Zayn Appears to Sample Jimi Hendrix on His New Song
Zayn Malik‘s music journey over the past decade has seen the singer go from boy band to solo star, covering several different genres along the way. In his latest new song, Zayn seemingly sings alongside Jimi Hendrix, regarded by many as one of rock’s most legendary artists.
Zayn released his album ‘Nobody Is Listening’ in 2021
Zayn was first introduced to audiences everywhere as a member of One Direction at the turn of the last decade. He eventually became the first singer to leave the group, before Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Liam Payne embarked on their own solo careers.
Zayn released his debut solo album Mind of Mine in 2016, fronted by the lead single “Pillowtalk.” The song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the album was certified platinum with over one million copies sold in the US. The following year, he and Taylor Swift teamed up for “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” from the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack; the song reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart.
He released his sophomore album Icarus Falls in 2018, which contained nearly 30 tracks and collaborations with artists like Nicki Minaj and Sia. He even sang a cover of the beloved Aladdin song “A Whole New World” for the live-action remake of the animated film.
His third album, Nobody Is Listening, arrived in January 2021, led by singles “Better” and “Vibez.”
Zayn seemingly samples Jimi Hendrix’s song ‘Angel’ in his new music
In a cryptic tweet posted in November 2022, Zayn gave a hint into his latest new song. The 15-second snippet contains nothing more than the voice of Jimi Hendrix singing his song “Angel” from the 1971 posthumous album The Cry of Love. It’s unclear if Zayn samples “Angel” in his new song, or if he will be covering the song himself.
The track is presumably taken from his upcoming fourth solo album. Zayn spoke about the project in a 2021 interview with Vogue.
“I’m always writing and recording. I’m currently working on my next record,” he said. “I plan to release this album differently than I’ve done before, so it is exciting.”
Other artists have sampled Jimi Hendrix over the years
Zayn is just one of many artists who have incorporated the work of Jimi Hendrix into their own music over the years.
Hendrix’s song “Are You Experienced?”, for example, has been sampled in songs like “Passin’ Me By” by The Pharcyde and “B-Boy Bouillabaisse” by the Beastie Boys. Hendrix’s “Little Miss Lover” has been featured in tracks including “Scenario” by A Tribe Called Quest, “Crack Rock” by Frank Ocean, and “Tick, Tick, Bang” by Prince.
“Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” one of Hendrix’s calling card from The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s final album Electric Ladyland, was also sampled by the Beastie Boys in their song “Jimmy James.” It’s also been sampled in songs like “Fame” by Vanilla Ice and “Livin’ in the Know” by Mötley Crüe. “Purple Haze,” meanwhile, was used in songs such as “How High” by Method Man and Redman.
