#Zayn reviews

[seasurfacefullofclouds1]

For someone who seemingly doesn’t enjoy touring, and the pressure of live performance, Zayn doesn’t hold back. It’s an 18-strong set list, delivered succinctly, with the minimum of fuss – all music, no hype. He’s clad in a Nirvana t-shirt and a loose top, a porkpie hat annointed on his head. Every detail, every hand gesture counts – when Zayn opts to remove his top, the screams reach new, almighty levels.

At times, he’s semi-stunned, not sure how to respond. “Fuck yeah, you guys are loud!” he offers, laughing self-consciously in the process. It’s been a long road to get here – at one point, fans could be forgiven for feeling that Zayn was lost to music. The gospel touches in opening song ‘My Woman’ offer something soothing, while ‘Dreamin’ and ‘Lied To’ are early highlights. The pacing is patient, the band behind him immaculately well-rehearsed.

It’s never marbled, or overly professional. There’s a humanity to Zayn Malik that he can’t hide – the Yorkshire twang is still there, and for all his evident shy reserve there’s also a quiet joy at being onstage.

Zayn Malik’s eventim Apollo Show Is An Emotional Triumph, ROBIN MURRAY 28 · 11 · 2024

[zot3-flopped]

[keepingupwithzaynmalik]

review | zayn malik live in london

Zayn Malik transformed London’s Eventim Apollo into an intimate haven for his long-awaited Stairway to the Sky tour. Nearly a decade after leaving One Direction and battling stage fright, Malik’s sold-out show proved to be a triumphant return to live music and a testament to his own personal growth. Opening with My Woman, Malik captivated the audience with a stripped-back set that showcased his vocals. Malik’s gratitude to his fans for staying with him through his mental health struggles was clear as he addressed the crowd, saying, “thank you for supporting me for the past 14 years of my life… we are here because of you.”

A standout moment came during It’s You, performed under a spotlight that made the iconic venue feel close and intimate. The R&B singer also performed fan favourites like PILLOWTALK and Sweat which ended with Malik humorously saying, “I dunno about you, but I’m definitely sweating after that one.” While Malik was undeniably the star, his band and backing singers creating a vibrant dynamic that elevated tracks like ignorance ain’t bliss. His ability to blend introspective artistry with moments of lighthearted charm made the night unforgettable.

Malik closed the show on an emotional note with Stardust as a memorial displayed the words “Liam Payne 1993 – 2024: Love you bro” in tribute to his late former One Direction band mate. Malik’s return to a live stage was not just a celebration of his music, but also a personal victory, proving that his journey—both musical and personal—was worth the wait.

VIA SCHON MAGAZINE

[hwanghyunjinmakesmeuwu]

Soooo I've been delving into the world of otome games and well there are two I am currently OBSESSED with. So imma give y'all my opinion on both games and which of the main characters I like :)

Game 1, Love And Deepspace:

Lemme tell you, this game is captivating in the best way possible and all of the features are just amazing?? Like you can get so far in like 5 days and then you kinda have to grind and wait for the next day to level up and progress but once you get the hang of the game it's honestly so immersive. I can be on there for hours just messing around with the dating aspect of it. Like omgggg. As for my favourite boys, Y'all I am simping HARD for Sylus rn and I'm so sad I've already played through what's available for his main story. So like over all of the available boys to date etc, Sylus is my number one overall. As for the main story line of the main 3 boys, Zayne is absolutely taking my heart and running with it ngl. Like just look at these men.

Sylus:

Zayne:

Y'all have no idea how much I love both of them fhdjdjeh.

Game 2, Error 143:

YO WENT I TELL YOU THIS LIL INDIE GAME ON STEAM CAPTURED MY HEART ONLY HOURS AGO. Like I just downloaded it cause it looked kinda interesting but HOLY FUCK am I incredibly hooked now. Like just talking to Micah was so fun and like,,, it felt too real BC the way the MC's dialogue is, it's genuinely how I'd talk to people and how my attitude towards people are. Like the whole game is obviously older Gen Z coded from the way Micah talks to you and the slang used etc. It's genuinely so immersive and it's only like a couple of hours of gameplay if you're playing it for the first time but you can 100% speed run it in like 30 minutes. There are 3 endings, The Bad Ending, The Good Ending and The Secret Ending. I have gotten all 3 and I am waiting to grab the DLC and pay for the extra stuff the dev has put up on patreon. But like seriously, guys I am in love with Micah Yujin and I seriously hope the dev keeps updating this game and adding more content to it BC it's sooooo good!!

