Zayn Malik: He Wasn't True To Himself

Two, seventeen year olds sat cross legged on the floor, waiting for the X Factor to begin. Both of them had watched every episode so far, from the auditions to the elimination rounds. Both of them had one personal favourite to win; Matt Cardle. He came off as a nice, innocent, naive man, who finally had built up the courage to make his dreams come true. They're least favourite act was Cher Lloyd. To them she came off as a stubborn, annoying, a Cheryl Cole wanna be. They were not fond of her.

On this particular day, the X Factor auditions had drifted from singing to dancing. All acts were to perform a choreographed piece, much to some of the contestants embarrassment. Nevertheless, all but one contestent went along with the day's events. Simon, a man with a sharp memory, realized quickly that from the group of performers, one was missing. "Where's Zayn?" he asked. The choreographer did not know. So Mr. Cowell went to hunt down this missing person. Backstage sat a nervous seventeen year old boy, petrified to dance. On the T.V. screen appeared his name "Zayn Malik, age 17"

The two seventeen year olds, who happened to be myself and my twin brother; jumped off the sofa, with expressions of utter surprise on our face. Zayn Malik! A Pakistani, Muslim name. Could it be that a fellow British, Pakistani, a Muslim was going to represent us on the X Factor? In an instant both our phones went off like wild fire. Text on text on text, each asking the very same question "Did you watch X Factor? There is a Muslims Pakistani brother on the show!". It was truly a moment every Pakistani, Muslim will remember.

Suddenly, the Muslim, Pakistani community was rising together to make sure that Zayn Malik, the first Muslim Pakistani on the show, would win the X Factor. Even I, who had never voted before, had put aside a sum of £20, to vote for Zayn, so that he won and made us proud. Finally, the community was to be seen as who we truly are; emerge from the negativity, move away from the "terrorist" labels. Zayn was going to shine a whole new light upon the community. We, were proud of Zayn Malik.

The next weekend approached, and we saw Zayn sent home. We were heartbroken, especially me. I had grown fond of good old Zayn, who had shown so much bravery by breaking away from the Pakistani social norms, and gone ahead and chased his dream. It was much more than I could have ever done, someone who still till date only dreams to accomplish what Zayn has in such short time. But then a twist came, and Zayn was paired of with four other boys. The boyband was named One Direction. It seemed like a stupid idea. They weren't going to make it anywhere. We thought that was the end of Zayn.

We were angered as he became One Directions background echo noise. One performance he would echo Harry, the next he'd echo Liam. It was frustrating. For the majority, Zayn Malik began to look like a boy fading behind the white boys. It was aggravating. We wanted more of Zayn, our pride and joy. The Muslim, Pakistani! He was one of his kind!

Then we saw Zayn for what he truly was. A white boy stuck in a brown boys body. Well, as most of us saw it. My mind was baffled. Zayn was dating, and one particular article suggested he had been drunk. Then another article was released; Zayn had a tattoo. Then another article was released; Zayn had broken up with his girlfriend, moving onto another. It was confusing. Very confusing. We had always believed that although Zayn had been born and raised in the western world, much like the Muslims kids from the United Kingdom, he too would stay away from temptation. But it seemed good old Zayn had faded into the oblivion.

Some people expressed their anger openly at the new Zayn Malik, who slowly was become a brand. They said he wasn't true to himself. Ironic as amongst the controversy, he got a tattoo that suggested otherwise. To me, it was a matter of, we ought to not express our newly built shock so openly. People would not understand, because for them Zayn Malik was doing what every other young super star did. Living his life. And honestly, one part of me also felt that it was none of our business to judge his style of living. Neither did I believe that Zayn Malik cared much for what we were saying. He has millions who adore him, millions who love him just the way he is, millions who would not want to change a thing about him. Why would he care for what we said? I, myself began to loath Zayn Malik, the not-so-Muslim superstar.

He wasn't obliged though. To live his life the way the British, Muslim Pakistani community wanted. He was young, and he was loving every minute of it. But amongst the anger, I realized that the community was less offended, but more hurt. What was so wrong with our culture, that he found himself drifting the other way? Were not perfect, but who is? Suddenly I realised that the love for Zayn crashed because Zayn Malik, was not Zayn Malik anymore. He was just Zayn Malik, the boy from One Direction. The issue was that the community had no one to relate to. No one to hold up as their personal medal. You know, when someone called us a terrorist again we coudn't say "Hey, Zayn Malik is a Muslim, and look at him. He's doing just fine". We coudn't say that Zayn was one of us because most of us felt betrayed.

Matters today remain a little more than controversial between Zayn and the Muslim Pakistani community of Britain. He lives his life, like it always should have been. Whilst the community talks about how he was bound to stray, Because he is half white. They say no "true" Pakistani would have ever done so. Some even ridicule the boy. They say that, thinking that he would represent us was a delusion we all should have never produced. And some still remain angered. I say, he found stardom, he found fame, he found happiness. If anything, we can surpress our emotions, and let him be.