The 22-year-old singer confided in the 28-year-old former JLS star about leaving the band while on a trip to Las Vegas last September.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror newspaper, Oritse said: "Zayn spoke to me when we were together in Vegas last year. Niall (Horan) did too. Zayn was talking to me in confidence. I told him he had a great run and to enjoy it. They are very, very blessed guys.