VIDEO : One Direction Shares First Track Without Zayn Malik, 'Drag Me Down'

Liam Payne has called it a "bit of a surprise." For One Direction's global legion of fans, the sneaky release of a new single is a lot of a surprise. Payne dropped a big one overnight when the 1D singer tweeted an iTunes link to the boyband's new single, "Drag Me Down."
"Drag Me Down" represents the start of a new era for 1D, which is now a foursome following the departure of Zayn Malik in March.
The new track just happened to materialize toward the end of a week in which Malik has signed back-to-back deals with Turn First Artists management and RCA Records, signaling the green shoots of his own solo career.