When Zayn Malik left One Direction he said he did it so he could live the normal life of a 22-year-old. And there’s nothing more normal than a break-up – though few people have to suffer it in such a public way.
Malik is in a pretty enviable position, posessing a fantastic head of hair and working with some of the most in-demand producers on his solo record.
But breaking up with someone is always hard, and for the rich, famous and well-coiffed, doing it in the public eye adds an extra layer of scrutiny to an already complicated situation.
PEOPLE magazine reported that Malik broke off his engagement with Perrie Edwards two weeks ago, leaving the Little Mix singer "devastated".
Malik got engaged to his fellow X Factor alumni in 2013, after meeting her backstage on the TV show in 2011.
Their entire relationship has been lived out in the public eye, and this year has been particularly turbulent.
The singer has been hit by cheating allegations from several women and the announcement that he was leaving One Direction to focus on his ‘personal life’ sent tweens everywhere into hysterics.
— zayn (@zaynmalik) August 5, 2015
Following news of the break-up, Malik tweeted a photo of a flower resting on a piano, which suggests his artistic streak hasn’t been too bruised by the emotional turmoil he’s going through.
Gwen Stefani, Gwyneth Paltrow and even Kermit the Frog have all had to go through the turbulence and grief of a break-up while trying to remain composed and professional.
And even though reports suggest Malik did the dumping, it shouldn't make people less sympathetic to him. Delivering bad news to someone never gets easier.
So sorry, Zayn. Go for a long walk, buy some new trainers or something. This is just what being a regular grown-up is like.
