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Pillowtalk (song)

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"Pillowtalk"
Song

"Pillowtalk" is a song recorded by English singer Zayn for his upcoming debut solo studio album, Mind of Mine, due to be released on 25 March 2016. It was written by Zayn, Anthony Hannides and Michael Hannides of MYKL, with production of the song helmed by the latter two and Levi Lennox. The song was released as the lead single from the album on 29 January 2016, along with its accompanying music video. "Pillowtime" is a downtempo electronic and R&B track.

It was well received by music critics, with most of them appreciating the singer's new musical direction and vocal performance. The song's music video features kaleidoscopic effects, sexual imagery, and American model Gigi Hadid playing Zayn's lover. "Pillowtalk" was serviced to U.S. contemporary hit radio on 2 February 2016.

Background and release

After signing a recording deal with RCA Records,[1] Zayn gave several interviews with music magazines, such as The Fader and Billboard, to talk about his debut record. He stated "life experiences have been the influences for the album and just stuff that I've been through, especially in the last five years," also saying musically the record leans towards R&B/rock.[2] Zayn's solo debut album Mind of Mine[3] is due to release on 25 March 2016.[4] On 24 January 2016, Zayn revealed the release date and promotional cover-art of the lead single "Pillowtalk" through Twitter.[5] It is Zayn's debut solo single as he left One Direction in 2015.[6] Speaking about his new single with The Sunday Times, Zayn said that "Pillowtalk" was written about sex, which he described as “so pure, so dirty and raw,” adding, "everybody has sex, and it’s something people wanna hear about. It’s part of everybody’s life, a very big part of life."[7]

Subsequently "Pillowtalk" was made available for digital download in most countries worldwide via the iTunes Store on 29 January 2016.[8]

Composition

"Pillowtalk" is a downtempo electronic[9] and R&B slow jam,[8][10] which features a smooth pop-R&B production,[11] heavy beats[12] and sexual themes.[13] A theatrical interpretation of intimacy and romance,[14] its lyrics discuss the way that love and passion can turn abruptly into recklessness.[15] According to critics, the song emulates a new sound from Zayn, and represents a change from the mainly pop influences of his previous releases as a boyband member.[9][11] Zayn uses billowy vocals and buttery voice in the song.[16] Zayn goes from soft lines in the pre-chorus, "I love to wake up next to you,"[17] to explicit content in the chorus: "in the bed all day / fucking and fighting on / It's a paradise and it's a war zone;" he sings about the pain that comes with being lovers.[16]

Critical reception

Upon its release, "Pillowtalk" received positive reviews from music critics. Writing for Forbes, Hugh McIntyre commented the song "is decidedly grown up, complete with plenty of x-rated words and adult imagery and themes. This isn’t another simple tune about broken hearts; it’s about love being both a paradise and a warzone. The song may be about similar situations, but Zayn is feeling—or expressing—things differently now."[9] Fuse's Jason Lipshutz described "Pillowtalk" as "a sexy, engrossing R&B track."[18] Brennan Carley of Spin praised the lyrics and Zayn's vocals, stating he "demonstrates a mastery on modern R&B within seconds. There’s passion in his voice, an instrument unencumbered and unshaven for the first time."[19] For The Guardian's Harriet Gibsone, it is a "slow, minimalist and lusty explosion of testosterone, a fountain of champagne and dodgy aftershave. It is a deliberate – and understandable – step into a more austere artistic guise."[14] In Digital Spy, Lewis Corner gave the song four-out-of-five stars, writing "Zayn's clear vocal tone - at its very best on this - along with a big chorus and brain-niggling melody, keeps it sexy and fun without being sordid." Musically, he compared the "seductive R&B" track to The Weeknd's sounds and Justin Timberlake's early solo work.[13] Lucas Villa of AXS wrote that the song "might not be [Zayn's] Justin Timberlake 'Cry Me a River' breakthrough just yet but it's a sweet something that will surely satisfy his older fans in the meanwhile."[20] For Billboard staff, "if "Pillowtalk" is anything to go by, Malik has left bubblegum pop behind. From here on, it's slick R&B."[8] Brittany Spanos in Rolling Stone called it a "smooth, sexy pop song".[21] Alex Abad-Santos of Vox found that the topic contains "shopworn clichés, making the song feel like it's marketed and packaged for young ears. But Zayn's billowy, swirling vocals sell it so well that 'Pillowtalk' becomes something better than it first set out to be."[16]

