Music

Review: Pillowtalk – Zayn Malik

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12 February 2016

By Lauren H

Almost a year since Zayn Malik decided to leave the world-famous boy band One Direction, to be a ‘normal 22-year-old’, he is now back, with his first solo single, Pillowtalk. Heading straight to number one on the British charts, this is our first taste of what is to come from the star, and it doesn’t seem as though he’ll be out of the spotlight anytime soon. Beating a previous chart topper, Stitches, and its new challenger, Fast Car, it seems that Malik’s raunchier lyrics are proving to be a hit, despite taking on a drastically different style to what he has been used to previously. So, what do we think?

Well, it’s certainly different. Moving on from ‘tonight let’s get some’ to ‘f**king you and fighting on’, at least we know his true intentions now. In all seriousness, it’s great that he has finally found a style that seems to suit his voice perfectly, and it’s clear that he’s truly doing something that he loves. Who cares if it’s a little bit more erotic than we’re used to? We’ve heard much worse from the likes of Kanye West and Jay Z.

The track begins with a slow and gradually increasing tempo, with Zayn hitting us with some particularly mesmerising notes, the tone of his voice soothing and sensual. Being able to write his own music (arguably for the first time) seems to have been hugely beneficial for Zayn, who seems particularly able to connect with the lyrics, despite many being somewhat provocative. However, this could also have something to do with the fact that he is dating model Gigi Hadid, who features on the even sultrier video as his lover – what more could he ask for?

This single definitely seems to be a step in the right direction for Zayn, with The Guardian summing up our views perfectly:

“It is a deliberate – and understandable – step into a more austere artistic guise. He is a verified adult, an adult with adult urges, volatile emotions and a girlfriend who cries tears of blood.”

Especially the bit about the tears of blood, of course.

If you enjoyed Pillowtalk just as much as we did, then the chances are that you’ll love what else is to come from Zayn, with his first solo album, ‘Mind of Mine’, set to be released in March. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled, as it certainly won’t be one to miss!

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