“That might not sound right, but that's okay, it's true/ I'm finding my way on the highway this year.” Delivered in a serene light and surrounded by house guitars, the chorus of “Concrete Kisses” is at the heart of Room under the stairsZayn's fourth solo studio album and what is clearly a transitional project from the 31-year-old star.
In the years since becoming a huge pop figure as part of One Direction – and then the first member of the group to embark on a solo career – Zayn has remained prolific and scored real rhythmic pop hits. But he's also fended off the trappings of modern pop stardom, from months-long tours to social media check-ins, and he's also rattled whenever he's pigeonholed into a musical trend or sonic identity. Enter Dave Cobb — the Nashville producer known for his country and Americana work with artists like Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile and Jason Isbell — who helped Zayn unlock a new version of his studio persona .
Although Room under the stairs rooted in pop songwriting, Zayn has adopted a gritty sound and heavier vocal delivery, layering over wooden guitar work and blending syllables together in a tender pattern. The lyrics often become confessional and deal with growing pains, with few decisions revealed as Zayn continues a self-reflective journey towards true art. Potential hits are rare in the tracklist, but that's exactly the point. Zayn has dominated mainstream radio and is ready for something he perceives as more meaningful.
Room under the stairs is an incomplete entry in Zayn's discography, but whether now or in the future, he'd likely admit that he used this album to build toward something bigger—to locate and expand a deeper authenticity. He has created a more interesting future to do so, and in the meantime, we can listen and enjoy his development in real time.
Although the total of Room under the stairs Worth exploring, here's a preliminary ranking of the best songs on Zayn's latest full-length.
-
“How Does It Feel”
Zayn aims for a folksy musing on “How It Feels” — the song opens with “I've been getting old standin' by the river,” after all — and winds up in a haunting ballad, repeating the line “breaking my heart” as the piano plays his pain. The song finds the singer demanding authenticity while struggling to find solid ground and ending up in medias res, the tenderness of his voice releasing its grip on the track and flying away.
-
“Gates of Hell”
Placed after the great “Stardust” on the tracklist, “Gates of Hell” turns sweet into sour, as Zayn downplays his grievances (“I don't like you much/ But I still put up with your s–t”) and slips away his naysayers amid unruly guitar strums. For those waiting to hear Zayn completely step away from any 1D sheen, “Gates of Hell” is the song for you — it's raw, rough around the edges, and incredibly indifferent to pop charm.
-
“Concrete Kisses”
“We plan, God laughs,” goes the old saying, and “Specific Kisses” captures those intentions going awry — with Zayn wanting to settle down for a relaxing cup of coffee and instead landing on his face. The song breaks out of misery with keyboard work and full-on soul-rock, including an outro that lets Zayn get over his woes before letting the instruments breathe and settle into his new reality.
-
“Dream”
Zayn's sonic reinvention immediately reaches the Room under the stairs tracklist, as opener 'Dreamin' combines its general sense of longing with blues-rock that taps into listener involvement. His voice moves with ease on the switch, dropping over the guitar and lengthening the syllables on lines like “IIIII I have i dreamed wow“so” to capture his desire for more.
-
“Shoot at will”
When Zayn sings “When I look at her, all I see is you/ When you look at, do you see me, too?”, in the middle of “Shoot At Will,” he's looking for a resemblance to home, to The his daughter's face is a symbol of connection between generations. Though Zayn spends much of “Shoot At Will” sounding resigned to an unhappy fate, the tender acoustic guitar offers a glimmer of hope as the song threatens to veer into gritty folk pop but never quite crosses the threshold.
-
“Grateful”
“When I tell this story it's complicated / Some misfortunes I've mourned, but I'm thankful for it,” Zayn sings on “Grateful,” his falsetto joining his voice in harmony to convey the urgency of his message. He sounds fully unlocked over the swinging rock production here, embracing past mistakes and comfortable in his current skin. that force of personality drives “Grateful,” as if Zayn's confidence convinces the listener to buy it.