Genuinely the only gif I can find of him 😩 but he's such a cocky ass dorky guy and I love him with my whole heart.

Also go give the Dev of Error 143: @jennyvipham some love BC her game is genuinely amazing and it deserves so much more recognition and love ngl. She honestly deserves the world for bringing Micah into the world

[filmfauxpas]

One Direction: This is Us—Our Unhealthy Obsession with Celebrities

Eleven years ago, One Direction was at the height of their careers. The British boy band had just wrapped their third world tour and was preparing for their fourth, with 69 shows on the agenda. Now comfortable with each other, they released their third studio album, Midnight Memories. No longer teenagers, the members of One Direction wanted to show their maturity, promising an "edgier" and "rockier" sound, according to Louis Tomlinson. They swapped out the boy-next-door sonnets for more sexually charged lyrics, replaced acoustic guitars with electric ones, and delivered more upbeat hits than their previous albums. Just three months earlier, on August 30, 2013, the film One Direction: This Is Us premiered worldwide, giving fans an inside look at their lives on tour and the effects of fame.

This Is Us was filmed over four months, starting in January 2013 in Tokyo and finishing in London in April. During filming, the band members were between the ages of 20 and 22. While the film showcased the fun and excitement of their careers, it also gave the boys a chance to explain the hardships of their success and how it affected them. Grateful for their careers, members still expressed the challenges of adjusting to sudden global fame, like losing the ability to go out without protection and being away from their families. Whether intentional or not, the film also revealed just how overworked they were, detailing their demanding schedules filled with concerts, interviews, and recording sessions. A particularly telling moment shows a producer waking Zayn up on their tour bus to record, with a tired and young Zayn asking, "How long was I out?" to which the producer responds, "10 minutes."

While the life of any successful musician has its faults, it's important to ask: how much is too much? Watching the film again as a 23-year-old, I was struck by how young they were at the time. At 12, I thought being 22 was old, but seeing them now through a different lens was quite upsetting. Paul Higgins, One Direction’s bodyguard, described the boys situation well, stating “If you can imagine yourself being taken away at the age of 16 or 17 and then thrown into the spotlight... people are constantly around them, and to hold their form and cool, and to enjoy it and perform, it’s a big ask." Harry Styles chimed in adding, "There are definitely times where you’re not enjoying it the whole time. But then you have to step back for a second and try to weigh the pros and cons." While this reflection seems healthy, it also highlights the guilt that comes with success. It was hard watching the young men tiptoe around how they really felt, as everytime they expressed a hardship, they’d follow it up with how “lucky” they were to be in their position. However, I don’t find this lucky by any means—I find it quite the opposite. It is disheartening how a child's innocence is taken advantage of by others who see them as a dollar sign.

In light of One Direction member Liam Payne’s untimely death, fans are searching for the root cause of his addiction, which led to his passing. While no one can place the responsibility for someone’s life on external factors alone, Payne’s death prompts reflection on how unhealthy the constant public scrutiny of celebrities can be, and how fans can play a part in this toxicity as well. Starting on The X Factor, the boys were no strangers to the public eye, but they never expected to reach such stardom so quickly. Simon Cowell, a judge on the show and the band’s creator, noted how “strange” it was that people became obsessed with the five boys after just one performance. This obsession only grew, especially on social media platforms like Twitter and Tumblr, where fans dedicated entire blogs to discussing the band’s music, whereabouts, and their feelings about the members. As One Direction released songs about love and vulnerability, fans felt a personal connection to them, leading to a parasocial phenomenon among “Directioners.”

