“Better” by ZAYN
As you probably already know, this song is based on a romance the singer is in. However, interesting to note is that the word “better” is only mentioned once in the lyrics. And it’s not within the context of the vocalist putting forth that he is better alongside his mate as some have argued, though such can be said to be the overall sentiment behind the lyrics.
Rather the featured relationship is quite tumultuous. But what the singer is saying is that “sometimes it’s better” when he and his partner take breaks from their romance. And what he seems to be putting forth in that regard is that at times the emotional pain associated with their relationship becomes too much to bear. Or stated otherwise, they have the tendency to really hurt each other’s feelings. Yet at the end of the day they end up back together, just to repeat the process.
So ultimately what Zayn appears to be saying is that instead of repeating this destructive cycle, it would be more advantageous if they rather made a conscientious effort to keep their union steady and intact.
When “Better” was released
Although Zayn Malik dropped a handful of collabs and remixes in 2019, “Better” is his first solo single in a couple of years. The track itself was released, via Sony Music, on 25 September 2020. And it is the lead single from the artist’s forthcoming third-solo project.
Is “Better” about Gigi Hadid?
The prevailing theory is that this track may be about Zayn Malik’s girlfriend, a popular model by the name of Gigi Hadid. Whereas at the time of its release, there is no solid evidence to support this idea, it has been noted that Hadid did birth a daughter for Malik. And the couple announced the arrival of their first child just a few days prior to the release of “Better”, on 23 September 2020. That was also the same day in which Zayn teased the song on Twitter. Moreover true to the theme of the lyrics, their relationship has been known to be a makeup-to-breakup type of affair.
Writing and Production
Zayn served as a co-writer of Better along with the following:
- Dustin “Dab” Bowie
- David Brown
- Cole Citrenbaum
- Mike McGregor
- Other
Other is also one of the track’s producers, as are Dab and Cole.
