Zayn releases his new album 'Room Under The Stairs'

He's says it's his 'favourite album' to date

Zayn Malik
Author: Anna Sky MagliolaPublished 17th May 2024
Last updated 17th May 2024

It's good news for fans as Zayn has now dropped his new album 'Room Under The Stairs'! In preparation for the album, the singer cleared his Instagram page at the start of April, and released two singles 'What I Am' and 'Alienated'. In a video he posted he also talked about his 'raw' album, which he has written himself.

Before the album's release on 17th May, he also shared further details of his new music, including the name, artwork and release date. The singer captioned the artwork: 'ROOM UNDER THE STAIRS 17.05.2024 PRE-ORDER FRIDAY'.

Since sharing the news, fans have been taking to the comments to show their excitement. One wrote: 'THE ARTWORK🙌🏾', another wrote: 'THE ALBUM WHAT'.

A third fan commented: 'CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS MASTERPIECE 🔥♥️', with another adding: 'WE FINALLY GOT THE Z4 ANNOUNCEMENT IM ALIVE!!!' (sic)

What has Zayn said about his album?

In the video Zayn shared in March, he can be seen on camera with a dog, while he is also heard as a voiceover saying: "I think the intention behind this album fully is for the listener to get you know, 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? There's just me writing this."

Zayn goes on to say: "I didn't want anyone else to be in between me and the music, and the music and the people listening to it."

In the video, which has now had more than 1.7 million likes on Instagram alone, a clip from his new song can also be heard, with the lyrics: "If I told you I loved you, would you say that it's f---ed up?"

Since sharing this video fans couldn't contain their excitement. One fan commented: 'ZAYN IS COMING STRONGER THAN EVER', with another saying: 'OMGGGG HE’S COMING !!!'. (sic)

He later opened up in a release where he said: 'This is my favourite album that I've made to date'.

Zayn

He went on to explain: "Mainly because it comes from a place of sheer honesty and vulnerability. I wanted each song to feel as if it was just me sitting beside you telling you how I feel, singing directly to you. It’s raw and stripped back and the type of music I always hoped to make.

"Working with Dave Cobb has been an amazing experience. The way he’s elevated the music is second to none, and he has done an incredible job helping me create this record. I hope we can take listeners on some whimsical, magical journey, and that they enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it."

Zayn continued: "I think just being where I was at that time, staying away from things and living with my own thoughts inspired me to want to write something from that place. I’ve got to put this out as a whole body of work, it’s something for myself, not even just for the world."

What do we know about 'Z4'?

It was way back in 2022 that excitement first started to brew around the prospect of 'Z4'. Refraining from doing a big social post about his new music, Zayn opted for a subtle update to his Spotify bio, which simply read: 'ZAYN is currently working on his highly anticipated fourth studio album.'

Screenshots of this update were widely shared on social media, with fans eager to find out more.

One fan wrote: 'Zayn's amazing, his albums are so well-written and he's an incredible singer. I doubt his new album is going to be any different in terms of songwriting and singing.' Another wrote: 'Can't wait to hear one of the best vocalists of his generation new album.'

Since leaving One Direction, Zayn has released three solo albums, 'Mind of Mine', 'Icarus Falls', and 'Nobody Is Listening', featuring hits such as 'Pillowtalk', 'I Don't Wanna Live Forever' with Taylor Swift, and 'Dusk Till Dawn' featuring Sia.

When is Zayn's fourth album out?

Zayn's album was released 17th May 2024.

What is Zayn's next album called?

Zayn's fourth album is called 'Room Under The Stairs'.

What is the album tracklist?

On 10th April, Zayn released the tracklist, which included 15 songs, the full list is below.

  1. 'Dreamin''
  2. 'What I Am'
  3. 'Grateful'
  4. 'Alienated'
  5. 'My Woman'
  6. 'How It Feels'
  7. 'Stardust'
  8. 'Gates of Hell'
  9. 'Birds on a Cloud'
  10. 'Concrete Kisses'
  11. 'False Starts'
  12. 'The Time'
  13. 'Something In the Water'
  14. 'Shoot At Will'
  15. 'Fuchsia Sea'

Will there be any collabs on Zayn's album?

