Zayn Malik has teased he “might” drop another album “pretty soon”.
The former One Direction star returns this Friday (17.05.24) with his fourth solo album ‘Room Under The Stairs’, and he has revealed he’s always making tunes and might have a follow-up on the way in the not-so-distant future.
In an interview with Nylon magazine, he said: “I don’t want to give too much away, but I’m working on a lot of music, and I might even be releasing another record pretty soon.”
The 31-year-old star can make a tune within a day and some of the tracks on the follow-up to 2021’s ‘Nobody Is Listening’ date back a few years.
He said: “I like to bounce from one thing to another.
“It happens fast for me: I get a vibe, I’ll write a song in two or three hours, and I’ll have the whole thing cut that evening.”
The country-tinged record is inspired by ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ singer Chris Stapleton.
Zayn shared: “I was pretty much on my farm having a glass of whiskey and listening to a bit of Stapleton by the fire with my dog, playing guitar.
“I’m proud of it. I think it shows a certain level of intellect, to be a bit ahead of the curve.”
Country is a big commodity in the mainstream right now, with the likes of Beyonce, Lana Del Rey and Post Malone leading the charge.
However, the ‘What I Am’ singer insists it’s a coincidence he’s releasing a country record when the genre is trending.
He said: “People need to know I didn’t jump on the bandwagon.”
Zayn believes the reason country is proving to be a hit is because music fans love the “depth from the lyrics”, which they don’t get with some of the “wishy-washy” chart music today.
He suggested: “People are in search of a little bit more depth from the lyrics. In the Top 40 charts, a lot of mainstream music feels a bit wishy-washy.
“The songs are f****** fire. You know what I mean? They’re catchy. They’re playing on the radio, and they do their job, but people are looking for a little bit more.”
As well as Stapleton, Zayn drew inspiration from country legend Willie Nelson, and loves the maturity and class of their lyrics.
He added: “I could really hear their lyrics and their pain and their growth and the life lessons.
“I didn’t feel like there was a Chris Stapleton song that comes on and he sounds like a f***boy, right? He doesn’t do it! He’s not out here saying, ‘B****** in the club! We’re drinking Bacardi!’ Or whatever these young kids use now.
“He’s not like that. He’s got class, right? He’s telling you a real grown man’s story. And I respected the f*** out of it. I was like, ‘This is cool. It’s something I can do.’”