For instance, it became popular to write fanfiction about the members, creating imaginary romantic scenarios—sometimes between a fan and a band member, or even between the members themselves. While most fans acted out of love, these behaviors were harmful, often oversexualizing the young men and invading their privacy. As a result, One Direction was constantly surveilled and couldn't go out without security. Payne spoke openly about how this lack of freedom affected him, saying in an interview, “In the band… the best way to secure us, because of how big we’d got, was to lock us in our rooms. What’s in the room? A mini-bar. So at a certain point I thought, I’m just going to have a party-for-one, and that carried on for many years of my life.” He also spoke about the loneliness and lack of control he felt during and after this time, commenting, “There are times where that level of loneliness and people getting to you every day... you’re like, when will this end?”

X Factor winner Rebbeca Ferguson when asked about Payne's death said “[he] was a victim of an industry’s “exploitation and profiteering of young stars.” Claiming that it was a factor in his death. Although this narrative isn’t new—many child stars have struggled with substance abuse following early stardom—it raises an important question: how can we, as fans, make a conscious effort to respect celebrities' boundaries and view them as individuals rather than idols? Luckily, in just the last year the stigma of complying with “superfan” behavior has been challenged by artists who have spoken out against it like Chappell Roan, Tyler the Creator, Billie Eilish, and Hayley Willimas. Hopefully, as more voices join this conversation, we can see a shift toward a healthier, more respectful fan-celebrity relationships.

[starmocha]

I literally just wanted to listen to the song.

It sounds like it should be the end credit after you finish the main story and made it through an arduous journey, and now everyone is going to live happily ever after. This would be playing during an epilogue as it shows scenes of every single character going about their normal daily life. As the song ends, it will pan to the main characters, implying that this is just the beginning of the next stage of their lives.

[oliviam112]

this makes me cry

[survivalistghost]

it’s 2014 again and everyone is going crazy over zayn malik’s single strand.

except it’s 2024 and zayn malik is ahn bo hyun in flex x cop and im everyone.

[justchillinoutinmeb0x]

One Direction "If I Could Fly" Review

If you're new to this series I get sent a song from 1 direction (during 1d days or solo careers) and I review it. The ones I like will make a playlist that I'll share at the end of this series.

Thoughts from title: I feel like it'll be something sweet. Maybe something to do with dreams and aspirations

Initial reaction: God damnit, one of these days I'm gonna guess something right. Such beautiful lyrics. This is such a heartbreaking and heartwarming song at the same time.

Overall thoughts: I think this is by far my favorite 1d song I've heard. So beautiful, the music, the lyrics it's just absurd how amazing it is. I'll definitely be crying to this song In the future.

Favorite lyric(s): I've got scars, Even though they can't always be seen

For your eyes only I'll show you my heart

For when you're lonely And forget who you are

Overall rating: 9.5/10

Did it make the playlist? Obviously

Let me know what other songs you wanna see 💚💙🧡💛❤️

[maintohthakgayibhaishaab]

Zayn's new single. Tu hai Kahan remix is out now, on his birthday. please listen to it! a

[solarsonicsoda]

Wrestlemania Main Event Reviews - Wrestlemania XXXIX (Saturday)

Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn def. The Usos (Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso) (c) for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships in 24:17

Oh my god what a promo package. As a longtime Zayn & Owens fan now, this hit different. Simply electric. Now, Lil Uzi Vert is out first with his hair styled like Batman’s head in a rather impressive look, and he's singing a song. He does this to welcome the champions, The Usos. Now here comes KO, main eventing Night One for a second consecutive time. I never noticed his homages to PWG and Super Dragon on his trunks! Now here's Sami Zayn! The crowd sing along to Worlds Apart as the challengers walk their way to the ring. Cole makes a great point, while The Usos are part of a famous wrestling family, here in their showy white gear, Zayn & Owens are down to Earth, blue collar, and they walk to the ring in plain black zip-up hoodies. The titles are raised and we’re ready to go. 

