By Camila Bagley ’17, Contributor

Amongst the rampant tears and chaos that occurred last year due to Malik’s departure from famed boyband One Direction, Malik has begun writing and recording his new album. This album is due March of 2016 and Malik has already released one single, “Pillow Talk”. The single debuted at #1 on the Hot 100, a feat unheard of for a new artist. However, Malik along with his former bandmates have been recording hits outside of One Direction since 2011. How much of this song’s success is based on talent and how much is based on the former boybander’s pre-existent fame and hype?

Malik’s producer “Method Man” has worked with big names such as Frank Ocean to create unique, alternative R&B-sounding albums. Because of Malik’s statements saying he left One Direction to write songs that reflect his R&B style, many expected a ‘The Weeknd” style of music in order to shake his image as a cookie-cutter boybander. “Pillow Talk” delivers on this front with lyrics that do more than just hint at Malik’s adult lifestyle, as One Direction’s music had in the past. However, these lyrics are decidedly cliché and filled with typical metaphors used in pop music. As Malik crones his first line, “Climb on board…” the song takes off on a plethora of almost corny lines used as innuendo and imagery.

The real strength of Malik’s single is the raw singing ability exhibited in those trite verses that many One Direction fans will be familiar with. Despite Malik’s claims otherwise, the distinct ‘popness’ of his single, and his inherent attractiveness has followed the pattern of the “pop star” formula. Malik is poised to reign as a star more in the field in of pop than alternative R&B.