'Pillowtalk' hitmaker Zayn Malik has revealed that although being a well-known music star can be really tough, he has a thick skin and has managed to stay balanced. 

He told Britain's NME magazine that he knows how the industry works and, because of that, is able to detach a little bit and keep a safe distance: 

"I’ve kept a little bit of my sanity. I understand how the media works. Journos gotta earn their money. Paps have got to earn their money.” 

When asked if he realised this really early on into his career, Malik added: “I think so. I think that’s why it came across as being mysterious or detached. I just didn’t want to get caught up in something that wasn’t real. You can be the biggest band in the world for a certain time, but that ends. I’m not saying that (I knew at the beginning). But if I did… Then f**k me, I’ve got a great brain.”

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Watch him in action here: