Zayn previews 'Fuchsia Sea' with striking lyric on race

Zayn Malik has shared a preview of a new track titled Fuchsia Sea, in which he appears to reference racism he experienced during his time in the band One Direction.

The teaser, posted to his Instagram on Saturday, includes the lyric: "Cause I have been conscious of every connotation / And while they concentrate on their elevation / I've got a round trip to the constellation / I'm a convert to the concert, and I did that for inflation, 'cause I worked hard in a white band, and they still laughed at the Asian."

The verse has drawn widespread attention for addressing his experience as the only non-white member of the boy band One Direction. Zayn's father is Pakistani, and his mother is of English and Irish descent.

While Zayn hasn't confirmed a release date, he noted the track is "coming soon." The song appears to be part of a return to music following his 2024 album Room Under the Stairs. In recent years, he has largely stayed out of the public eye, making only select appearances and releasing music sporadically.

On Liam's death

One such rare appearance came in late 2024, when Zayn reunited with former bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan to attend the funeral of Liam Payne. Liam died on October 16 last year at the age of 31, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

Zayn was one of the founding members of One Direction, formed during the 2010 season of The X Factor alongside Harry, Niall, Liam, and Louis. The band quickly rose to international fame, selling millions of records and becoming one of the biggest pop acts of the decade.

In 2015, Zayn officially announced his departure from the group in a statement, released on the group's social media, that said, "I'd like to apologise to the fans if I've let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart." He continued, "I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry, and Niall."

Zayn's exit came midway through the band's On the Road Again tour, which the remaining members completed without him. Since then, he has pursued a solo career, exploring genres beyond pop, including R&B and hip-hop.

Liam spoke about Zayn's departure during One Direction's appearance on The Late Late Show, saying, "We were surprised. I think we all knew the general vibe that Zayn was feeling. There were certain parts of this job that Zayn loved and certain parts of the job that he didn't." He shared their honest reactions, "Like I said, we were angry at first, but then it was just a bit disappointing." After the rest of the band finished their tour, they also went on an indefinite hiatus and focused on their solo careers.

Zayn briefly reflected on his time in One Direction during a concert in Mexico City in March, where he performed Night Changes, a track from the band's 2014 album Four. He told the crowd, "It's the first time I've sung that song in 10 years. Thank you, that was f--king amazing. I almost cried."

His upcoming track Fuchsia Sea appears to be one of his most personal to date, with lyrics directly referencing his racial identity and his experience in the band.