Olé chants start things off as they take things in. Jey offers the tag and starts it off against Zayn. Lock up and Uso gains control. Lock up again and this time Zayn wins out from the rope rebound. Jimmy makes a secret tag and pulls the ropes to drop Zayn to the outside. A clothesline by Jimmy, a throw into the ringpost, then Jimmy tags Jey who hits a dive. Suplex and he takes it back in the ring. Attack in the ropes and Jimmy kicks Zayn as the referee is distracted. Tag again and Jimmy stomps Zayn. He strikes Owens and draws his ire. Tag again and a double team. Jey can't put Zayn away yet though, even if he's desperate for a tag. Zayn is able to fight back and drop both Usos to the outside and get the tag! From the top rope, cannonball! He takes both men out and hits Bullfrog Splashes on each Uso, Jimmy on the outside and Jey inside. No 3 though, and Jey is able to regain control with a neckbreaker. Owens put up top and Jimmy makes a tag but Owens fights back. Knees up by Jey from a Swanton though, then Himmy immediately follows with an Uso Splash for 2. Owens sodges the hip attack, two superkicks, then a Cannonball in the corner to Jimmy. He goes up top but Jey fights him. However, Zayn fights him off and hits a brainbuster on the apron! Swanton from Owens but no 3. Zayn is in and huts an Uso Splash but it's 2 again. Ole chants even louder now as Cole mentions El Generico on WWE TV! Graves says he’s glad that guy retired.

Jimmy fights back against a Blue Thunder Bomb and hits a superkick on Owens. Zayn is finally able to hit it but only after Jimmy tags Jey who immediately breaks the pin with a superkick. Some sort of flying superkick from Jey but Zayn kicks out. Superkick again from Jey and he tags Jimmy. They each hit one then a double superkick but Owens breaks up the pin. He gets his own superkick as the Usos tag again. They hound Sami and hit a double superkick to the back of the head of Zayn! He still won't stay down though. Tag again and double superkick again but Zayn kicks out. Tag again as they raise the ones and go for a 1D, but Owens pulls Jimmy from the ring. Jey kicks out of the roll up as Owens bounces Jimmy off of the announce table, He looks for a move through it but Jey runs in and helps his brother, as they drive him through an announce table. 1D on Zayn back in the ring, but kick out! Great reaction and the commentary sells it well. Jey begs Zayn to quit and beats him down in the corner. Zayn tries desperately to stand and Jey hits a Helluva Kick. Zayn falls into Jey as he mouths off again, but Exploder Suplex into the corner! Zayn tags Owens who hits pop-up powerbombs on both men. Owens screams “NOW” as Zayn hits a Helluva Kick on Jimmy, Owens hits a Stunner on Jey, but he kicks out at 2. Each team pull each other up on the mat and stare down as the crowd cheers. They start teeing off on each other. Superkick from Jimmy to Zayn, then one from Owens to Jimmy, then one to Jey. Pop-up powerbomb attempt but Jey vaults over after a secret tag by Jimmy. Superkicks each then a double superkick to Owens, and Zayn gets one on the apron too. Dragged over, tag, and Double Uso Splash. But Owens kicks out at two! Jey lifts up Owens in the corner, tags Jimmy, and double superkick in the corner. Tag again, and they put Owens up top. Jey has him superplex position but Zayn pulls out Jimmy and launches him over the announce table as Owens brings down Jey. Zayn runs to the corner and begs for the tag as the crowd goes wild. Jey is in the corner and Zayn hits the Helluva Kick! Jey falls into him, and after a moment he props him back up and hits another! But here comes Jimmy… but Owens is there with a Stunner. Zayn props Jey up once more, the crowd knows what's going to happen, and he hits one more Helluva Kick! 1, 2, 3! New champs as they quietly sit down and take it in. They embrace and get their titles, raising them as the fireworks go off. What a moment.

Pros: Emphatic victory, hot crowd, emotional moments, exciting action Cons: I can probably only wish I was more awake when I first saw it!

This is a pretty great match. Four awesome wrestlers, even if The Usos rely heavily on their superkicks throughout. Owens & Zayn getting this platform is absolutely awesome after all their years on the indies and work trying to get to this spot once in the WWE. It’s really less about the in-ring here and more about the moment, the energy, and the story. That's no knock on this match though, because it was all so good. A great pair of co-mains on this night for completely different reasons. But what a moment and the end of an always engaging match! 

