One Direction release first single post Malik’s exit

However, when Malik parted ways with his former bandmates Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson in March, he gave a total different statement than to his recent tweet.

Announcing the release, Louis Tomlinson posted “Thank you for all your constant support”.

Rumors of his solo career ignited within hours of the announcement that he had quit the band.

After the surprise release, fans collectively went nuts on Twitter.

Drag Me Down is an affirmative anthem about a man redeemed by love, with a chorus that proclaims “With your love Nobody can drag me down”.

He tweeted pictures with Malik and leaked demos of their work together just weeks after he broke off from the band. To celebrate, new single “Drag Me Down” made its live debut.

One Direction will perform “Drag Me Down” live on “Good Morning America” in a summer concert series at Central Park in New York City, New York on August. 4.

Malik revealed in an interview with The Sun that he had been planning to leave the group for some time, telling the publication, “I’ve never felt more in control in my life”.

He wrote, “The Middle-Eastern dude from One Direction is here at our table and he knows every Drake lyric”. One Direction will launch its fifth studio album by the end of 2015.

The song, titled Drag Me Down, premiered on iTunes and Spotify at 6.30am on Friday.

According to Billboard, the new track was released around the same time that Malik signed with a new record label.