SINGAPORE — Former One Direction member Zayn Malik has released his debut single and video Pillowtalk.

Featuring model Gigi Hadid, who is also Malik’s rumoured girlfriend, and directed by multi-award-winning filmmaker Bouha Kazmi, Pillowtalk is the first single from Malik’s debut album Mind Of Mine, which will be released on March 25 — the anniversary of the 23-year-old’s decision to leave One Direction to pursue a solo music career.

“Once they hear it, I feel they will understand me a little bit more,” he said. “For 10 years, this album has been in my brain, and it’s just been there, sat with me, needing to be out.”

In an interview with Beats 1 reporter Zane Lowe, he also said he never really wanted to be a part of One Direction.

“I think I kind of always wanted to go, from the first year, really. I never really wanted to be in the band,” said Malik, whose former bandmates include Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne. “I just gave it a go because it was there at the time. And then when I realised the direction that we were going in … with the music, I instantly realised it wasn’t for me, because I realised I couldn’t put any input in, I couldn’t give my opinion on this or that because it didn’t fit the grain of what we were as a band, of what we represented. That’s when it became frustrating for me.” Hon Jing Yi