Released: 2024
Let’s delve into “How It Feels,” ZAYN’s soul-baring pop ballad. From the get-go, it’s clear this song expresses a deep sense of inner conflict and struggle. Through his powerful lyrics, ZAYN gives listeners a glimpse into a tumultuous emotional journey that grapples with introspection, emotional isolation, and the desperate need for understanding.
Starting off with “I’ve been getting old standing by the river / Watch the water move, but I don’t move with her”, ZAYN opens up about feeling stuck and out of sync with life’s flow. This might be ZAYN’s way of acknowledging a sense of stagnation or the passage of time not leading to any inner growth or change.
The repeated line, “Shivers down my spine, Never forget to remind me, I’m alive”, points to both distress and a stark self-reminder of his resilience – the ability to feel, even if it’s uncomfortable. It serves as a poignant statement about his will to live.
ZAYN’s words, “I’ve been breaking, always faking/I’m just lying to your face”, reflect inner turmoil and deceit, perhaps suggesting communication barriers or a facade he puts on to maintain appearances. The line “Can you give me a reason to stay?” adds a layer of longing for a convincing motive to stay in a stressful situation.
The phrase, “‘Cause the feelings I’m harbouring, Don’t seem to, see the light of day”, hints toward emotions that are suppressed or ignored, leading to a flood of bottled up feelings.
“Breaking my heart” repeated four times over and “I asked to leave, But you insisted on staying” carves out a narrative of undesired persistence and its emotional cost. This could speak to a toxic relationship, where ZAYN feels consistently hurt yet remains trapped.
In a nutshell, “How It Feels” is a vivid illustration of experiencing intense emotional turmoil. ZAYN uses stark lyrics to paint a picture of personal struggle and the desperate yearning for freedom, understanding and resolution.
