Zayn Malik references racism he faced as One Direction member in new song
Zayn Malik (pic) is baring his soul through music once again — and this time, he's seemingly confronting the racism he faced as the only South Asian member of the global pop phenomenon One Direction.
On Saturday, the 32-year-old singer previewed a snippet of his upcoming track Fuchsia Sea on Instagram. The emotionally charged rap sees Malik delve into themes of erasure, tokenism and racial prejudice, offering a rare and pointed reflection on his time in the boy band that catapulted him to global stardom.
'I worked hard in a White band, and they still laughed at the Asian,' Malik raps in the teaser, adding, 'Got my back against the wall so much they think I got a brick fascination… I've got a round trip to the constellation.'
Fans immediately picked up on the references to his experience in One Direction — where he was the only non-white member alongside Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and the late Liam Payne. The group, formed in 2010 on The X Factor UK, became a worldwide sensation before Malik's abrupt departure in 2015.
While Malik has spoken in the past about mental health struggles and wanting privacy, this appears to be the first time he has publicly suggested that racial dynamics within the group or industry may have played a role in his decision to leave.
The lyrics struck a chord with many listeners, particularly South Asian fans who have long celebrated Malik as one of the few brown artistes to break into mainstream Western pop.
The release tease comes months after Malik marked the 10th anniversary of his One Direction exit by performing the band's ballad Night Changes during his Stairway To The Sky tour stop in Mexico City. 'It's the first time I've sung that song in 10 years,' he told the crowd. 'Thank you, that was (expletive) amazing. I almost cried.'
Malik has maintained a relatively low profile since leaving the group but re-entered the public eye earlier this year when he reunited with Styles, Tomlinson, and Horan at Payne's funeral in November 2024.
For now, Fuchsia Sea remains unreleased, but Malik's brief clip is making waves as a long-overdue reckoning. – Dawn/Asia News Network
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hype Malaysia
11 hours ago
- Hype Malaysia
Cristiano Ronaldo Proposes To GF; Former EXO's Huang Zitao Plans His Wedding Ceremony
Yesterday (Monday, 11th August), two celebrity couples took major steps toward spending their lives together. From football stadiums to Asia's entertainment stages, love stories are making headlines—and fans couldn't be more excited. One couple celebrated a glamorous engagement, while another is preparing to walk down the aisle. It's clearly a season of big steps and emotional milestones. Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez have taken their relationship to the next level with a long-awaited proposal. Meanwhile, former EXO member Huang Zitao (黄子韬) is planning a high-profile wedding ceremony with fellow artist Xu Yiyang (徐艺洋). Although the details of each event are different, both couples are entering meaningful new chapters. Their love stories have captured the attention of fans across the globe. Starting with Ronaldo, he met his now fiancée back in 2016, and since then, they have been inseparable. Over the years, they've welcomed five children together. Yesterday, Georgina posted a photo on her Instagram, showing off a wedding ring with a diamond nearly half the size of her pinky. In her caption, she wrote, 'Yes, I do. In this and in all my lives'. The football world is now overjoyed by this momentous occasion. She had reportedly been seen with the ring before. However, this post marks their official engagement announcement. Reportedly, Ronaldo had been waiting for the perfect moment to tie the knot after all these years. In a recent behind-the-scenes feature for Netflix's 'I Am Georgina', he spoke about the wedding. He said that no matter how long it takes, he is confident it will happen. Moving on, Huang Zitao proposed to his girlfriend Xu Yiyang in August of last year. A few months later, in December, the couple shared photos of their official marriage certificates. Since then, they haven't released any updates about whether a ceremony has already taken place. At the same time, rumours have circulated about Xu Yiyang possibly being pregnant, though the couple has not addressed the speculation. Recently, during an interview on the 'Dare or Not' variety show, the rapper confirmed they will hold a wedding ceremony this October. He mentioned plans for a large event with celebrity guests. To keep fans involved, they will invite up to 100 fans to attend in a reserved section. They may even livestream the celebration so more people can take part. We give our congratulations to Ronaldo and Georgina, and wish a wonderful ceremony for Huang Zitao and Xu Yiyang. As both couples move forward into these exciting new chapters of their lives, fans around the world are celebrating their love stories. Whether it's a dazzling proposal or a long-awaited wedding, their journeys remind us that even under the spotlight, genuine connection and commitment still shine the brightest. Sources: Instagram, The Sun, AllKpop Zaima Humaira contributed to this article
Hype Malaysia
11 hours ago
