M.I.A. is linking up with Zayn Malik for a song that comes off her new album, AIM. The track titled, “Freedun,” was premiered on Annie Mac’s BBC Radio 1 show, and it’s now available on digital outlets everywhere.
M.I.A. went into a little more detail about the song during an interview after the premiere, saying that enlisting former One Direction star Malik brought her out of her comfort zone a little bit, and it brought him out of his a little bit, too. You can listen to the full interview with her here.
The duo may have been out of their comfort zone, but you wouldn’t have guessed it by hearing the track, as the confidence projected throughout “Freedun” sounds like they were right at home. That doesn’t mean that it’s your normal M.I.A. sounding song though.
“Freedun” takes more of a mainstream pop direction that’s tailor made for radio consumption, and Malik’s atmospheric-esque vocals make the catchy chorus one to marvel at. Additionally, we hear M.I.A. show off her pipes a little more than usual, which is something she should definitely do more often in the future. Overall, “Freedun” could be exactly what M.I.A. needs to get herself back into the limelight, and the decision to add Malik into the mix turned out to be an excellent decision.
M.I.A.’s new album, AIM, will be released on September 9th through Interscope Records, featuring songs produced by Skrillex and Diplo. AIM is her fifth album overall, and the follow-up to 2013’s Matangi.
