NABILZayn Malik is a global pop star today because he decided to audition for the singing competition show X Factor. But what if he hadn’t? What would he be doing today? Probably standing in front of a classroom, believe it or not.
Speaking to VMAN magazine, Zayn says he thinks “quite a lot” about what he’d be doing if he’d never showed up to that X Factor audition. “I think about alternative realities. I think I’d be at university and I would have done my English degree,” he tells the magazine.
“I think I’d be looking for some employment to do with English lecturing or literature,” he adds. “I love poetry and writing — obviously, I’m a songwriter — so, it would’ve been something that would still give me the feeling of a creative outlet within my writing.”
Lucky for us, the former One Direction star went the music route. He’s currently working on his sophomore album, which he says will feature some big-name hip-hop artists, and some songs that nod to his Pakistani/Indian heritage, in the way that the song “Intermission: Flower,” from his debut album, did.
While Zayn is happy to share his music with his fans, he says he doesn’t want to share his life: he’s not constantly posting photos of his everyday activities on social media, which he says has “become ridiculous to me.”
“Everyone’s personal opinions and what they believe in, how can you amalgamate all of that into one thing and expect that not to create a problem for people’s minds?” he asks VMAN.
“That’s my personal opinion…it’s not really that developing for us as people. That for me is the main reason why I don’t believe in [social media]: because I believe it breeds sheep and not lions.”
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