Zayn Malik's foray into country music isn't something he thought of on a whim or a response to industry trends. Room Under the Stairs, his upcoming fourth studio album, is classified as a country music record.
However, when he spoke to Nylon magazine, the former One Direction member clarified that he was not jumping on the recent music trend.
"I was pretty much on my farm having a glass of whiskey and listening to a bit of [Chris] Stapleton by the fire with my dog, playing guitar," Malik, who gifted Kelly Clarkson his own harvested organic honey from his bees, told the publication.
Since hiding from the limelight to focus on his daughter, 3-year-old Khai, Malik has shifted his focus to a simple life on his farm in Philadelphia.
With the newfound peace and sound, Malik is "proud" of his new album, but he clarifies that although some pop acts have jumped to country-Lana Del Rey, Post Malone, and Beyoncé -his shift to a country sound is different.
"People need to know I didn't jump on the bandwagon," he confirmed. "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-ing 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."
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In the interview with the publication, Malik cited Chris Stapleton and Willie Nelson as his inspirations for the new album.
"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--es in the club! We're drinking Bacardi!" the 31-year-old singer elaborated. "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.'"
Speaking to Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Malik also added that he doesn't think "people are gonna expect" the upcoming album from him.
"It's a different sound for me. And it's got some more narrative going on, like real-life experiences and stuff. My daughter's mentioned in there a couple of times," he explained.
Malik's Room Under the Stairs will be released through Mercury and Republic Records on May 17, 2024. He has already released two singles for the album, "Alienated" and "What I Am."
