Zayn Malik’s 2016 solo record is highly anticipated, but little is known about the project.
“My fans are giving me shit every day,” Malik tells Billboard in its newest cover story. “Like, ‘Where the f— is your music? You’ve been at it for months. Give us something.’ ”
Zayn Malik Speaks Out in Revealing Billboard Cover Story: ‘I’m Not Censoring Myself Anymore’
Happily, Malik opened up to Billboard about the album, sharing a few track titles off BeFour. The story’s writer, Chris Martins, sheds some details on the style of a few different tunes after listening. “[Zayn’s] poised to impress the dominant music geeks of the day, who care less about guitar-slingers than artful practitioners of beats and atmosphere, like Drake and The Weeknd. Finely wrought details stand out: the sour synth of “BeFour,” a sweep of strings in “It’s You,” the whip-crack snare of “Wrong.”” He also writes about being at Los Angeles’ Record Planet and hearing “She.”
The big question is how much of a departure these tunes will be from his work with One Direction. “It doesn’t feel like choreographed pop,” RCA chairman/CEO Peter Edge explains about BeFour. There’s obvious talent there: Liam Payne “would always give me credit in terms of vocal ability,” Malik shared modestly.
For Malik’s part, while he loved his time with the band, it’s time for a different kind of music than the tunes 1D was known for. “I genuinely enjoyed [the band] and did whatever I could to be myself within that, but it’s just not where I sit as a musician,” says Malik. “The other boys’ taste was generally indie rock. It’s good music, but I don’t f— with it. That was never cool where I was from.”
Read Billboard’s full cover story with Zayn Malik here.
Yall they removed, “Happily, Malik opened up to Billboard about the album, sharing a few track titles off BeFour. The story’s writer, Chris Martins, sheds some details on the style of a few different tunes after listening.” from the article.
WHAT IF THE ALBUM IS CALLED BEFOUR…….
