One Direction Speaks Out About Zayn's Departure

In a move that should bring comfort to worried Directioners, the remaining members of One Direction have given their first interview following Zayn Malik's departure to British tabloid The Sun about where they go from here. While there were some sad words, the remaining members of the band — Liam, Niall, Louis, and Harry — seemed pretty optimistic. They gave no sign that there are going to be more big changes within the band in the near future; instead, the boys emphasized that it's actually going to be business as usual for the band.

Even better, they no longer seem worried about Malik, despite the rumors that they may have been in the past — and they didn't address all the speculation swirling around Malik's departure, including the rumor that the rapper Naughty Boy has inspired Malik to set his sights on a rapping career.

Following this interview, fans should definitely be relieved that the band seems eager to retain continuity, as well as look toward their future as a group without Malik. Additionally, and even better, fans who were worried that One Direction would be seriously jeopardized by Malik's departure should rest easy — the boys are currently touring as a four-piece band in the Middle East (they spoke to The Sun from Dubai) and seem stronger than ever: Their first concerts without Zayn have apparently gone well, despite a few obvious differences.

Here are what each of the boys had to say about the future of One Direction, courtesy of The Sun .

Liam Payne

"It’s been a tough few weeks, probably the toughest since the band was formed five years ago. We’re gutted Zayn chose to leave. But now after a few performances as a four-piece, we’re feeling confident and determined to carry on stronger than ever.”

Niall Horan

"We’re looking forward to seeing all our fans on the tour this year. The fans are amazing. They are so loyal. All we want to do is make them proud and return their faith in us with a brilliant tour and an amazing new album.”

Louis Tomlinson

"All four of us are 100% committed to staying in One Direction and we want to thank the fans for being so incredible during this time. We have so much more we still want to achieve. Our gigs in South Africa were some of the biggest the country has ever seen, so it’s exciting for us to keep breaking records for British music worldwide.”

Harry Styles

"It’s very exciting to be working on our fifth album, it shows how incredible the fans have been. A huge thank you to them for everything they’ve done for us. All the love to them.”

I think it's safe to say that even without Malik, One Direction is going to be just fine.