Zayn Malik releases sexy new solo single

Zayn Malik drops his first solo single, Pillowtalk after leaving One Direction last year. Photo / Getty

Almost a year since fans heard the devastating news that One Direction were one-man-down, Zayn Malik has his first official single.

The track titled Pillowtalk, will be released on January 29 and will coincide with the singer's appearance on The Graham Norton Show, according to Rolling Stone.

The 23-year-old singer promised to "let people know what's really going on" in his new album, which he describes as "so pure, so dirty and raw".

"I think I'm pretty black and white what it's about," he told Press Association.

"Everybody has sex, and it's something people wanna hear about. It's part of everybody's life, a very BIG part of life! And you don't wanna sweep it under the carpet. It has to be talked about."

Malik left One Direction in March last year shortly before the band announced a two-year hiatus.

"I've done enough in terms of financial backing for me to live comfortably... I just want to make music now," he told The Fadar last year in his first interview as a solo artist.

His fellow band members were forced to record their recent album Made in the A.M, without the singer, who has reportedly been working with Frank Ocean producer Malay.

Despite having previously stated he was no longer in contact with his former band mates, Malik told PA he would consider a reunion "if the time was right and that was the right thing to do".

-AAP