It's not yet been revealed if there are any collabs on the new album, although the tracklist doesn't suggest there are any. However, fans were speculating that there could be a Miley Cyrus collab and another with Selena Gomez in the works.

Now take a look through One Direction through the years:

2010: One Direction were born on The X Factor

One Direction formed on The X Factor in 2010. Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik auditioned as individual contestants and were put together as a group by Simon Cowell and guest judge Nicole Scherzinger.

2010: One Direction finish in third place on The X Factor

Despite racking up an army of fans during their time on the show, One Direction didn't win The X Factor. Instead they finished in third place behind Rebecca Ferguson and winner Matt Cardle.

2011: One Direction release first single 'What Makes You Beautiful'

After landing a record deal following their appearance on The X Factor, One Direction released their first ever single 'What Makes You Beautiful' in September 2011.


The single, which hit the Number 1 spot in the UK charts, served as the lead single from their debut album 'Up All Night'.

2011: One Direction release their debut album 'Up All Night'

The 1D boys recorded their debut album in the UK, America and Sweden, releasing 'Up All Night' in November 2011 in the UK and Ireland.


The album featured lead single 'What Makes You Beautiful', as well as future singles, 'Gotta Be You' and 'One Thing'.

2011: One Direction return to The X Factor

After a successful year in the music industry, One Direction returned to the show that made them famous, to perform their single 'Gotta Be You'.

2011-2012: The Up All Night Tour

Following the success of their debut album, One Direction kicked off their 'The Up All Night Tour' in December 2011, going on to play 54 dates across the UK, Ireland, Oceania and North America.


The tour was an instant success, with tickets for all dates selling out within a matter of minutes of going on sale. The tour was later turned into a DVD, titled Up All Night: The Live Tour.

2012: One Direction release second album 'Take Me Home'

One Direction didn't wait long before they released their second studio album! Titled 'Take Me Home', the boys dropped the album in November 2012, with it going on to top the charts in 35 countries!


'Take Me Home' featured singles such as 'Live While We're Young', 'Kiss You' and 'Little Things'.

2012: One Direction win their first ever BRIT Award

2012 was a great year for One Direction! The band picked up their first ever BRIT Award in the British Single category, for their debut single 'What Makes You Beautiful'.


The band beat the likes of Adele, Ed Sheeran, JLS and Olly Murs to pick up the gong, which became the first of seven for the band over the years.

2012: One Direction launch their own dolls

As if dominating the charts wasn't enough, the One Direction boys teamed up with Hasbro in 2012 to launch their very own range of plastic dolls.

2013: The Take Me Home Tour

After the worldwide success of their debut tour, One Direction went on their 'Take Me Home' tour in 2013, playing at sold-out shows in countries like England, China, Australia and America.

2013: One Direction: This Is Us

Whilst touring the world with the 'Take Me Home' tour in 2013, One Direction released a 3D-documentary film about their time on the road, titled One Direction: This Is Us.


The film, which showed clips of the boys on stage and behind the scenes, grossed $68 million worldwide.

2013: One Direction release their third album 'Midnight Memories'

Just weeks after finishing their massive 'Take Me Home' tour, One Direction dropped their third studio album, titled 'Midnight Memories'.


The album flew straight to Number 1 in both the UK and the US, becoming the fastest selling album of 2013, despite being released just a few weeks before 2014.


The record featured the singles, 'Best Song Ever', 'Story of My Life', 'Midnight Memories', and 'You & I'.

2013: One Direction release charity single for Comic Relief

The One Direction boys did their bit for charity in 2013, mashing-up a medley of Blondie's 'One Way or Another' and The Undertones' 'Teenage Kicks'.


The track titled 'One Way Or Another (Teenage Kicks)' was released as the official Red Nose Day single in 2013, with then Prime Minister David Cameron even making a cameo appearance in the music video.

2013: One Direction land in Madame Tussauds

In 2013, One Direction become the first boy band to be created into waxworks for Madame Tussauds London since The Beatles' figures in 1964.


The waxworks were one of the museum's most popular instalments of the last decade, and we can see why!

2014: The Where We Are Tour

Following on from their mammoth 2013 tour, the 1D boys went back out on the road in 2014, this time with their 'Where We Are Tour'.


Playing at sold-out dates across the world, the tour ran between April and October, with the boys performing at 69 shows in total.


