Review: Zayn - Pillowtalk (Single)

Ever since leaving pop boyband One Direction, Zayn Malik has been under constant scrutiny by both the media and fans who are eager to hear a solo record. Almost a year after his departure, the wait is finally over. Re-appearing under the name “Zayn”, Malik has released his debut solo single, “Pillowtalk”.
As the title implies, the tune is quite the shift away from innocent One Direction tracks, like “What Makes You Beautiful” and “One Thing”. Malik has made it clear that his upcoming releases will be targeted toward a more mature audience, as opposed to one that is predominantly composed of young, pre-pubescent females. If the promiscuous title and lyrics don’t spell this out, the music video does a very good job at making his new image clear. Featuring intimate moments with rumoured girlfriend, Gigi Hadid, the video clearly demonstrates the renunciation of his clean-cult, boyband member tile for claim of a more brooding and sultry bad boy.
Although I was expecting more of an R&B sound from his solo project, “Pillowtalk” is an every so slight step away from One Direction’s sound. It will be interesting to hear what the rest of Malik’s album has to offer, with it’s release currently scheduled for March 2016. Soon we’ll see if the Bradford bad boy’s effort of breaking away from his pop roots is truly a success.
By Mumal T