4.5 STARS OUT OF 5

[louismygf]

just recently watched this is us with my college friends

[zot3-flopped]

Zayn Malik became the first former One Direction member to venture back on stage following the death of Liam Payne in October. No direct mention was made of his late bandmate during his set, but Zayn departed the stage to a projection displaying Liam’s name, the dates 1993-2024, and the simple message “Love you Bro” with a heart emoji.

An audience of twenty-something women lingered on, hugging each other and singing along to the recorded version of Zayn’s song Stardust, investing a lot of emotion into a suddenly rather elegiac lyric: “Feels like stardust / Floatin’ all around us / Shootin’ right across a / Big black sky.”

It was genuinely touching, and slightly at odds with the controlled hysteria of the rest of the occasion.

I am not saying I was the only man amongst 2,300 attendees at Leeds O2 Academy, but I honestly couldn’t see another around me, nor make out a male voice amidst the deafening roar that greeted Zayn’s arrival onstage.

This was a partisan audience who have loved the 31-year-old singer and songwriter since he was the moody, doe-eyed one in the 21st century’s biggest boy band.

They came to scream, and did so in all the appropriate places, listening reverently to Zayn’s fluid falsetto and sensual balladry, then signalling the end of every song by emitting a collective sound many decibels louder than the accomplished, all-female band itself.

Zayn seemed delighted and abashed. “F--k yeah!” were the first words that came out of his mouth. “What do I say? Amazing!”

Bradford born and raised, his Yorkshire accent was thick with pleasure as he declared love for his home county. “It’s good to be back up north, can’t lie. Got a doner kebab yesterday. Miss that s--t!”

His presence in the flesh was far removed from the moody international playboy image projected in photographs, or the sophisticated lover of his solo recordings.

He was dressed in baggy hip hop casual wear and a Tupac T-shirt, with a red baseball cap pulled tight on his head, and he looked somewhere between thrilled and terrified.

He spent the entire set either clutching his mic with near desperation or shuffling awkwardly around the mic stand, arms hanging limply by his sides, nodding with his eyes closed.

Zayn postponed the opening night of his first solo tour last week to attend Payne’s funeral, so this was understandably a nerve-wracking occasion. It has been nine years since Zayn became the first member to quit One Direction, and he has made his personal discomfort and artistic dissatisfaction with the boyband format known.

Such was his anxiety and disillusion with performing that it has taken him this long to venture out on the road. He seemed to understand he has ground to make up. After a strong start (2016 album Mind of Mine was a global number one) his recorded career has drifted into the doldrums.

Leeds O2 Academy is a respectable venue, but it’s a long way down from the stadiums he used to play with 1D.It was a qualified success. Zayn can sing like an R’n’B angel, riffing through the octaves and fluttering on a fluid falsetto.

He was always the best vocalist in the band, and he’s even better performing his own material, thoughtful and emotional songs that blend R’n’B tropes with timely flavours of acoustic country and rock.

Zayn has the makings of a superstar but it’s hard to understand how anyone can be famous for that long and be so entirely lacking in stagecraft.

He could do with an injection of his former bandmate Harry Styles’s swagger and charisma instead of looking like he’s still nervously auditioning for Simon Cowell on The X Factor. Maybe it will come as the tour rolls on. The best you can say about Zayn is that he’s moving in the right direction.

[keepingupwithzaynmalik]

Zayn Malik’s eventim Apollo Show Is An Emotional Triumph

The second of his sold out London shows…

Zayn Malik isn’t particularly fond of touring. It’s the word on the lips of everyone in the scrum outside the eventim Apollo tonight, an expectant London crowd awaiting the return of a generational pop icon. Since the closure of One Direction, Zayn’s solo career has been stop-start, as he navigated personal issues in the process. He remains, however, Zayn Malik – and the tension, excitement, and longing in the air is palpable.

Squeezing past some disappointed punters left outside, CLASH retrieves its ticket from the booth, only to discover that we’ve been handed a second ticket, too. Spotting a mother and daughter looking confused at the ticket desk, we do a swap-around with the kind man behind the desk, and suddenly we’re in a different seat, and the parental duo are joyously climbing the steps into the Apollo.

With good karma under our wings, we trot down to our seat, slightly bemused by the looks we’re getting from the crowd. They’re young. Sometimes very young. We are… maybe not? Upon finding our seat we’re immediately cross-examined by the pair of Zayn stans placed next to us.

