On March 15, British singer ZAYN (also known as Zayn Malik) released his single “What I Am” as a sneak peek to his new album. This song is ZAYN’s first solo release since 2021, when he released the album “Nobody Is Listening.”
“What I Am” shows a different side of ZAYN that, in my opinion, may remind fans of the song “River Road” (a heartbroken song with rough vocals and an instrumental built solely by an electric guitar). “What I Am” takes a more laid back sound, giving off intense feelings of yearning. On top of that, ZAYN’s voice rings more raspy than it has in his other pop or R&B tracks, encapsulating a frustrated or exhausted type of mood. The lyrics talk about a relationship that seems to lack trust, with the chorus being identified by the line, “If I told you, I loved you / Would you say that it’s f*cked up?” ZAYN also expresses a theme of feeling stuck at a certain place in time, feeling like he has had enough of his hardships: “I’ve had enough of running ‘round this board game,” “Living in the moment feels good to me ‘til it hurts,” “Just take me for what I am / ‘Cause this is where I’m staying / My two feet are in the sand.” The song contains a variety of instruments like guitars, drums, and string instruments. However, the song does not feel too noisy or unbalanced – the mix of instruments and how they are played in fact feel like a perfect match for the roughness of ZAYN’s voice.
Upon first listen, I was shocked at the sound ZAYN decided to put out. I was used to hearing his voice in a higher tone accompanying synth and 808 bass-filled instrumentals, so this laid back song felt like it was coming from a completely different artist. However, I find that “What I Am” is such an easy song to listen to. It is so cohesive and well made that it is hard to get tired of. The song feels perfect to listen to in the sunny but cold mornings of our spring. While it is not the song is not from a genre I reach for often, I feel that it will definitely give ZAYN good traction for his upcoming works.
“Room Under the Stairs,” ZAYN’s third and newest album, is set to release on May 17. While there is not much information on what listeners can continue to hear from ZAYN in this new era, “What I Am” reveals some very raw emotions from the singer that may carry onto other new tracks. Make sure to give the song a listen to start your days off in a wishful way.
