If you thought that the new music releases were going to be lame and non-exciting around Christmas time, you have just been proven wrong by the latest release by Zayn and Taylor Swift. The two surprised the world by releasing their duet, "I Don't Wanna Live Forever", on Friday, which was recorded especially for the Fifty Shades Darker movie.
For Zayn, this track not only closes an incredible successful year, but also precedes a new album, which is expected early next year. For Taylor, some say, this track also rings in something new. There are lots of reports about her recording new music, but officially she's mum's the word about any upcoming new album. It's clear, however, that the steamy heartbreak track is a new sound for both and it's been keeping people talking about it non-stop, since its release.
When I heard a little snippet of it on Friday, I thought it sounded a bit like a Prince song. There was something about the beat and the high vocals that just reminded me of his style, but it's a clear mix of Zayn's R&B / pop sound and Taylor's impeccable feel for creating hit songs. A dangerous combination and, indeed, great results to fit the movie.
According to reports, the track came about in a little over a week of working together, but the two were actually never in a studio together. Zayn had sent his recordings in. No one spoke of the collaboration, but the track showed up right after Taylor got linked to One Direction one more time, because her ex-beau Harry Styles quoted her lyrics on Twitter. Funny how something always happen when someone is releasing new music.
Zayn and Taylor have also been very clever about the release of the track. No full streams of the track are available on free streaming services so far. It is only available for download through iTunes. Taylor knows how to do business.
All that aside, the track is one of the strongest new singles that I have heard, recently.