“Are you REALLY a Directioner? Really?” they ask.

“Oh, obviously,” CLASH responds, in a tone so flatly assuring that not even the FBI could crack it. Sensing an awkwardness, we offer: “Are you a big Zayn fan, then?”

It’s then that she fixes her eyes mid-distance with a burning intensity, and answers with the kind of explosive assurance that only youth can offer: “He is the most beautiful man in the world.”

It’s the screams that get you. When the curtain falls and Zayn emerges the voices are deafening, almost beyond belief. It’s a wall of noise, a shuddering screech of pent-up desperation – joy and lust, longing and relief, all fused into one titanic tidal wave of sound. For his part, Zayn is bashful – shy, even. The voice is pristine, the band are exceptional – it’s a tight sound that blends R&B, pop and (especially) Americana, reflective of the journey he’s been on.

For someone who seemingly doesn’t enjoy touring, and the pressure of live performance, Zayn doesn’t hold back. It’s an 18-strong set list, delivered succinctly, with the minimum of fuss – all music, no hype. He’s clad in a Nirvana t-shirt and a loose top, a porkpie hat annointed on his head. Every detail, every hand gesture counts – when Zayn opts to remove his top, the screams reach new, almighty levels.

At times, he’s semi-stunned, not sure how to respond. “Fuck yeah, you guys are loud!” he offers, laughing self-consciously in the process. It’s been a long road to get here – at one point, fans could be forgiven for feeling that Zayn was lost to music. The gospel touches in opening song ‘My Woman’ offer something soothing, while ‘Dreamin’ and ‘Lied To’ are early highlights. The pacing is patient, the band behind him immaculately well-rehearsed.

It’s never marbled, or overly professional. There’s a humanity to Zayn Malik that he can’t hide – the Yorkshire twang is still there, and for all his evident shy reserve there’s also a quiet joy at being onstage. Repeatedly thanking the crowd – “you guys are sooooo loud!” – there’s a sense of genuine relief onstage. ‘Ignorance Ain’t Bliss’ is a wonderful mid-set vignette, ‘Sweat’ is packed with the lust, while ‘iT’s YoU’ is a deft duet between vocalist and piano.

There’s a couple of surprises, too. ‘Last Request’ honours Paolo Nutini, and serves as a great vessel for the soulful aspects of Zayn’s own voice. There’s a revealing introduction to ‘PILLOWTALK’: “The reason – one reason – I didn’t tour for so long was that I was afraid to sing this song…”

Zayn needn’t have worried. The audience acts as a cushion underneath him, their love and support pushing him up when needed. ‘PILLOWTALK’ is gorgeous, rapturously received, while a home run of ‘Alienated’ and ‘Gates Of Hell’ ties up a punctual performance that offers everything fans could have wanted – and more.

There’s a sense of quiet exhaustion at the end, when a tribute to Liam Payne flashes up onscreen. ‘Stardust’ plays, and there’s a moment of pause as the crowd engages in mutual reflection. One Direction helped to frame the coming-of-age experiences of a generation, their music bringing incalculable joy to millions across the globe. It’s a true sin, then, that the intense experiences of fame brought so much pressure and pain to the young men who powered that phenomenon. Zayn Malik is a wonderful vocalist, someone with fantastic pop songs in his solo canon – he’s also, as the girl next to us so succinctly put it, one of the most beautiful men we’ve ever seen onstage. He may not tour that often, but we wish him nothing but happiness.

ROBIN MURRAY FOR CLASH

[therumbleof1967]

My story,

|| My English Love Affair || Ashton Irwin

is now out on Wattpad (:

Username is S1eepers

[letsgauxplay]

ok ok ok. lemme get this straight. When I saw the banner images for the oracle event, I thought, damn. Gotta prepare for the lore drop. Like, look how majestic they look! But quick preview for those who don't have it yet, we get;

Rafayel blowing our hair (among other things and *slurping noises*

Zayne tying our hair and...*napping*

Then Xavier.......and lotion.

A bit strange but hot cards and hot whispers = 2-in-1 fun 🤭