Zayn Malik is "turning into Chris Brown but without any hits".

Zayn Malik

Zayn Malik

The 22-year-old singer - who left One Direction in March and recently ended his engagement to Little Mix star Perrie Edwards - is on the path towards self-destruction and risks alienating his fans and people within the music industry before the release of his first solo album, according to a former close friend, with whom Zayn recently cut all contact.

The friend explained: "He's a little boy who needs to grow up. It's really bad for him. He's turning into Chris Brown but without any hits.

"He is self-destructing right now and I hope he's got someone there for him. I doubt he has, though, so that's why I'm worried for him.

"He's p***ing off so many people, it's very hard to see him having much support left by the time he's finally ready to release any music."

And while some of Zayn's fans have tried to defend his recent behaviour, which has included a Twitter row with Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, his former pal insisted the singer's problems are entirely of his own making.

The one-time friend told The Sun newspaper: "He has gone power crazy. You can blame other people, like his new management, but really it's him.

"I don't understand it. He has not had any success as a solo artist yet, so his ego shouldn't be that driven. He has gone mad, power mad."

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