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Zayn Malik’s comeback album Nobody Is Listening set to flop as he ‘smokes weed’ at 6am on Instagram
ZAYN Malik’s long-awaited comeback album Nobody Is Listening was released on Friday – and at first glance the title might turn out to be pretty apt.
An early look at the official UK chart figures show the record is poised to sneak in at a fairly underwhelming No10 this Friday, despite strong early streaming numbers.
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But it’s probably not that surprising, given the former One Direction star has done almost nothing to promote his new music, his first collection since 2018’s Icarus Falls, which only made it to No77 in the charts.
And yesterday Zayn may have revealed why he’s struggling to keep his solo career on a par with soaring ex-bandmate Harry Styles — despite previously being tipped as potentially the stand-out man from Simon Cowell's five-piece.
In a live video at around 11am in the UK, 6am in New York where he lives, Zayn reached out to fans in a bid to promote the album.
But rather than giving a polished performance of one of the tracks, or taking part in a slick Q&A session, he sparked some concern by drinking beer, smoking what fans claimed was a cannabis joint and eating junk food.
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Zayn, who became a dad after supermodel Gigi Hadid gave birth to their daughter in September, revealed he was listening to tracks from his third studio album in the live Instagram stream.
As he sang along in what is believed to be his home, he lit up, swigged beer and ate pizza.
Zayn told 200,000 live viewers: “I’ve recorded a sick song today. It might seem a bit weird. I just sat at a computer. I looped four bars. But that’s all I can say. It’s sick, right?”
Fans were shocked, with one tweeting: “Why is Zayn getting high and blasting lights and music at 6am when he supposedly has a baby in the house?”
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Another added: “If he’s in NYC he went live at 6am, which seems an odd time to be smoking a joint and blasting music that loud.”
Zayn has been open about his mental health battles, which kept him from performing live for several years and became a major factor in his decision to leave the pop supergroup.
His solo debut, Pillowtalk, from album Mind Of Mine, proved he had plenty of talent. Since then, agents and record label executives have struggled to keep Zayn’s career on track.
Here’s hoping he makes the most of his gifts sooner rather than later.
Steps were drunk on kids' TV show
STEPS were always up for all manner of wacky things on Nineties Saturday TV show SM:TV Live and now band member Ian “H” Watkins has revealed why – they were still drunk.
The Tragedy singer said the group would pull all-nighters, partying at clubs before making it on air first thing for the kids’ telly show, hosted by Cat Deeley and Ant and Dec.
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He recalled: “We lived for the Smash Hits Poll Winners party, SM:TV and CD:UK.
“On a Friday night we used to go out and we wouldn’t go to bed. Then we would roll into the SM:TV studio in the morning and we’d be handed scripts.
“They knew that we’d had a few cheeky G&Ts the night before and they gave us the script and we did anything.”
Steps, whose new single is To The Beat Of My Heart, had a laugh doing it and H said they met lifelong pals including superstar Justin Timberlake.
He added: “Many moons ago I drank him under the table.
“We became friends and we shared the ride with so many other bands.
“B*witched, S Club, Five, All Saints and they’re still really good friends today.”
Even without a pandemic, something tells me their nights out aren’t quite as wild two decades on.
Tom's the meal deal
HITS Radio DJ Tom Green is launching a new podcast where he’ll grill celebs over a takeaway.
But on Dangerous Dinners, which starts on February 11, Tom and his guests – who will include Tom Walker and Ella Eyre – spin a roulette wheel to decide where to order their grub from. Potential choices include a one-star Chinese and a five-star kebab house.
Along with a possible dose of food poisoning, Tom chats to his guests ahead of the takeaway arriving before they tuck into their meal.
I’ll be tuning in to hear what they get up to, but I’m glad I won’t have to chow down with them.
Maya's made up with a new job
THANKS to Maya Jama, double denim has never looked so good.
The TV star, who is the new presenter of BBC make-up show Glow Up, posted this behind-the-scenes snap from filming on Instagram.
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Along with the patchwork denim dress and matching boots, Maya revealed a funky braided hairstyle she will show off when the series airs later this year on BBC Three.
Maya is taking over from former Strictly Come Dancing champion Stacey Dooley and will join experts Val Garland and Dominic Skinner as they work to find the best make-up artist in the UK out of a field of ten talented hopefuls.
And while the show will help fine-tune her presenting skills, Maya can also use the wannabes’ expertise as she works towards launching her own cosmetics range.
She’s a savvy lady.
Sam's a tour de fourth
NOT even three months have passed since Sam Smith’s third album came out and already we are going to be treated to a fourth.
Songwriter Jimmy Napes, who has helped out on many of the Writing’s On The Wall singer’s tracks, says they are already making new material following the release of Love Goes at the end of October.
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He said: “We wrote a song just the other day and it’s one of my favourite things we’ve ever done. Continuing to just do this and it still feels like the first time, essentially, that’s a really special partnership.
“Sam’s voice is obviously one of the greatest voices I’ve ever heard.
“To be able to have that voice expressing the music that you’re writing together, it’s like a joke.
“It can be a little bit of a trick because Sam could sing the phone book and it would sound amazing.”
On which songs make the cut, Jimmy told the Straight Up podcast: “On the whole a lot of the songs get binned.
“We, even on the day, might be jumping up and down saying. ‘I love this’, and then people in the team will just be like, ‘This is the worst thing I’ve ever heard’.”
End for Affleck
BEN Affleck and Ana De Armas have called time on their relationship.
The couple got together after filming upcoming movie Deep Water in New Orleans early last year.
But sources in the US claimed the actress, who will also star in new Bond film No Time To die, ended things amicably.
She is believed to want to live away from Los Angeles, while he is committed to staying there for the sake of his three kids with his ex-wife, actress Jennifer Garner.
The Good Will Hunting actor moved in with Ana, from Cuba, last year when LA went into lockdown. At the time he praised her by saying her “talent is infinite”.
In August she bought him a custom BMW motorbike for his birthday.
Now she’s got on her bike.
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Scooby hue...
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I don’t have a scooby what look she was trying to go for, but she even managed to pull this off.
Gigi Hadid shows off her baby bump for the first time since announcing pregnancy with Zayn Malik
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