5 Things Justin Bieber Could Teach Zayn Malik
The stratospheric rise of One Direction owed a lot to that of their predecessor, Justin Bieber. The two acts were plucked from obscurity by savvy record producers and molded to suit a new breed of digital-savvy fans who would, in time, transform what success looked like for millennial pop artists. They even each had a trademark hair flip to call their own.
After years of hit albums, worldwide tours and a handful of scandals apiece, this week One Direction and Justin Bieber both release new albums that strive to tell the world they’re older and wiser now. One person who ought to be watching the dual release cycles closely is Zayn Malik, who pulled out of his obligations with One Direction in March due to the pressures that come with being a member of the world’s biggest pop act.
Since then, Malik has publicly tussled with Naughty Boy, Calvin Harris and his former bandmate Louis Tomlinson on Twitter; split with his fiancée, Perrie Edwards; and restarted his social-media presence with an influx of brooding black and white selfies and work-in-progress graffiti murals. One Direction never made any claims to be bastions of pop purity, but now Malik is truly off the leash, and getting ready to strike out solo on his own terms.
Malik is perfectly positioned to spend 2016 plotting a move that follows the example Bieber has set with his recent comeback campaign. Here are some of the ways he can replicate the model established by his former late-night-snack mate.
1. Pick notable producers.
Malik once had a bond with producer Naughty Boy so tight it was replete with matching “Naughty” and “Zaughty” Adidas jackets, but since their Twitter spat in July, it’s unlikely we’ll hear a collaboration from the duo on Malik’s debut solo record. Just as Bieber has forged new ground thanks to his trio of Skrillex-produced bangers, Malik needs to hitch his wagon to an established partner who appreciates his pop roots but can excavate the R&B diamond inside him. Names like Jeremy Rose and Dev Hynes spring to mind, and considering Malik’s well-documented love of Drake, we’d love to see a Majid Jordan–produced track in his future.
2. Don’t shy away from transparency.
One Direction’s press access is largely limited to 15-minute chats during junkets, many of which are spent playing simplistic “would you rather?” games. In the past, Malik interviews have been subject to the band’s infamous list of vetoed talking points, but striking out on his own means the opportunity to open up and reveal what he’s actually feeling and thinking, as Bieber has done in recent interviews. As part of the group, Malik was always the more shy member, the one happy to hang back and let his more outspoken bandmates answer all the questions. Counteracting that introverted instinct will be tough for him, but it will ultimately allow audiences outside of the 1D diehards to learn what he’s really about.