On March 25th, 2015, Zayn Malik caused a hysteria. He decided to leave global phenomenon One Direction.

On March 25th, 2016, Zayn Malik caused a hysteria. He released his first solo album.

Fans have been anticipating this release since after they got over him leaving One Direction. There were many teasers during his one year break and that only built up the excitement. Mind of Mine was definitely worth the wait.

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MiNd of MiNdd (Intro)

At 57 seconds, the humming sound of MiNd of MiNdd prepares listeners for what Zayn has in store. The lyric “Open up to see what’s inside my mind”  gave me chills.

PILLOWTALK

Zayn’s first single. I remember begging my mom to let me buy it off of iTunes. It’s catchy! And the music video is…. unique. Nevertheless, it’s become a big hit. I always hear it on the radio.

iT’s YoU

Though not a single, iT’s YoU was released before the album and was a definite winner. This song completely contrasted Zayn’s first release and single, PILLOWTALK. He cut off the hard music and instead replaced it with a soft beat and angelic, smooth vocals. Once an albums out, I always skip songs that were released before the album. But this one? Never.

BeFoUr

This one! Definitely a radio song (not an insult!). It’s so upbeat and catchy. At one point, Zayn belts his heart out. Then there’s a part where the music takes a turn for the better.

sHe

Another poppy, catchy, feel-good song. The definition of mainstream. So good. 10/10.

dRuNk

You know those songs you can definitely see yourself listening to while take a long roadtrip to nowhere? DRuNk is one of those songs. It’s so chill.

INTERMISSION: fLoWer

Though short, this song is hands down my favorite song off the album. One reason is because of its simplicity:

Until the flower of love blossoms,

This heart won’t be at peace.

Give me your heart,

Give me your heart.

The other reason this song makes the top of my list is because Zayn sings it entirely in Urdu, his father’s native language. When in One Direction, Zayn struggled with expressing his culture and identity. I can only imagine what he felt to make a song like this. It’s so simple and beautiful. I’m so proud. Definitely give it a listen.

rEaR vIeW

This song gives me a 2008 Chris Brown vibe – except very modern. It became a favorite the second I heard it. God, I can imagine an amazing dance routine to this song. It’s a chill, feel-good song.

wRoNg (feat. Kehlani)

The song everyone was waiting for. Kehlani is the only artist Zayn collaborated with in this album and, man, this song did not disappoint. The slow, yet poppy, music, mixed with their wonderful voices, made this song a fan favorite.

fOoL fOr YoU

My #2. I don’t know what it is about this song. It’s a little jazzy and gospely. It’s so good. A sweet love song that, for personal reasons, reminds me of “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch” by The Temptations. It’s different from the other songs in this album. A very good kind of different. Clever to begin and end the song with “This love is tainted”.

tRuTh

I didn’t pay attention to the lyrics of this song until the fourth or fifth listen and oh, it’s some major shade. This song is a huge indirect to the people who owned him while he was in One Direction. Well, not owned, but… owned. It’s complicated.

Don’t know how many times
I’ve had to say this to you
This ain’t my scene
This wasn’t my dream
It was all yours
All of course.

Zayn’s made it known how trapped he felt being in One Direction. This song is about the people who made him feel this way. You go, Zayn.

lUcOzAdE

To be honest, this song wasn’t a favorite. But after listening to it earlier, I found I kind of like it. The beat is catchy and I love how the end of the song is a sudden stop.

TiO

This one kind of gives me The Weeknd vibes. I like the clicks and clacks and his high sweet voice. He has a high, long note towards the end too.

BLUE

Having trouble sleeping at night? Listen to this song.

But I don’t mean that in a bad way. The boy is whispering for crying out loud. But it’s so lovely. And, if the title doesn’t make it obvious, it’s sad too. This one’s also a fan favorite and I can see why. God, he’s so good at this singing thing. Great career choice.

BRIGHT

This song is another chill, kick-back kind of song. I’m currently listening to this song and wow, I actually really like it.

LIKE I WOULD

SO CATCHY! This song is the second single off of Mind of Mine. Great decision.

The chorus grew on me. This one’s about knowing you can treat someone better than they’re being treated. Same ol’, same ol’. But still so good.

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Overall, Mind of Mine was definitely worth the wait. It broke hearts and records. This is only the beginning for Zayn, I can’t wait to see what’s left in store.