The tour was the band's biggest to date, with over 3,439,560 million fans turning up to see their idols perform.

2014: One Direction release their fourth album

Released in November 2014, One Direction released their final album as a five-piece, titled 'Four'.


The album, which featured hits like 'Steal My Girl' and 'Stockholm Syndrome', debuted at Number 1 in a massive 18 countries!

2015: One Direction kick off their On The Road Again Tour

In February 2015, Harry, Zayn, Liam, Louis and Niall kicked off their fourth tour, titled 'On The Road Again'. The tour, which turned out to be their last as a band of five, grossed $208 million from 80 shows.

2015: Zayn announces he's leaving

Zayn Malik broke the hearts of many One Direction fans in March 2015, announcing he was leaving the popular group.


One Direction said in a statement at the time, "After five incredible years Zayn Malik has decided to leave One Direction. Niall, Harry, Liam and Louis will continue as a four-piece and look forward to the forthcoming concerts of their world tour and recording their fifth album, due to be released later this year."

2015: One Direction continues as a group of four

Harry, Louis, Niall and Liam continued One Direction as a four-piece, finishing their 'On The Road Again' tour in October 2015.

2015: One Direction release their final album

The One Direction boys dropped their first album as a four-piece in November 2015, titled 'Made In The A.M.'


The album, which turned out to be the band's last, featured singles like 'Drag Me Down', 'Perfect' and 'History', and went on to be the sixth best-selling album of 2015.

2015: One Direction announce their hiatus

Much to the heartbreak of fans across the world, One Direction announced they would be taking an extended hiatus, which would start in 2016.

2015: One Direction return to The X Factor for a final time

After confirming they were set to take a break, Harry, Louis, Liam and Niall performed at The X Factor final in December 2015, leaving fans in tears as they performed 'History'.


Simon Cowell thanked the band for their hard work over the years, expressing his admiration for the group.

2016: One Direction start their hiatus

Following their final televised performance on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve on 31st December 2015, the One Direction boys went their separate ways, all going on to release solo music.

2016: Louis Tomlinson becomes a dad

In January 2016, Louis announced the birth of his son Freddie Reign Tomlinson with his ex-girlfriend Brianne Jungwirth.


The singer uploaded this cute photo to his Instagram page and wrote on Twitter, 'I'm pleased to say my baby son was born yesterday :) He is healthy and pretty amazing :) I'm very happy!!'. (sic)

'I Don't Wanna Live Forever' with Zayn - 2017

This track was recorded for the soundtrack to 'Fifty Shades Darker', it was the most popular hit from the movie franchise.


Listen to 'I Don't Wanna Live Forever' on YouTube.

2016: Niall Horan releases his debut solo single 'This Town'

Niall delighted One Direction fans in September 2016 when he dropped his debut solo single 'This Town'. The track was the lead single from his debut album 'Flicker' which was released in 2017.


The singer went on to release hits such as 'Slow Hands' and 'Nice To Meet Ya', before dropping his second solo album, titled 'Heartbreak Weather' in March 2020.

2016: Louis Tomlinson teams up with Steve Aoki

Louis teamed up with American DJ Steve Aoki to release his debut solo single 'Just Hold On' in December 2016. Just days after the tragic death of his mum Johannah Deakin, Louis gave an emotional performance of the track on The X Factor.


The singer went on to release hits like 'Miss You', 'Back To You' and 'We Made It', before dropping his debut solo album 'Walls' in January 2020.

2017: One Direction win their seventh BRIT Award

Despite being on a hiatus, Liam and Louis attended the 2017 BRIT Awards to collect the band's seventh BRIT Award! The band picked up an award in the Best Video category for their single 'History'.

2017: Liam Payne becomes a dad

In March 2017, after one of the most secretive pregnancies ever, Liam announced he'd become a dad after his then girlfriend Cheryl Cole had given birth to a baby boy called Bear Grey Payne.


The couple split in 2018.

2017: Harry Styles releases debut solo music

After much anticipation, in April 2017 Harry released his debut solo single 'Sign Of The Times', showing a complete different sound to One Direction.


The singer went on to release his self-titled debut album in the same year, before dropping his second album 'Fine Line' in 2019.


In May 2020, Harry excited fans by releasing the amazing music video for his latest single 'Watermelon Sugar'.