-
“Time”
Maybe it's the honeyed mix of guitar and drums, or the way Zayn rolls through lines like “Time's running its own game” with maximum twang, but it's not hard to imagine a song like “The Time” receiving some attention for country radio. Working his way through a tangle of thoughts with confidence, Zayn reflects on his shift in priorities through the lens of early fame, choosing quiet moments in a shared bed as his preferred adoration over international stardom.
-
“Birds On a Cloud”
Zayn's voice deliberately lowers on “Birds on a Cloud,” pleading for “one more day of happiness,” while sounding emotionally wobbly and admitting that even if his love is flawed, he needs it to feel complete. The fragility of the performance is effective given the lyrical themes: Even as the production progresses, Zayn sounds broken on the track, trying to gather himself and keep up with the changing world around him.
-
“What am I”
As the lead single from Room under the stairs, “What I Am” was an absolute stunner upon release, taking Zayn completely away from his previous rhythmic pop territory and ushering in a folky new beginning. The track sounds more at home in the context of the full album, though it remains effective as a statement of intent — there are no half measures in this makeover, and co-producer Dave Cobb is on board to help the singer a rustic new singalong.
-
“alienated”
Zayn has stated that “Alienated” was “the first song I wrote for the album, so it set the tone for the whole project”. indeed, the song sweeps as a basis for Room under the stairs, taking into account Zayn's raw banter, country-rock undertones, and an entertainment that ties the song to his past. “Alienated” will excite fans of Chris Stapleton's songcraft, but when Zayn hits that falsetto on the hook, the song declares itself unique in his skill set.
-
“False starts”
“False Starts” is an invitation to a fresh start, both personal and artistic: “No one should ever know/But I know I gotta go,” Zayn concludes after reflecting on subtle advances and opportunities that didn't work out. . Although the understated production underscores the calm acceptance of the changes Zayn sings about, the vocal performance on “False Start” becomes dynamic enough to carry the song, with the singer leaning into his falsetto and showing off his full range technical talent. .
-
“Fuchsia Sea”
Although Zayn closes Room under the stairs its shortest track, “Fuchsia Sea” pulls several interesting threads in under two and a half minutes, including a wall of harmonies not previously heard on the album, and a dynamic soul only hinted at elsewhere. The wounded vocal take — “How can you break when you're broken to begin with?” Zayn asks at one point — it feels authentic and gritty, helping propel “Fuchsia Sea” to the top of the album's finale.
-
“My wife”
“My Woman” features a handful of clever tricks from Zayn: The chorus, which was first developed as a wildfire, turns into an arena shout on its second use, and the wordplay in the verses is clever enough to take a few listens It sinks in completely. However, the track also works as a simple, spaced-out rocker, with Zayn hovering over a collection of guitars, keyboards and drums and threatening to shred, “just for fun”.
-
“Something in the Water”
In a song that focuses on a relationship that feels so natural it's like the oxygen he breathes, Zayn finds a beautiful meeting point between the R&B stylings of his solo past and the more guitar-driven he explores on the rest of the tracks. Room under the stairs. The way the word 'water' is distorted at the end of the opening chorus suggests a departure from the album's acoustic chorus, but the hook on 'Something in the Water' is a gem among genres, giving Zayn a chance to delves into Wedding Song Material in earnest.
-
“Stardust”
When a pop artist makes a sharp stylistic turn, they will usually draw on their previous work, however subtly, to illustrate their new evolution. On “Stardust,” the clear track from Room under the stairs, Zayn works with a different sound than he's used to, but builds on his worn vocal warmth and previous iterations of the fluttery romantic. “Stardust” benefits from a sense of rhythm and beautifully crafted hooks, but Zayn gives the song a personality and turns it into a career highlight.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/zayn-room-under-the-stairs-songs-ranked/