The One Direction mantel has well and truly come off - now that Zayn has had enough of being a 'normal' bloke in his twenties.
Announcing his exciting news via Twitter, he said:
I guess I never explained why I left , it was for this moment to be given the opportunity to show you who i really am! #realmusic #RCA !!
— zaynmalik (@zaynmalik) July 29, 2015
Then he tweeted this photo and promptly made it his profile pic.
— zaynmalik (@zaynmalik) July 29, 2015
Since his announcement, he's been busy retweeting the innumerable tweets that sprung forth as a result. When Directioners took umbrage to his use of the word "real", he retweeted this fan's - eh - explanation...
You are stupid. Real music meaning real to him. Real because he has written and recorded it solely to what he likes.Real to himself like lol
— cerise (@zaynhealy) July 29, 2015
Other posts he chose to retweet include...
ZAYN IS FUCKING SOLO I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE ALIVE
— ***ren (@richfuckers) July 29, 2015
And, more tellingly...
is this zayn's moment he's taking off his hannah montana wig and now he's miley cyrus
— noe (@flatfringes) July 29, 2015
Here's the real leveller, however. If things go accordingly, there's no chance of Zayn being a "normal 22-year-old" ever again...
Zayn got signed to the same record label as Chris Brown, G-Eazy, Shakira, Justin Timberlake, Prince Royse and Alisha Keys JUST IMAGINE
— follow me z! (@POCzirry) July 29, 2015