2017: Liam Payne kicked off his solo career

Liam dropped his debut solo single 'Strip That Down' in 2017, before going on to release hits like 'Get Low', 'For You' and 'Bedroom Floor'.


Despite making fans wait, Liam went on to drop his debut solo album 'LP1' in December 2019, before teaming up with Alesso for the single 'Midnight' in 2020.

2017: Harry Styles made his acting debut

After releasing his debut solo music, Harry also landed a role in Christopher Nolan's box office movie Dunkirk!


Harry played the role of a young solider called Alex, as hundreds of thousands of soldiers tried to evacuate from Dunkirk beach during the early stages of World War II.

2020: Zayn Malik announces he's going to become a dad

After years of dating on and off, in 2020 American model Gigi Hadid announced she was expecting her first child with former 1D singer Zayn Malik! They welcomed a baby girl called Khai in September 2020, before splitting in October 2021.

2020: One Direction reunion rumours

After years of working on their solo careers, rumours of a One Direction reunion really started to become more frequent in 2020, as the boys celebrate their 10th year anniversary.


Despite a number of the lads teasing the possibility of a 1D reunion, it didn't materialise.

2022: One Direction's 'Drag Me Down' music video reaches 1 billion views

In May 2022, One Direction's 'Drag Me Down' music video reached 1 billion views on YouTube. The song was originally released in 2015, it was the first music video to not feature former member Zayn Malik, who had left earlier that year.

2023: One Direction's 'What Makes You Beautiful' reaches 1 billion streams

'What Makes You Beautiful' was the debut song released by One Direction back in 2011 and in August it reached 1 billion streams. It has already surpassed 1 billion views for the music video on YouTube.

2023: Harry thanks Niall, Louis, Liam and Zayn as he collects four BRIT Awards

At The BRIT Awards 2023 with Mastercard, Harry won all four awards he was nominated for, taking home the awards for Pop/R&B Act, Artist of the Year, Song of The Year ('As It Was'), and Album of the Year (Harry's House).


He said in one of his acceptance speeches: "Thank you again, I'm going to start by thanking my family for being the most supportive, understanding, patient, loving family I could have ever asked for. I want to thank my mum for signing me up for X Factor without telling me, so I literally wouldn't be here without you.

"I want to thank Niall, Louis, Liam and Zayn, thank you so much. I'm really really grateful and I'm very aware of my privilege up here tonight, so this award is for Rina, Charlie, Florence, Mabel and Becky. Thank you so much."

2024: Liam releases new single 'Teardrops'

Liam delighted fans in February 2024 by releasing a new single called 'Teardrops'. This came after Liam previously teased new music on his Instagram page.


Shortly after its release, Liam also shared an acoustic version on his Insta page.

February 2024: Niall takes 'The Show' live on tour

Niall began a massive world tour entitled 'The Show Live On Tour', which included several UK dates. Due to popular demand, extra dates were added.

June 2024: Louis Tomlinson's live streams final stadium show of back-to-back world tours

Louis Tomlinson became the first male solo artist to headline the home of the Mexican F1 Grand Prix, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

For one night only, Louis took to the stage in Mexico, performing his last stadium show of his 'Faith In The Future World Tour', ending his two back-to-back world tours.

October 2024: Tributes pour in for the late Liam Payne

There was heartbreaking news on Wednesday 16th October, announcing that Liam Payne had sadly died at the age of 31. It was reported that the singer died after falling from a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the saddening news.

Following the tragic news breaking, tributes began to pour in for the late singer, including messages from Dermot O'Leary, Olly Murs, and Rylan Clark. From fellow celebs who worked with Liam, including the likes of Zedd, Charlie Puth and Cher Lloyd, who was on the same series of The X Factor as Liam.

Now read:

Zayn Malik: Everything you need to know about the former One Direction star

One Direction: 107 facts you never knew about the boys ❤️

The X Factor: A complete history of the show

How to listen to Downtown Radio:

Tune into Northern Ireland's Home of Great Music, Downtown Radio on FM, AM, DAB Digital Radio, online, on our Rayo app and by asking your smart speaker to 'Play Downtown Radio'. Gary & Glen kick things off every weekday morning and Neal McClelland brings you home on Downtown Drive.