M.I.A.’s New Album AIM Will Feature Zayn Malik
She’s been chatting with the former One Directioner through WhatsApp.
In a new interview with with Entertainment Weekly, M.I.A. revealed that her upcoming album AIM. features a song called "Freedun," a collaboration with Zayn Malik.
Speaking on the phone from India, M.I.A. discussed working with Malik through instant messages. “We just basically did it while I was here, because I’ve been here for a week-and-a-half. We’ve just been going back and forth on, you know, WhatsApp.” Their working relationship began when she was enlisted to work on songs for Malik's solo debut Mind of Mine. “I really wanted to write a song for Zayn….We had a couple people in common. And that’s how it came about. I didn’t really approach him for my own record until later on. First, I thought I wanted to try writing a song for him.”
She also touched on her desire to take a break from music following the release of AIM, instead of an all-out retirement she had previously indicated. “I want to do something else for a bit,” she said. “When you get into music and you get into a cycle of a record, how life goes, is very fast. You don’t get to just live things out and get involved with communities. I want to spend some time in Greece, make a documentary [there]. Something useful for a bit.”
AIM is out September 9. Watch the video for the previous shared single "Go Off" below.