After the release of Zayn Malik’s third album, titled ‘Nobody Is Listening,’ if it was debatable before, it is fairly safe to say that now, most of the world is doing just that: listening. Formerly known for his superstar career with One Direction, Malik seems to be at a crossroads, one where he wonders if fans are still as invested in his music as this album has shown that he is. Two years after his last album release and only months after becoming a father, he pleasantly surprises everyone with an album that is very on brand for Zayn Malik.
Astutely releasing “Vibez” as his lead single, he sets the mood for the whole album extremely well, as all of it is, truly, a vibe to listen to. Malik is known for his intimate R&B moments, so the sound of this album was not surprising– what was surprising, however, was the first song on the album, “Calamity,” because it is one of his few songs where he raps. In this song, he talks about feeling “depleted” from opening up about his feelings. He writes that his brain “lives with the cannabis,” which again, is not a surprise. In a 2016 interview with Evening Standard, Malik shared that marijuana is part of his life for “certain things” and that it helps him “be creative.”
The sensual and intimate storytelling of life and love in several of his songs, primarily “Tightrope,” reflect his adoration for his girlfriend, American model, GiGi Hadid. The song echoes uncertainty and vulnerability, but his lyrics always circle back around to his devotion to Hadid. With passionate lyrics, originally sung in Urdu, such as “Are you the full moon or the sun // Whatever you are, I swear to God, you are beyond compare,” Malik tells the story of how, in the back of his mind, he has always known he was supposed to be with her. In “Sweat” and “Windowsill,” though, he describes another part of their relationship– this time the portion that has since allotted them a beautiful baby girl.
Malik’s serene and soulful illustration of hope in “River Road” and a potential marriage proposal in “When Loves Around” featuring Syd The Kyd leave fans wondering how he could possibly have thought people weren’t listening to such a compelling story.
At just 28, Malik has experienced more stardom, success and devotion than many will encounter in their entire lives. In sharing his truths in the best way he knows how, yet again, all eyes are on him, but then, maybe it is not the eyes he has been wanting all along, but our ears, instead. Perhaps the lyrics hold more truth than any of us realize.
