Zayn’s New Soulful Awakening
You can’t copy existing albums. They are irreplaceable. Like writing, they stay in time for new generations to enjoy.
On May 17, on the eve of summer, Zayn Malik, the British singer-songwriter and former One Direction band member released his fourth album.
We’re used to pop songs by the artist when he was with the boys’ band. Remember all of these hits that found themselves on the radio?
Known in the last decade for PILLOWTALK and his debut album, Mind of Mine, the musician shows us another side of his personality with his album Room Under The Stairs. A side of him that seems more sincere than ever. The man let down a wall with this release. A chapter was closed, and a new one started. That’s exciting when it happens, like when you start a different job with a new team. It might be scary initially, but this leap offers a fresh start. It also gives you the permission to fail and grow.
Zayn’s latest album takes us inside his head and ups and downs. The album’s art cover explains how the project is us traveling in a room inside his brain. He doesn’t let us explore everything just yet, but it is still awakening.
It makes us appreciate the man behind the teen we met when he participated in the X Factor show. We all understand why Simon Cowell believed in him after his first audition.
This project is more about folk and country, and it is perfect for a road trip along the East Coast as you move along the different states with each of their particularities. But even with his new sounds, Zayn doesn’t let go of his R&B inspirations. We feel how much he wanted to try something new, exploring the country genre. Imagine yourself in the middle of the forest, far away from the city’s noises and distractions. The concept came to life in rural Pennsylvania. And everything was recorded in the warm state of Georgia.
In a way, it reminds me of a Fall album when the leaves are falling from the trees, and the weather starts getting colder.
Unsurprisingly, Zayn collaborated with country music producer Dave Cobb on this project. In the past, Dave Cobb produced one of Davin DeGraw’s albums and has worked with Chris Stapleton, among other artists.
On Room Under The Stairs, the artist makes us listen to calm jams and to more guitar. It is suiting and relaxing to listen to the 50 minutes project. In music, it’s always better to keep it simple than overdo it. Most of the time, the result ends up being better and more enjoyable.
To celebrate the launch of his recent album, Zayn performed his new hit Alienated on The Tonight Show. It was his first TV performance in 8 years and his first solo performance since leaving his former band. On May 20, Zayn released the bonus track version of Room Under The Stairs (Z Sides). It completes the project with four songs. Ignorance Ain’t Bliss is a track that we didn’t expect to be an extra song.
Zayn’s albums have never been a success like One Direction’s. I think that he is okay with this. He doesn’t want to produce music to please people. As it should be, he does music out of pure love. That’s remarkable, especially in this competitive era and the preponderance of social media in our lives, which brings more anxiety than anything else.
Look to the bright side of things. When you feel like giving up, don’t lose hope. When you feel like someone in your life is slipping away from you, keep faith that they will find the right path. These are some of the things taught in a song like Shoot At Will, the second last song on the album.
Stardust is the seventh song on the album. As it starts, you can feel a shift, as if the artist wants to take us elsewhere on the journey. It is a touching song. No wonder Zayn wanted a music video attached to it. Simple but with visual effects, the video brings justice to the melodies. In it, he is the lone star, wandering in nature.
On Room Under The Stairs, Zayn shows us a different side of the man he is. Artists need to find their persona while remaining themselves, and the artist is now able to do that superbly. After listening to the album multiple times, my favorite lyrics remain the ones on the track Concrete Kisses. They are the most catchy.
“I’m finding my way on the highway” resonates with you a lot when you do some introspection while on the road. It is the best time to think about the big picture and what means the most to you.
Zayn has built something authentic since being the first to leave One Direction in 2015. There is no turning back now. He has opened up, let his guard down like never before, and introduced himself in a new way. As I see it, he is living his soulful awakening, not caring about the critics. The creation process is done for one person only: himself.
Calming music is needed during these troubling times when humanity is at a crossroads. Let’s hope that music like this can bring people together, either in front of a bonfire enjoying grilled marshmallows during summertime or sitting alone with headphones at the beach contemplating the movements of the waves. Watching the tides change and the birds exploring what the world has to offer.
