Zayn Malik showed off his head tattoo as he made a rare outing in New York City on Wednesday after announcing his upcoming album and latest single.
The former One Direction star, 31, has been teasing fans over the past week and has now officially announced his first new music in three years, Room Under The Stairs.
Zayn wore a long leather trench coat with a high neck jumper and loose fitting washed out black jeans.
He had his hair cut into a skin fade, showing off the pattern he had inked onto he side of his head in 2018.
The singer made a surprise appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon‘s on Wednesday evening while promoting his new music.
Zayn Malik, 31, showed off his head tattoo as he made a rare outing in New York City on Wednesday after announcing his upcoming album and latest single
During the Jimmy’s opening words, Zayn walked across the set and silently placed a note and a mug of coffee in the host’s hand.
He then hit play on a laptop, teasing a snippet of his new track What I Am, before waving at the audience and walking away.
The note read: ‘Jimmy, look to your right for my album. My new single What I Am is out this Friday off my upcoming album Room Under The Stairs, available May 17. Hope you’ll check it out.’
‘I will. Zayn everybody!’ Jimmy announced.
The singer has already revealed the first single, titled ‘What I Am,’ is set to be released this Friday on March 15.
Zayn officially announced his brand new album called Room Under The Stairs on Wednesday.
He penned in his Instagram announcement: ‘ROOM UNDER THE STAIRS 17.05.2024 PRE-ORDER FRIDAY’, along with a series of quirky illustrations.
Last week Zayn wiped his Instagram page and posted a single Reel – as he prepared his fans for his self-penned fourth studio album.
He shared a selection of visuals in the video, as well as music and a voiceover, but wrote no caption with it.
He wore a long leather trench coat with a high neck jumper and loose fitting washed out black jeans
The singer made a surprise appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon ‘s on Wednesday evening while promoting his new music
During the Jimmy’s opening words, Zayn walked across the set and silently placed a note and a mug of coffee in the host’s hand
He said in the teaser: ‘I think the intention behind this album fully is for the listener to get more insight on me personally as a human being – my ambitions, my fears – and for them to have a connection with that.
‘And that’s why it’s so raw, you know, it’s just me writing this. I didn’t want anyone else to be in between me and the music, and the music and the people listening to it.’
A short snippet of What I Am was played at the end. It had the lyrics: ‘If I told you I loved you, would you say that it’s f***** up?’
Zayn worked with nine-time Grammy Award-winning country music producer Dave Cobb on the upcoming album.
The producer, 49, told Rolling Stone in February: ‘What got me about Zayn was his voice, you can hear love, loss, pain, triumph and humanity in it.
‘I feel as if this record is removing the glass from his spirit directly to his fans.
‘Zayn has really created his own universe on this record, he really has no fear and is speaking straight from his soul.’
He then hit play on a laptop, teasing a snippet of his new track What I Am, before waving at the audience and walking away
The note read: ‘Jimmy, look to your right for my album. My new single What I Am is out this Friday off my upcoming album Room Under The Stairs, available May 17’
The former One Direction star has been teasing fans over the past week and has now officially announced his first new music in three years, Room Under The Stairs
Zayn officially announced his brand new album called Room Under The Stairs on Wednesday
The full album will be out on May 17 (Zayn seen on January 19 2024)
Dave is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and is best known for producing the work of Chris Stapleton and Brandi Carlile.
Zayn previously promised his fans that his new material would sound different to his previous releases.
Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast, he explained: ‘I’ve got a few really sad [songs]. It’s a different sound for me, and it’s got like some more narrative going on – real-life experiences and stuff.’
He also spoke to Rolling Stone, saying: ‘I’m doing a record I don’t think people are really going to expect. 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.’
Zayn’s daughter is Khai, three, whom he shares 50/50 custody of with ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid, 28.
The couple dated from 2016 to 2021, breaking up after Zayn allegedly assaulted Gigi’s mother Yolanda.
Last week Zayn wiped his Instagram page and posted a single Reel – as he prepared his fans for his self-penned fourth studio album
He spoke over the imagery, explaining to his 52 million followers what they should expect from the album
Zayn previously promised his fans that his new material would sound different to his previous releases
In the time in between his last single and now, Zayn served as the executive music producer for the animated film, 10 Lives.
Under his Instagram teaser, fan account InZayn, one of only 14 accounts Zayn follows, commented ‘The Zrought is over’ while a fan offered: ‘If you want another dog I can bark.’
Zayn last released English-language music in July 2023, when his pop effort Love Like This reached just 36 on the charts.
It was his first single under his new management United Talent Agency after he was dropped from RCA in 2021.