Zayn Malik insists he's not “jumping on the bandwagon” with his upcoming country album Room Under the Stairs.
The singer-songwriter explained how his upcoming fourth studio album came about.
“I was on the farm drinking a glass of whiskey and listening to a little bit of[Chris]Stapleton by the fire with my dog and playing guitar,” said Zayn, 31, who is releasing a country album. He talked about the reason. Nylon's new interview.
The former One Direction star said that while he is “proud” of the album, he doesn't want to be compared to artists like Post Malone and Beyoncé, who have recently entered the country music industry.
“People need to know that I didn't jump on the bandwagon,” he told the magazine.
Zayn continued, “People are looking for a little more depth in the lyrics. I feel like a lot of the mainstream music on the Top 40 charts is a little bit hopeful and dreamy. The songs are hot as hell. My point is. You know what?'' They're playing on the radio and doing their job, but people want a little more. ”
The Pillow Talk hitmaker then revealed that he was inspired by country music stars Stapleton and Willie Nelson.
“You could really hear their lyrics, their pain, their growth, their life lessons,” he said. “When a Chris Stapleton song came on, you didn't expect him to sound like Afboy, you know? He doesn't do that! He's here saying, 'Fuck the club! Us.' “I'm drinking Bacardi!'' Or, that's not what young kids use these days, he's talking about real adults, and I'm like, “I'm drinking Bacardi!'' I thought, “That's cool.” What can I do? ”
The 15-song Room Under the Stairs will be released on Friday.