Zayn Malik is adamant that his upcoming country album, Room Under the Stairs, is a genuine artistic endeavor and not a trend-following move. The singer-songwriter recently opened up about the inspiration behind his fourth studio album in an interview with Nylon.
“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,” Zayn, 31, shared, describing the setting that sparked his interest in creating a country album.
The former One Direction star emphasized that while he is “proud” of the album, he wants to avoid comparisons to other artists like Post Malone and Beyoncé, who have also ventured into the country genre. “People need to know I didn’t jump on the bandwagon,” he told the publication.
Zayn explained that his music aims to provide more lyrical depth than what is typically found in mainstream charts. “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**king 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.”
He cited country music legends Chris Stapleton and Willie Nelson as key influences. “I could really hear their lyrics and their pain and their growth and the life lessons,” Zayn said. “I didn’t feel like there was a Chris Stapleton song that comes on and he sounds like a fkboy, right? He doesn’t do it! He’s not out here saying, ‘Bches in the club! We’re drinking Bacardi!’ 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**k out of it. I was like, ‘This is cool. It’s something I can do.'”
Room Under the Stairs, featuring 15 tracks, is set to be released on Friday.
