
I'm one of them.
If Zayn has 5 fans, I'm one of them.
If Zayn has 1 fan, then it's me.
If Zayn has no fans, that means I'm no longer alive.
If the world is against Zayn, I'm against the world.
A tweep wrote, “does Zayn Malik realise he just made the earth shake?”
does zayn malik realise he just made the earth shake?
— nab hrts lin ?! ★ (@xplrlwt) June 11, 2022
Another wrote, “I would’ve laughed in your face if you told me even just hours ago that Zayn Malik was about to post a video of him singing You and I in 2022?” A fan commented that they would’ve “bet a million dollars too” given how unexpected the video was.
i would’ve laughed in your face if you told me even just hours ago that zayn malik was about to post a video of him singing you & i in 2022
— victoria 🎈⚡️LT2(?) (@daydreamvic) June 11, 2022
Some people felt like “the grass is greener and the sun is brighter” after the Steal My Girl singer dropped the clip. According to a ‘die hard directioner”, Malik “saved the year 2022” for them.
A fan was even “aroused” by the video of Malik holding a microphone and singing again. “Zayn Malik singing the ultimate Zayn Malik high note in 2022?! I am shocked AND aroused.”
Zayn Malik singing the ultimate Zayn Malik high note in 2022?!?! I am shocked AND aroused.
— Dan. (@dancashio) June 11, 2022
And when words didn't do justice, fans took to memes to express how the felt after watching the clip-- and replaying it a "million" times.
june 1: losing hope for a one direction reunion just because liam payne couldn’t shut his mouth
— matilda (@homewithcurly) June 11, 2022
june 11: reviving my lost hope for a one direction reunion after hearing THE zayn malik sing an 8 seconds worth of one direction song in 2022 pic.twitter.com/JnJjqH3Wz8
zayn malik zayn posted a
— telle (@umbrolwt) June 11, 2022
posted a video: video singing
you and i: pic.twitter.com/Wv1kL2BdLT
POV: its 2022 and you witnessed Louis tomlinson liking Zayn Malik's post. pic.twitter.com/eFAD8cC9V7
— ˗ˏˋ Aanya :)! is home with Matilda☁️ (@sunflow3rshrry) June 11, 2022
While the Dusk Till Dawn singer has yet to further address his throwback post, fans have speculated a link to singer and band member Liam Payne’s comments against him. Saying that Malik “delivered his message”, a tweep wrote, “The angelic high note. The awards chilling in the background. Message delivered in the most Zayn Malik way, what a king.”
The angelic high note. The awards chilling in the background. Message delivered in the most Zayn Malik way, what a king https://t.co/yWEp2QPw4C
— Rosie (@RoRoRosieLee) June 11, 2022
Another echoed the same and shared, “Zayn Malik heard Liam Payne say that he outsold everyone in One Direction and was like not today loser. [He] sung an 8 second clip showing everyone who really outsold. [Then he] dipped and left everyone crying. as he should.”
zayn malik heard liam payne say that he outsold everyone in 1D and was like not today loser, sung an 8 second clip showing everyone who really outsold, dipped and left everyone crying. as he should.
— ❁°°•..📖☕︎❁ (@lovinglybookish) June 11, 2022
Payne, Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles parted ways in 2016 while Malik had already left the boy band a year earlier. Last month, Payne made an appearance on the Impaulsive podcast with Logan Paul and shared some controversial statements regarding Malik’s behaviour– referring to his fallout with ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid.
“There are many reasons why [I’m not a fan of Zayn and] many reasons why I’ll always, always be on his side,Listen, I don’t agree with any of his actions. I can’t commend some of the things that he’s done. I can’t be on his side for that. What I can say is I understand and your only hope is that at some point in their life, the person at the other end of the phone wants to receive the help that you’re willing to give them.”
He further claimed: “If I had had to go through what he went through with his growth and whatever else. My parents are overly supportive to the point where it’s annoying at times. Zayn had a different upbringing in that sense. … You can always look at the man for where he is and say, ‘Oh yeah, whatever, that guy’s a d–k.’ But at the end of the day, once you’re understanding what he’s been through to get to that point — and also whether or not he wanted to be there.”
He later clarified his remarks by calling Malik his “family” and extending support to him. “I wouldn’t normally comment on this stuff but when it’s your family it’s hard to let it slide. They mentioned a specific incident involving Zayn which I responded to — but listening back maybe I didn’t articulate myself as well as I could have. I was saying that there will always be things we disagree on but that I will always, always be on his side.”
He further added, “That’s family. Zayn is my brother and I will stand by him forever.”
Malik has seldom sung a 1D track since his 2015 band departure though has been insistent that he remains on good terms with his former group. In 2017, the Vibez artist reported that the group is on “civil level” noting he would “never say never” to a potential reunion. “It’s not the way it used to be, obviously, because we were spending 24 hours a day in the band and now we’re growing as individual men, but we still check in,” according to US Weekly.
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