Zayn Malik follows Louis Tomlinson on Instagram: What happened between the One Direction stars?

One Direction fans all over the world are rejoicing after some eagle-eyed admirers noticed that Zayn Malik quietly followed Louis Tomlinson on Instagram. The subtle gesture sparked frenzy due to its significance amid long-standing tensions between the former bandmates.

Fans were quick to speculate on whether this marked a meaningful shift. Once close bandmates in One Direction, Zayn and Louis had a well-documented fallout.

Their Twitter spat in 2015, just months after Zayn left the band, made headlines when Louis tweeted at Zayn’s collaborator Naughty Boy, prompting Zayn to respond directly with, “Remember when you had a life and stopped making b*tchy comments about mine?”

After the loss of Louis’s mother in 2016, he revealed they briefly reconnected. Despite the attempt to mend things, Louis later admitted in 2019, “Truthfully it never really got better.”

However, recent years have shown signs of thawing tensions. In 2022, Zayn shared a video singing “Night Changes,” prompting Louis to respond, “It was great to see him reminiscing on the One Direction days.” By January 2025, Louis attended Zayn’s LA concert, with Zayn acknowledging his presence: “An old friend of mine is here for me tonight.”

The interactions come just months after the tragic death of their former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne in November 2024. Zayn and Louis along with the other 1D members reunited at Liam’s funeral, a deeply emotional moment that brought them all together.