Zayn Malik says alien spoke to me in a dream and convinced him the time was right to leave One Direction

He left fans all over the world heartbroken when he quit One Direction in March 2015. And Zayn Malik has now revealed he first decided to leave the boy band after a visitation from an extra-terrestrial being in his dream.

The 23-year-old singer told Glamour magazine: 'An alien spoke to me in a dream.'

Zayn has gone on to carve out a successful solo career since leaving bandmates Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Harry Styles, with his debut album Mind of Mine debuting at the top of the charts when it was released this spring.

And the heartthrob has admitted the late Michael Jackson was his greatest musical influence and inspired him to embark on a career in the industry.

Speaking about his biggest inspiration, he said: 'No question: Thriller by Michael Jackson.'

Zayn Malik says alien spoke to me in a dream and convinced him the time was right to leave One Direction