BLACKPINK's Jisoo is concocting something extraordinary for her fans—and it seems she's enlisting a major pop icon to join her on this musical journey. The K-pop sensation recently dropped a tantalizingly cryptic teaser on social media, hinting at an impending surprise single that features a shadowy silhouette, suggesting the track will be a duet. While the identity of the mystery collaborator remains shrouded in secrecy, a report in *The Korea Herald* hints that Jisoo is teaming up with none other than Zayn Malik, the British heartthrob who rose to fame as a member of the chart-topping boy band One Direction.
"Jisoo is set to release a new ballad duet with Zayn this month," a source revealed to *The Korea Herald*. In the teaser images unveiled on Instagram, Jisoo strikes a captivating pose in the foreground, while a male figure stands with his back turned, his features obscured yet bearing a striking resemblance to the "Pillowtalk" singer. The images imply that the single will be titled "Eyes Closed." "Two voices, one orbit. Coming soon," Jisoo penned in the caption. Although Jisoo refrains from naming Malik, the tattoo visible on the back of the mystery singer’s head bears a striking similarity to one adorned by the former One Direction member.
This potential collaboration may have been in the works for months. In July, Malik was seen attending BLACKPINK's concert at New York’s MetLife Stadium alongside his daughter Khai. The ex-boybander later took to Instagram to share a snapshot from the event, capturing father and daughter with their hands raised amidst the crowd. "@BLACKPINKOFFICIAL THANK YOU :) ME & KHAI LOVED IT," he captioned the post.
The timing aligns perfectly: Jisoo is currently taking a brief hiatus from BLACKPINK’s "Deadline" world tour, which commenced in Seoul in July. After concluding shows at London’s O2 Arena on August 15-16, the group is preparing to resume the tour in Kaohsiung, Taiwan on October 18.
The upcoming single will mark Jisoo’s first new music since the release of her solo EP "Amortage" in February. That project showcased her vocal prowess across four tracks: "Earthquake," "Your Love," "Tears," and "Hugs & Kisses."
As for Malik, the singer famously departed from One Direction—one of the best-selling boy bands in history—in 2015, embarking on a successful solo career that has seen him delve into R&B and alternative pop sounds, far removed from his 1D days.
*Variety* has reached out to Jisoo’s label YG Entertainment and Malik’s publicists for confirmation. While neither has officially verified the collaboration at the time of going to print, fans are already abuzz with excitement over the pairing of K-pop royalty and British pop aristocracy.