- Hype Malaysia
Wait Is Over: Malaysia-Set Hollywood Movie 'Worth The Wait' Opens In Cinemas Nationwide
It was definitely worth the wait. The highly-anticipated romantic comedy Worth The Wait opened in more than 30 cinemas nationwide over the weekend, and we were first in line, with popcorn barrels in hand. Aptly timed with the Merdeka month celebrations, the heartfelt film, which was partly shot in Malaysia, has already won over American viewers on Fox's streaming channel Tubi. The four-story plot feature film is applauded for its emotional depth, and universal themes of love, hope and redemption. The star-studded all-Asian cast includes Ross Butler (13 Reasons Why), Lana Condor (To All The Boys I've Loved Before Franchise), Andrew Koji (Black Doves), Sung Kang (Fast and The Furious Franchise), Elodie Yung (The Cleaning Lady), Karena Ka-Yan Lam (multiple Golden Horse Award winning Hong Kong and Taiwan actress in her U.S. and English language debut), Osric Chau (Supernatural), Kheng Hua Tan (Crazy Rich Asians), and Yu-Beng Lim (Rebel Moon). Meanwhile, acclaimed Taiwanese director, Tom Shu-Yu Lin – the eight-time Golden Horse nominee – makes his English-language debut with Worth The Wait. With at least 10 scenes filmed in Malaysia, the 1 hour 42 minute family-friendly movie highlights Malaysia's natural beauty, vibrant local heritage, food and warm hospitality. Rachel Tan, former Miss Malaysia and producer of the film said, 'Worth The Wait is not just entertainment, but also a reflection on love, faith and hope,' adding that the film is loosely based on her personal love story which blossomed through a long distance relationship between Malaysia and the United States. 'Dan and I wanted to create something that celebrates our Asian identity while also speaking to audiences around the world – and the response so far has been incredibly encouraging.' Dan Mark, one of the film's producers said, 'We encourage Malaysian audiences to come out to support the film which contributes towards putting the country on the world stage as a destination of choice for film makers.' Worth The Wait has earned praise from audiences and critics for its authentic narratives, heart-warming scenes and cross-cultural representation. In addition to the U.S., the film will also be released in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, the Middle East and Taiwan. It is distributed in Malaysia by Astro Shaw. The film is supported by Tourism Malaysia, in its commitment to supporting creative industries that champion Malaysian culture and tourism through powerful storytelling and visual media. This initiative is also part of the national effort to boost tourism ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026). Worth The Wait is produced by King Street Pictures, marking its sixth cinematic release. King Street Pictures, known for its emotionally-charged narratives and commitment to diverse storytelling, continues to champion Asian representation in global cinema. With several successful films prior to this, Kingstreet continues to push creative boundaries and uplift underrepresented voices in cinema.
The Star
12 hours ago
- The Star
'Farm babe' versus 'food babe' influencer rivalry is a lopsided battle
(Reuters) -Michelle Miller stands in a field of corn, stalks stretching above her perfectly styled hair, holding a tiny microphone and addressing an audience online. She was farming genetically-modified corn in Iowa in 2017, she says, when a tornado hit. Now a social media influencer who goes by the name the "Farm Babe," Miller says the wind knocked her corn flat on the ground. But in a feat of botanical fortitude, the plantsbounced back. "So when you ask farmers: why are they growing these GMO seeds?" she says in the video, "it's because the genetics hold up." Millerhas starred in hundreds of videos, often set in fields and on farms, since she began her influencing career. She aims to debunk what she sees as misperceptions around farming perpetuated by another universe of influencers, many of whom are now closely aligned with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and his Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, campaign. But unlike Miller's GMO corn, arguments in favor of the status quo in U.S. food and agriculture are increasingly falling flat, especially on social media. Among the most prominent of those MAHA influencers is Vani Hari, who blogs as "The Food Babe" -- Miller says her ownname is a self-conscious spin-off. Hari has gained millions of followers by railing against processed food, GMOs, pesticides and other mainstays of the U.S. food system. Although Miller partners with powerful interests in the food and agriculture industry with huge marketing budgets, her message is not gaining as much traction as Hari's. Her Instagram account, for example, had just over 43,000 followers in early August, to Hari's 2.3 million. The bloggers' uneven rivalry speaks to the ascendance of a movement that has put conventional food and farming in its crosshairs, and Big Agriculture's struggle to respond. Hari and Miller, both in their 40s, emerged as food commentators in the 2010s amid a boom in social media influencing, when a single post going viral could help rocket its author to fame and fortune. Their rise also coincided with growing