By Amaya Morales
Managing Editor
Zayn Malik takes a new approach to music-making — singing how he feels. Like many other artists last year, quarantine inspired Zayn (as he’s best known) to make new music.
The solo artist dropped his third studio album “Nobody Is Listening” on Jan. 15, a long-awaited release since his last album “Icarus Falls” dropped in 2018, following “Mind of Mine” in 2016.
After separating from English boy band One Direction in 2015, Zayn fine-tuned his music style and has headed in a different direction altogether.
As a solo artist, Zayn has steered away from pop rock and delved into R&B, alternative and electropop.
If you were a One Direction fan, you can remember upbeat songs like “What Makes You Beautiful” and the infamous love song “Little Things,” where you can hear his gentle, lusty vocals.
Over the course of writing and producing his three albums, Zayn goes deeper into his soul than the last one. However, “Nobody Is Listening” allows listeners to explore the depths of how Zayn views the world.
Be warned: Some of the songs contain explicit content not suitable for all ages.
The first song on the album is “Calamity,” an introspective poem about trusting others versus his true feelings. Feelings of loneliness have popped up for many, and for Zayn, it’s no different.
A similar theme can be found on the eighth track, “Unf**kwitable.” Zayn sings, “I’m unf**kwitable/I’m in a world of my own.” He seems to say it is hard to trust others when we feel like nobody is listening.
Other songs talk about getting intimate in very detailed songs such as “Sweat,” “Connexion” and “Windowsill.”
The over-sexual theme in Zayn’s songs can be surprising. It is to be expected, though, as his audience has grown with him since his days in the boy band.
The album is enjoyable and something you can put on to set the mood or just chill with twinkly lights in your room late at night. It could even be movie music.
Just keep the kids out of the room when you listen.
Please follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Write to us at equinoxfdu@gmail.com.
