Echo Of Us • Zarry

BuzzFeed

All For Nothing? Ex-members of the 21st Century's Biggest Boyband Call Off Their Engagement.

Vogue's writing about it, everyone's writing about it. Today we take a look at the lengthy relationship of pop-star/actor Harry Styles and his ex-fiancé/ex-bandmate, a star of his own right, Zayn Malik. As rumours of their breakup emerge, is it possible we had seen it coming all along?

Sandy Kraft

BuzzFeed News Reporter

Posted on June 12, 2021, at 3:41 p.m. ET

2018 brought us a shock in the form of dating news. It was February when Zayn Malik, in his career going only by Zayn, announced his breakup with the supermodel Gigi Hadid. But that wasn't the most striking bit. Right after that, he started being seen out and about with his One Direction ex-bandmate Harry Styles. Not many people assumed there was more than friendship between them at first, not until photos of them walking hand-in-hand surfaced. By summer, 'Zarry' was a thing and this time around, it wasn't a fandom-bubble of conspiracy. It was the biggest celebrity relationship phenomenon since Brad Pitt left Jennifer Aniston for Angelina Jolie. Everyone had their eyes on them, everyone was following their every move. That is why, in hindsight, everyone saw the breakup coming.

The beginning itself says a lot. The first photos of Styles and Malik together emerged even before Malik's breakup with Hadid. It could've been innocent, but there might have been some overlapping between the relationships. If years as an entertainment journalist have taught me anything, overlaps in relationships are never good news. At first, the couple's only trouble seemed to be a rather peculiar group of Styles' fans, who were adamant that Styles is in a long-term closeted relationship with another One Direction member, Louis Tomlinson. The pair even commented on it in their memorable GQ interview, saying it was all bogus. To an outsider like myself, of course it was bogus. Why would Styles cover a relationship with one bandmate with a romance with another bandmate?

Could we see the cracks in the relationship from the outside? Of course. It seems like neither Styles nor Malik stopped to sit down for a moment since early-2018. Both of them have put out three new LPs, Styles squeezed in (almost) three tours and two movies, while Malik managed two tours and established his own clothing brand. That is all without mentioning countless magazine covers, photoshoots, interviews and TV and radio appearances. They're both stars at the height of their popularity, these aren't out-of-ordinary schedules. Many people sustain a relationship while flying all across the world. However, if we look at Styles and Malik's past, many worries pop up immediately.

I think we all remember when the news of Malik's exit from One Direction shocked the world. Now we know he left due to his dilapidating mental health. Both him and Styles have mentioned unhealthy habits and coping mechanisms they developed in the band. Earlier in the year, the first photos of Styles partying wildly started to emerge. After investigating the side of Twitter where his fans reside and reading their Tweets commenting on them, I decided to search up older photos of Styles, from his "partying era", as his fans dubbed it. While nothing is confirmed, I was able to talk to an ex-waitress who briefly worked at one of the exclusive members-only clubs Styles frequents in London, along with the likes of other London socialites. She claims that Styles, "was never there with Zayn, ever. He came in with friends, danced, got drunk and sometimes a bit more. One evening my boss made me kick his table out because they were doing coke right there and were getting a bit too rowdy.". Was this the downfall of 'Zarry'?

I reached out for comment from both Malik's and Styles' teams, but received word only from one. Styles' team said: "Harry would kindly ask you to keep his private life out of the papers, as his private relationships aren't meant for public discussion. However, he will not let these rumours run wild and damage his image. He denies all allegations of drug abuse. He is currently on break in London before the second leg of his world tour begins, not in rehab as some publications like to claim. Please, respect his privacy."

That is more than fair. To conclude the story, I would like to compare the last photos released to the press of Styles and Malik. Styles was seen jogging near his London home with his personal trainer. No, he is not in rehab, he looks fit. Malik was seen in New York's SoHo at dinner with friends, one of them was a mystery blonde we have not been able to identify. As much as it saddens us to see these two break up without putting out a collaboration first, I guess they're both moving on. Official word on their breakup has not been released however, their wedding had been cancelled, as confirmed by their families and publicists.