Zayn Malik Seemingly Addresses Racism He Encountered During One Direction Era on New Rap Song

Zayn Malik is opening up about his past and rapping about the racism he faced in a bold new track.

On Saturday, the former One Direction member shared a preview of a new rap song titled "Fuchsia Sea" on Instagram, and it finds him reflecting on his experiences as the only non-white member of the globally successful boy band. Malik was part of the group alongside Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and the late Liam Payne, but he left in 2015 after five years of record-breaking success.

"Got my back against the wall so much they think I got a brick fascination / Do you remember every conversation? 'Cause I have been conscious of every connotation," Malik raps in the snippet. "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."

Malik posted the video alongside a caption that read "coming soon," and later shared the full verse on his Instagram Stories, indicating an official release is on the way. The track preview comes almost a year after Liam Payne's tragic passing in October 2024.

The group was seen for the first time together since Malik's departure at Payne's funeral in his hometown of Wolverhampton. Malik had also paid tribute to Payne during a concert where he dedicated the song "It's You" to his former bandmate.