Zayn Malik Opens Up About Anxiety and Not Being 'Very Outgoing': 'It's Been a Year Since I've Shown My Face'

By
Getty Images

Zayn Malik may be a huge star but that doesn't mean he loves the spotlight.

The 24-year-old singer previously talked about his struggles with anxiety and being around big crowds. In a new video interview released by Vogue on Wednesday, Malik opens up about keeping to himself and not wanting to come across as arrogant.


RELATED: Zayn Malik Dishes on Relationship With Gigi Hadid, Says He Doesn't 'Want to Be a Part of' a Power Couple 

"Personally I am not a very outgoing, like, social person. Like, in terms of big groups of people," the "Pillowtalk" crooner confessed, adding that "it's been a year since I've properly shown my face."

"I always feel like I'm trying to work through whatever certain issues are around certain subjects," the former One Direction member continued. "For me personally, I think it comes from a place of not ever wanting to come across as an over-arrogant person or a person that takes themselves too seriously. I'm not always trying to be pretentious or say something that I think is going to change the world. I feel like I'm one voice among millions."


RELATED: Gigi Hadid Poses With Boyfriend Zayn Malik for 'Vogue', Lists Her Favorite Taylor Swift Songs

Malik left 1D in 2015, reportedly to take some time away from the public eye. He later signed a record deal and released his debut album, Mind of Mine, in March of 2016. The singer first revealed his struggle with anxiety in his 2016 memoir, Zayn, sharing that it was one of the reasons he decided to leave the band.

"After nearly five years of non-stop touring and promotion, I was really struggling to keep going, and what had been a great experience was now a source of intense anxiety," Malik wrote. "My head said stay but my heart said go home. So, in the end, I went."

Malik is now gearing up to release his second album. "People are going to start seeing me a bit more," he tells the magazine. "I'm excited to see what people will think."

For more on Malik, watch below.