Music video

Synopsis

American model Gigi Hadid appears in the music video

Directed by Bouha Kazmi, the accompanying music video for "Pillowtalk" premiered on YouTube on 29 January 2016. Gigi Hadid and Zayn appear in the clip, which features retro graphics, kaleidoscopic and shattered-mirror effects.[22][8] The music video finds Zayn navigating a sexual fantasia, with a flower covering a mysterious woman's genitals and female silhouettes ogling each other, the former played by actress Jodie Turner-Smith.[23] Hadid appears swirling around the singer, hypnotizes him and eventually provokes technicolor tears.[24] They navigate a kaleidoscopic dreamscape,[25] where they make out, make up and cry black tears as Zayn sings.[12]

Reception

Forbes's contributor Hugh McIntyre praised the visuals, writing "The dripping, trippy visuals match the rock and roll energy of the song perfectly, with the viewer spending as much time with guitars being smashed as they do with Zayn crying black tears."[9] For Lily Harrison from E! Online the video "it's not only extremely seductive, but it's very artistic,"[26] while Erica Gonzales from Harper's Bazaar wrote "the visuals are dark yet psychedelic."[27] Lucas Villa of AXS commented "The debut clip seems to reflect the singer's artsy side. The action here is not as steamy between the two as the song suggests but it's still a NSFW video."[20] Time's Nolan Feeney thought "Zayn seems determined to break with his boy-band image."[10] As of 2 February 2016, the video has received more than 33 million views on YouTube.[28]

Track listings

Digital download (Clean version)[29]
No.TitleLength
1."Pillowtalk"3:23
Digital download (Explicit version)[30]
No.TitleLength
1."Pillowtalk"3:23

Release history

Country Date Format Label Ref.
Australia 29 January 2016 Digital download RCA Records [31][32]
Canada [33]
France [34]
Italy [35]
Spain [36]
United Kingdom [37]
United States [29][30]
Italy Contemporary hit radio [38]
United States 2 February 2016 [39]