national attention on the relationship between food, obesity and chronic illness, with then-First Lady Michelle Obama spearheading new regulations on school nutrition and promoting vegetable gardening and exercise through her "Let's Move!" campaign. Hari grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she said she was largely raised on ultra-processed foods, to which she attributes later chronic health conditions, from eczema to endometriosis. An appendectomy in 2002 launched her on a quest to understand the source of her health issues. She pored over books on nutrition at the library, from which she concluded that her diet was at the root of her diseases, and those of many other Americans. "I wanted to investigate: what was it about these foods that made me feel so bad?" Hari said. Hari began writing a blog in 2011 as The Food Babe, a name suggested by her husband, with the aim of educating her friends and family. The blog reached well beyond her immediate circle and led to book deals and the creation of Truvani, a line of supplements now sold at Target and Walmart. More recently, she has become a sort of mascot of the MAHA movement, though she is a registered Democrat, according to public voter registration records. At a press conference in April, at which Kennedy announced the administration's intention to phase out synthetic food dyes, Hari was an opening act, appearing in a bejeweled white suit before a room of press and MAHA supporters. When Kennedy took the stage, he called her an "extraordinary leader." She said she does not have a formal role in the administration. Miller wanted her own pulpit after she began noticing Hari's content in 2014. A commercial farmer of soybeans, corn and livestock in Iowa at the time, Miller said she posted a comment on Hari's Facebook page taking issue with her claims about the toxicity of GMO crops. After that, Miller said, she was blocked. So, she launched a rival blog. "I really took it upon myself to be a myth buster for the industry," she said. Hari did not respond to questions about blocking Miller or others who make critical comments. Hari has published books blasting corruption in the food industry as well as her own cookbooks, and sells subscriptions to her blog. The supplements, however, areher main business, Hari said. She declined to disclose the company's value. Miller, who said she is not registered with either political party, travels about 300 days a year, doing paid speaking engagements, farm visits and branded partnerships with companies like Tyson Foods, Domino's Pizza and the California Beef Council. She also writes a column for an agriculture industry trade publication. She declined to say exactly how much she earns, but her published fee for speeches ranges from $2,500 to $15,000. Mariah Wellman, a professor of advertising and public relations at Michigan State University who focuses on social media and wellness, said both women likely earn in the high six figures for their work. But they speak to different audiences. And the constraints of traditional public relations may hinder pro-agriculture messaging, while the MAHA crowd's comfort with social media helps propel its narrative. "When you think about large brands and large agricultural companies, they are headed by a demographic that's not super comfortable with influencer culture," said Wellman. She said that such companies often find it hard to keep up with fast-moving social media trends as they like to vet their partnerships carefully. Miller, for her part, is sometimes frustrated by the challenges of working with an industry that is less nimble on social media, noting that it skews older and male, and saying it is often "preaching to the choir."But she sees it as part of her mission to help agriculturebetter communicate about itself. Hari has gained traction as public skepticism of U.S. public health institutions grew during the Covid-19 crisis. And her profile exploded when Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic and environmental lawyer who was involved in suing companies like Bayer Monsanto over its pesticides, joined President Donald Trump's administration. Kennedy's MAHA zeal has already inspired corporate action and state legislation on food. In June, Kraft Heinz and General Mills announced they would phase out synthetic food dyes, which MAHA adherents believe cause problems ranging from hyperactivity in children to cancer, by 2027. Scientists say there is not yet a large enough body of evidence to show whether synthetic food dyes cause these problems. West Virginia in March banned some synthetic food dyes from being sold in the state, and Arizona and Utah have recently banned a list of synthetic food dyes in school meals. Communications firm Edelman found in a large, global public opinion survey taken in 2024 that people, especially those aged 18-34, are increasingly disregarding the advice of credentialed medical providers in favor of recommendations from friends, family and social media. As Lauri Baker, a professor of agricultural communication at the University of Florida, says:"In almost any study we've conducted, people are more likely to trust someone who looks like them, thinks like them, who they believe is like them." (Reporting by Renee Hickman. Editing by Emily Schmall and Claudia Parsons)
