Zayn Malik has penned a song about a special someone, and it’s not girlfriend Gigi Hadid – it’s his father.
The singer’s song Flower is for his father Yaser Malik, and it’s sung in Urdu, one of the six official languages of India.
“One day when I was working with [record producer] Malay, we got to talking about my dad. I was telling Malay about my relationship with him and how important it was for me to do well for him, to earn his approval,” he said.
Father: Zayn penned a song for his father | INSTAGRAM
For the song, Zayn wanted to express himself to his parents and learned to play the Martin Backpacker, a small musical instrument that’s similar to a mini guitar.
“He wanted the best for me, and I wanted to please him in return,” Zayn revealed in his new autobiography.
“I wanted to show him, as much as everyone else, that I could do it, and once the tracks started coming together with Malay and a number of other producers I’d been working with, I began to feel that I was really able to express myself vocally and I hoped my parents were going to see it from my side.
“Back in the city, we were hanging out one day, shopping for musical instruments, and I told Malay that I wanted to play a lot more guitar. That’s when he told me about the Martin Backpacker.”
Inspiration: Zayn’s new song is sung in Urdu, one of the six official languages of India | INSTAGRAM
The 23-year-old was not only inspired by his father and his new guitar to pen Flower but also the work from Pakistani musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
“Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan passed away in 1997, but in May 2016 I heard talk that his nephew wanted to perform with me, to do a gig somewhere in India.
“He had taken on being the main guy in the band after his uncle’s death and, once he’d heard the story of Flower, he reached out,” he added.
“Doing something with him – anything – would be an honour. Fingers crossed we can make it work.”