References

  1. ^ Strecker, Erin (29 July 2015). "Zayn Malik Signs With RCA, Tweets Excitement". Billboard. United States. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 1 August 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  2. ^ Cooper, Duncan (November 17, 2015). "Zayn Malik's Next Direction". The Fader. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  3. ^ "Zayn Malik reveals debut album title, plus more highlights from his Beats 1 interview with Zane Lowe". Entertainment Weekly. January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  4. ^ Martins, Chris (January 8, 2016). "Zayn Malik Speaks Out in Revealing Billboard Cover Story: 'I'm Not Censoring Myself Anymore'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  5. ^ Erin Strecker (24 January 2016). "Zayn Malik Announces Release Date for First Single 'Pillowtalk'". Billboard. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  6. ^ Kreps, Daniel (24 January 2016). "Zayn Malik Announces First Solo Single 'Pillowtalk'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  7. ^ Kate Ng (24 January 2016). "Zayn Malik 'Pillow Talk': Ex-One Direction singer announces release date of debut single on Twitter". The Independent. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d Billboard Staff (29 January 2016). "Zayn Malik's Sexy 'Pillowtalk' Video is Here: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  9. ^ a b c d McIntyre, Hugh. "Zayn Malik Releases 'Pillowtalk', His First Single Since Leaving One Direction". Forbes. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  10. ^ a b Feeney , Nolan (29 January 2016). "Watch Zayn Malik's Steamy Video for Solo Debut 'Pillowtalk'". Time. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  11. ^ a b Steiner, Amanda Michelle (29 January 2016). "Zayn Malik drops debut single, music video for 'Pillowtalk'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  12. ^ a b Roth, Madeline (29 January 2016). "Zayn Malik's Debut Solo Single 'Pillowtalk' Is Here — And The Video Features Gigi Hadid". MTV News. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  13. ^ a b Corner, Lewis (29 January 2016). "Why Zayn Malik is more Justin Timberlake than Robbie Williams: 'Pillowtalk' first single review". Digital Spy. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  14. ^ a b Gibsone, Harriet (29 January 2016). "Zayn Malik's Pillowtalk: sex, hugs and sobbing blood". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  15. ^ Hajda, Sandra (29 January 2016). "Zayn Malik's Sexy New Direction Post-One Direction - Zayn and Girlfriend Gigi Hadid Steam Up Music Video for 'PILLOWTALK'". Inquisitr. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  16. ^ a b c Abad-Santos, Alex (29 January 2016). "Watch: Zayn Malik's melty music video for his new song "Pillowtalk"". Vox. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  17. ^ Morris, Jessie (30 January 2016). "Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid Get Extra Intimate in the Video for "Pillowtalk"". Complex. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  18. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (29 January 2016). "Zayn Malik Makes Solo Debut: Listen to PILLOWTALK". Fuse. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  19. ^ Carley, Brennan (29 January 2016). "Zayn Malik's 'Pillowtalk' Proves Leaving One Direction Was the Right Move". Spin. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  20. ^ a b Villa, Lucas (January 29, 2016). "Review: Zayn Malik puts it down and puts his 1D days to bed in 'PILLOWTALK'". AXS.
  21. ^ Spanos, Brittany (29 January 2016). "Watch Zayn Malik's Surreal 'Pillowtalk' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  22. ^ Barsamian, Edward (29 January 2016). "Zayn Malik's New Video With Gigi Hadid: The Story Behind "Pillow Talk"". Vogue. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  23. ^ "Jodie Turner-Smith on Instagram: "Hellraiser vibes in Zayn Malik's new PillowTalk music vid..."". Instagram. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  24. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (29 January 2016). "Watch Zayn Glow with Gigi Hadid in the Pillowtalk Music Video". Fuse. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  25. ^ "22 Beautiful Visuals From Zayn's "Pillowtalk" Music Video, Aka Photos of Him and Gigi Hadid Making Out". Cosmopolitan. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  26. ^ Harrison, Lily (29 January 2016). "Zayn Malik's Debut Solo Single Pillowtalk Is Here—and the Music Video Stars Girlfriend Gigi Hadid!". E! Online. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  27. ^ Gonzales, Erica (29 January 2016). "Gigi Hadid and Zayn Get It On In "Pillowtalk" Music Video". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  28. ^ ZAYN - PILLOWTALK on YouTube
  29. ^ a b "PILLOWTALK - Single (Clean)". iTunes Store (U.S.).
  30. ^ a b "PILLOWTALK - Single (Explicit)". iTunes Store (U.S.).
  31. ^ "PILLOWTALK - Single (Clean)". iTunes Store (AU).
  32. ^ "PILLOWTALK - Single (Explicit)". iTunes Store (AU).
  33. ^ "PILLOWTALK - Single". iTunes Store (CA).
  34. ^ "PILLOWTALK - Single". Amazon (FR).
  35. ^ "PILLOWTALK - Single". Amazon (IT).
  36. ^ "PILLOWTALK - Single". iTunes Store (ES).
  37. ^ "PILLOWTALK - Single". Amazon (UK).
  38. ^ "Zayn "Pillowtalk" Radio Date". Radioairplay.fm. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
  39. ^ "Top 40/Mainstream - Future Releases". All Access Music Group. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pillowtalk_(song)&oldid=703012818"