M.I.A. Enlists Zayn Malik for New Song “Freedun”

M.I.A.’s new album A.I.M. is out September 9. Collaborators on the album include Skrillex, Diplo, and, as M.I.A. revealed today, Zayn Malik. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, M.I.A. said that the former One Direction member appears on a track called “Freedun.” Of the collaboration process, told EW, “We’ve just been going back and forth on, you know, WhatsApp.”

As for how the pair came together, M.I.A. explained to EW: “We have the same publishers and they wanted me to demo some songs for Zayn. Before I started writing properly my own stuff [for A.I.M.], I was thinking maybe I’ll write for other people instead. I really wanted to write a song for Zayn….We had a couple people in common. And that’s how it came about. I didn’t really approach him for my own record until later on. First, I thought I wanted to try writing a song for him.”

Read “How M.I.A. Is a Lifeline in Times of Terror,” “M.I.A. vs. the System: A Complete Timeline of her Controversies,” and “Zayn Malik, Desi Thirst Trap,” on the Pitch.

Watch M.I.A.’s new video for “Go Off:”

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