#zaynmalik

In fact, the “Pillowtalk” singer would have you believe that he isn’t interested in stardom — while posing for a high-profile magazine cover. “I don’t work well in group situations, with loads of people staring at me,” Zayn complains. “And when you say ‘star’… everyone wants you to be this kind of character that owns a room or is overly arrogant or confident. I’m not that guy,” he maintains. “So I don’t want to be a star.” Sure. You can click through the hitmaker’s pics up top and read the full interview here.

This article was originally published by: Idolator

Zayn Malik is shaping up to be one of music’s most photographed stars. The fashionable crooner covered several magazines this summer. He delivered a couture spread for VMAN, a gender-bending shoot for Vogue and a grungy set within the pages of Clash. Today (November 2), he is continuing his streak with a smoldering new cover on Billboard.

The “Dusk Till Dawn” hitmaker is all sorts of chic as he broods on the front of the magazine’s latest issue. Dressed in a long plaid jacket he reclines on a luxurious sofa. The remaining photos follow a similarly relaxed aesthetic as he poses alongside some jewel-toned balloons, builds a card castle and sits in an empty cafe.

In an accompanying interview, the 24-year-old discussed his forthcoming sophomore LP. Although it was originally expected in September, Zayn has extended deadlines and is anticipating to drop the project in the first quarter of 2018. “I think I’m like 90 percent of the way there,” he had promised in September; however, since then he and his label are remaining tight lipped on any big reveals.

He said that the project would explore two distinct directions. Similar to 2016’s Mind of Mine, rhythmic pop and a more downtempo sound will define the project. He has continued to work with Frank Ocean’s frequent collaborator Malay and has teamed up with industry experts including Timbaland and Rob Cavallo. He is also working with a mysterious “unknown” that hails from Brazil.

The “Pillowtalk” crooner’s parents have been weighing in on the release as well. Zayn explained he has played the music for them, and they have very differing opinions. His dad prefers “the more meaningful ones,” while his mom is more of a dance commander. She “likes anything that’s clubby and upbeat,” he said, adding that she prefers his “proper ratchet songs.”

Although in the past anxiety has stopped the former One Direction bandmate from touring, he said he has been working to provide more balance to his life. “I’m taking things at my own pace, eating well, not going too crazy,” he explained. Although he had cancelled plans to hit the road with his debut album last year, he revealed he does intend to tour after his latest drops.

Intense anxiety played a part in the cancelled plans, but he was also struggling to translate his aesthetic to the stage. A session with Cavallo helped offer some guidance. The producer showed Zayn how a band could bring one of their songs to the next level, and it proved to be groundbreaking. “It definitely helped identify in my own mind where I want to be as an entertainer.”

The interview also touched on Zayn’s basically non-existent relationship with his former bandmates. “Our relationships have definitely changed since we were in a band together, but I think that’s just life,” he said. On the other hand, his comments about working with Taylor Swift on “I Don’t Want To Live Forever” were a bit more revealing. “I worked with her because I felt she was the right artist for the song.”

The interview ended with the promise of a sample of new music, but Zayn disappeared after going to get the tracks from his management. Guess he wants us all to wait until the project drops. Check out the rest of the feature here.

This article was originally published by: Idolator 

Zayn Malik is serving stylish looks and a pensive stare on the cover of VMANMagazine. After a grungy shoot for Clash and a “gender-bending” appearance with his supermodel girlfriend Gigi Hadid on Vogue earlier this summer, this is easily the most high fashion appearance he’s delivered in months. In the pages of the magazine, the Brit smolders in a variety of neutral looks, showcasing oversized jackets paired with sleek streetwear. In the accompanying interview, he talked about his personal growth between projects while hinting at the direction his sound will take on an upcoming LP tentatively dropping later this year.

The former boy bander is hard at work on the follow up to his 2016 debut Mind of Mine, which yielded his first chart topping single “Pillowtalk” and offered him the freedom to explore new sonic directions after years working with One Direction. Though the release was heralded as a sexual awakening and drew sonic comparisons to The Weeknd, for Zayn the album represented his first time truly taking control of a project. Recognizing the album as a learning process, he explained that it helped him grow artistically and personally. “I think it was a natural growth as a human being and as a person. I feel like I’m still growing every day, as everybody is. I don’t know everything and I’m willing to learn, so I believe everything is a natural progression.”

The new project is set to follow a similar path as his debut, though he feels that his skills as a writer have developed dramatically between the two projects. The 24-year-old is back at work with Malay, who produced multiple cuts on Mind of Mine and is the mastermind behind Frank Ocean’s moody R&B sound. He’s optimistic about their projects together, and said that it’s some of his best work to date. “I feel like they’re real songs. And I don’t mean to say that to discredit the songs that are out on the charts at the moment. I just feel like there’s something really classic about some of the music that we’ve done together, and for that reason, I’m really proud of some of the songs that are going to come out. I feel like it really shows me as a songwriter and a vocalist.”

Sonically, the currently untitled album will revisit the downtempo pop and R&B he has previously explored, but it may also incorporate more hip hop elements. He alluded to a series of mysterious collaborations that imply that a handful of rappers may be featured on the album. Though there has been no confirmation, everyone from Nicki Minaj to PARTYNEXTDOOR are rumored to have contributed a verse or two. While he’s exploring new territories, one area that he will continue to pull inspiration from is his roots. On his debut, he sang in Urdu, his Pakistani father’s language, on a track, and he said he has plans to continue interpolating the influences into his upcoming releases.

This article was originally published by: Idolator