Zayn Malik and Perrie Edwards Break Up, Former One Direction Star Calls Off Engagement

Split comes less than one week after the singer signed with RCA Records

By Alyssa Toomey Aug 04, 2015 4:55 PMTags
Zayn Malik, Perrie EdwardsMavrixphoto.com

It's over for Zayn Malik and Perrie Edwards.

E! News has learned the former One Direction star and the Little Mix singer have split and called off their engagement. The two got engaged in August 2013 after a little more than a year of dating. 

News of their breakup comes less than one week after Malik revealed that he had signed with RCA Records following his decision back in March to part ways with the popular boy band.

"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 !!" the English singer wrote on Twitter last week, posting a shot of himself signing the contract. 

READ: One Direction opens up about losing Zayn Malik

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Four months earlier, Malik said he parted ways with the band in order to live a normal life. 

"I'd like to apologize to the fans if I've let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight," he said at the time.

Prior to his departure, he had taken a hiatus from the band's tour, citing stress, amid rumors he had cheated on Edwards. He later tweeted, "I'm 22 years old... I love a girl named Perrie Edwards...And there's a lot of jealous f--ks in this world I'm sorry for what it looks like x."

Following Malik's 1D exit, Edwards was attacked by Directioners who believed the 22-year-old pop star was to blame for their breakup.

VIDEO: One Direction opens up to E! News about its future

"Sometimes you have to move on because you're not enjoying what you're doing as much as you used to," Liam Payne said in May when asked why Zayn left the band. "He wanted to spend time with his family and his missus. That's cool with us."

Most recently, One Direction released their first single since Malik's exit, "Drag Me Down." "Proud of my boys the new single is sick," Malik tweeted Saturday afternoon. "Big love. :) x" 

People was first to report news of the split. 

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